Reading is one of my family’s favorite R & R activities.
Yesterday was a HOT day in El Paso, and we spent the morning outside. The kids watered the plants. My husband weeded the yard. I picked up trash. The kids baked mud cakes. It was one of those enjoyably productive mornings.
As the temperature climbed and lunchtime approached, we went inside to cool down and rest. After lunch and much-needed showers, we decided to read together as a family.
I was excited that my daughter suggested it because I’ve learned that reading aloud to children, even to those who can read for themselves, brings them tremendous benefits:
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- improves their stress management and resilience
- deepens their independent learning
- boosts their literacy
- broadens their worldview
- promotes a family culture of purposeful rest
- gives us adults an avenue to fill their “love tanks” through quality time (and physical touch if you couple it with snuggles)
During the summer break, it also supports back-to-school readiness.
» » » » » » » RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: The Ultimate Guide to Summer in El Paso « « « « « «
Bonus for multilingual families: Reading aloud in another language fosters kids’ enjoyment, love, and understanding of that language. Children also get to experience its cadence, tempo, and structure. And it truly expands their vocabulary.
» » » » » » RELATED READ: Book Recommendations for the End of the School Year « « « « « «
I like to incorporate books with fun and thoughtful stories. I think these can provide opportunities to develop social and emotional skills. Below are a few of the books and skills that I’m working to introduce and grow within my children.
Self-Worth, Diversity & Acceptance
- Maybe by Kobi Yamada
- Rain Boy by Dylan Glynn
- Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o
- The Barnabus Project by Eric, Devin, and Terry Fan
Resilience & Problem-Solving
- The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
- Abracadabra! The Magic of Trying by Maria Loretta Giraldo
Self-Awareness & Self-Control
- My Body Sends a Signal by Natalia Maguire
- Puppy in My Head by Elise Gravel
Empathy & Kindness
- Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller
- The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfed
- Aye-Aye Gets Lucky by Terri Tatchell
- We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
Friendship & Community
- Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris
- The Sharing Circle by Theresa “Corky” Larsen-Jonasson
- My Day with Gong Gong by Sennah Yee
I feel a deep sense of responsibility to raise strong, kind, well-equipped humans. And reading aloud has been an invaluable tool in this journey.
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
