From a young age, I made books a priority for my children. PaperPie (formally Usborne Books & More) was pivotal in this quest and I still stand behind their books and their quality.
Picture-books before bed are a staple in our home and probably one of my favorite moments of the day.
As my kids have grown, I’ve introduced audiobooks and chapter books into our homeschool rhythm. Sadly, I get a lot of pushback from others when I bring it up – they claim their kids are “too young.” Truthfully, I disagree.
Having children listen to high-quality read alouds or audio books is one of the best things you can do to set a great academic foundation for reading and writing.
The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie is an outstanding read (or listen) that further dives into the science, practicality and fun audiobooks and just reading aloud can bring to a family. She also provides a rich reading list if you’re not sure where to begin in your family’s literature endeavors. I cannot recommend this book enough.
As for our own read-aloud journey, it has been such a joy. We like to play our audiobooks in the car while we run errands, road trips or just go 10minutes down the street to softball practice. Even if a story is playing in the background of the household noise, I still see my children asking questions about the characters or reenacting a scene in the yard.
Another really beautiful way to fall in love with reading together as a family is to start a book club. Whether with friends or by yourselves, it’s so magical to have themed snacks, crafts or whatever you can manage to relive the story you read.
