3 Ways To Keep Children Engaged During Story Time
As a parent, we know the benefits of reading aloud to our children. However, it is not always easy! Either our children won’t keep still or the book is just not engaging enough. You are not alone!
There are many ways to go about keeping your child engaged for storytime. This article will not go over every single one– but it is a start to get you going!
I am focusing on the tips that work in our home. These tips and tricks engaged my son, Aidyn, even when we are both exhausted from a long day. I am adamant about getting our reading time in!
So… these are proven to work.
Let’s get to it.
1. Add their name to the book
Most children, still get excited when they hear their name. Especially when it is heard in unexpected places! Does this sound familiar, “Oh my goodness! We have the same nammmeeeeee!”
My son still gets so excited.
So why not find a character in the book, that wouldn’t derail the storyline if you just change their name up?
This is a great way to get your child’s attention when they seem to be slipping away from the book.
2. Don’t leave excitement behind
Ok. So bare with me here. I know there are times when YOU don’t even feel like reading. But think about when you are searching for YouTube videos online. You may be looking for a recipe or a new hairstyle. What keeps you engaged?
Yes, the excitement! Or even just that the YouTuber seems to WANT to be there.
The bonding that happens during storytime only happens when your child feels the notion that you WANT to be in that space with them.
So.. I’m not saying you have to use voices every single time. But when you pick up that book, bring the engagement that you expect.
3. Introduce coloring into read-aloud time
Introducing coloring books into the mix was a real game-changer for us. Especially when reading non-fiction books.
I love to incorporate non-fiction into our read-aloud time for a few reasons:
- It makes learning fun 📚🎉
- Helps me read above his reading level ➡️ builds his vocabulary
- Introduces more complex sentences ➡️ helps with reading comprehension
However, I found that he was not as engaged as when we read imaginative storylines.
Allowing our children to focus their energies on an activity like coloring actually increases their ability to take in information. There is also research that shows that children who color have better concentration and focus skills.
When I learned this, I immediately began searching for coloring books and pages that matched the non-fiction books I wanted to read-aloud to him. We even created our own coloring book to use when learning about prominent Black figures!
Aidyn loved the process of creating a coloring book! He soon joined in on the fun and created one about Colors!
Okay… Let’s Wrap it Up!
In this post, I’ve only included tips and tricks for reading-aloud that work in our home. We also have a great resource in our library that can give you more tips and tricks for finding time to read aloud and making it engaging. You may even consider joining us in our Facebook Community for our monthly #StopDropRead Challenges! They are sooo much fun! And the winner gets a prize 🎉🙌🏾. Join here: Parenting & Bonding w/ Children’s Books
If you try any of these tips– please let us know. We’d love to hear about your journey!
❤️ Quinn
