Reading Together: Every Age & Stage
Reading together is one of the most powerful things a family can do for a child's growing brain. It doesn't take special training or a library full of books. Just your time whether you're snuggled up with a newborn or reading the same book for the hundredth time with your preschooler, every bit of reading time adds up!
Family Reading: Every Age & Stage - Baby to Toddler
When you're sleep-deprived and your toddler hands you the same book you to read for the fifth time "bonding through literacy" is not exactly what's running through your head. But honestly, your toddler’s engagement is your aim for each story time. Because reading with your little one is one of the easiest wins you'll get as a parent. Just you, a book, and maybe a kid trying to eat said book.
Make It a Routine
Toddlers thrive on routine, even when their routine looks like throwing books off the shelf one by one. Pick a regular reading time, bedtime is common, but it can be any time! Find a spot that feels like "ours." A beanbag, a corner of the couch, or your lap!
Choose a consistent time.
Designate a cozy reading spot, bonus points for snacks nearby.
Stick with it, even on the nights it's just three pages before they're done.
Read Out Loud
Kids learn by watching us, so this is your permission slip to be ridiculous! Point at funny details in the pictures and do the silly voices. Follow the words with your finger. If your child has heard a book a hundred times, let them "read" the parts they've memorized. Books are full of fun words just waiting to be noticed. Pause on words that sound silly, rhyme, or repeat, and say them together a few times. Kids love the sound of language as much as the meaning. If a word is new to your child, take a second to talk about what it means, or act it out together.
Follow the words with your fingers.
Do the silly voices, their engagement is key!
Let them “read” their favorite parts.
Let Them Lead
Offer options and let them choose. Even if that means the same book on repeat. Allow time for your child to study the pictures and chat about whatever catches their eye, even if “chatting” means pointing at the dog on every page and yelling "DOG!" Connect what's in the book to their own life when you can. It builds comprehension and buys more cuddle time too!
Let them choose the book.
Allow extra time to study pictures.
Tie the story back to people, pets, or feelings they recognize.
There's no wrong way: repetition, mess, and the same book every night are all part of it. What matters is the time together, and that adds up to a lifelong love of reading.
Inspired by tips from Sesame Workshop. Want more family reading ideas? Visit Sesame Workshop's Language and Literacy hub.
Local Resources to Support Reading at Home:
Help Me Grow- is a great resource if youhave questions about your child's developmental progress, including language and literacy milestones.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio- sends a free, age appropriate book to enrolled children every month from birth through age five, available to any family in Ohio.
And of course, our own Story Lady Program puts books into the hands of little ones in Miami County.
