Reading is one of my favorite ways to connect with my boys, especially as a Speech Language Pathologist! A good book is hard to beat for many reasons. Reading together seems to stop time for a brief moment and allows you to disregard any distractions to focus your attention. It is a great way to strengthen your bond with your child and spend uninterrupted time together. Here are 10 ways you can connect with your child while reading and make it a meaningful experience!
- Choose Engaging Books: Select books with colorful illustrations, engaging stories, and age-appropriate themes that capture your child’s interest. Also, let them choose between a few books so they feel involved in the process! If you’re looking for book recommendations, check out my Book Lists for some ideas!
- Snuggle Up: Create a cozy reading environment by sitting close together on a comfortable chair, in bed, or on the floor on a pillow pallet (my son’s favorite!). This closeness creates a special time with you and your child.
- Use Animated Voices: Bring the story to life by using different voices for characters and adding enthusiasm to your reading. This can make the story more exciting and interactive, and your child will think it’s the best. One of my favorite books to do this with at the moment is “Just One More“.
- Encourage Participation: Ask questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Can you find the cat on this page?” This encourages your child to engage and feel like a part of the story, rather than simply being read to.
- Point to Pictures: As you read, point to and talk about the pictures in the book. This helps build your child’s vocabulary and comprehension skills (hi, it’s me the language therapist!).
- Follow Their Lead: If your toddler wants to skip a page or linger on a particular picture, go with their flow! Let them take the lead in exploring the book.
- Connect to Real Life: Relate the story to your toddler’s life by saying things like, “This reminds me of when we went to the park.” This connects the story to their experiences and helps them relate to it better. Choosing a book about an upcoming event that your child is nervous about can also be super helpful for them (e.g., first day of school, potty training, going to the doctor or dentist, etc).
- Make it Multi-Sensory: Incorporate sensory elements like touch and sound when appropriate. For example, let your child touch a furry animal in the book or make animal sounds together.
- Repeat Favorites: Don’t hesitate to read the same books repeatedly. We do this alllll the time! Children often enjoy familiarity, and rereading favorite books can be comforting to them.
- End with Love: After finishing the story, give your toddler a big hug and tell them how much you enjoyed reading together. This reinforces the positive experience and leaves them feeling loved.
Remember that the most important thing is to create a loving and enjoyable reading environment. Be patient, and cherish these moments of connection with your child as they grow- because it goes by quickly! I hope this post helps you connect with your child while reading your favorite books together!
