One of my favorite childhood memories is us kids sitting on my parent’s bed while Mom read books out loud to us. Even when we were all old enough to read the books ourselves there was just something about being read to. I love this for several reasons:
- It’s quality parent/child time. The parent’s can even use this opportunity to talk about things in the books, whether it’s something they disagree with or something they’re in favor of.
- It helps nurture a love of books in children. I’ve started reading some chapter books to Gracia. If they have a picture every few pages she stays interested, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised how much she loves it!
- It’s cheap, if not completely free! All you have to do is get the books! Go to your library, ask if you can borrow friends’ books, look through your own books and see if you can find free e-books. Plus it’s way cheaper than going to the movies, and doesn’t use any electricity like the TV (well other than a light so you can see). In fact, I remember the time we did this the most as kids was when we first moved to Paraguay and didn’t own a TV.
- It’s educational. You can read books about history, or ones that use flowery language to help your child’s understanding of the English language. It can help your kids have a better vocabulary, after all it’s easier to learn the meaning of a word by hearing it in context than by simply having to memorize its definition for a vocab test. Check out The Frugal Girl’s post on this topic!
- It’s more interesting for the parent. I really prefer reading a chapter book than re-reading a little kiddie book a million times over!
Recommended books:
- The American Girl series – I’ve read the first Samantha book and the first Addy book to Gracia so far…lots to go!
- The Magic Tree House series – I’ve read 3 of these to Gracia and the older boy that I babysit and they really like them.
- Little House On The Prairie series
- Box Car Children - My first grade teacher would read these to us after lunch.
- From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
- My side of the Mountain – One of Cameron’s favorites as a boy!
- Little Women
- The Great Brain – My Mom read these to us and I thought they were so funny!
- The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)
- Princesses Stories from the Bible – Gracia got this for her birthday and I’ve been reading it to her one princess at a time.
I know there are tons of other books out there…in fact more are racing into my head…Encyclopedia Brown, the Mandie series, Mouse and the Motorcycle…but I’ll stop there, and ask you, what books do you (or your kids) like?
This still works when your kids get older. I read every night with my 11 year old. He is reading the Percy Jackson (Lighting Thief) series and I read my own books. We just have bonding time, reading side by side for a half hour. My son reads his favorite parts out loud.
We read a lot too. Junie B Jones books are a huge hit. Along with The Bailey School children books. My oldest loved the American and Michigan Thriller books. My husband sat in the room while I read them as well. My oldest is now over 12 and has read the H.I.V.E. series,the Lightning Thief series, and many more. He reads mostly on his own but will sit in the room when I read to his younger brother.
I love reading books to children. One of my favorite things to do in the world. I am always telling my friends to bring their children over for a story time. I just recently bought a Nook color so I can just keep tons of books on it so I can have story time. I bought my Nook color frugally. I paid less than $100 for it and didn’t shell out any money. I used trade credit for old electronics I was not using any more.
Adults love to be read too also. Nursing homes, Vision impaired, and even geeky friends.
My friends are in their forties and late thirties and still love to hear me read out loud. I have geeky books in my Nook for reading to them.
Another couple recommendations:
The Ramona and Beezus Books (I think by Beverly Cleary)
Hardy Boys
Nancy Drew
The Narnia books (although I was never a fan of them as a kid, I knew many who were)
The Little House books were my favorite as a kid, and I still read them occasionally now. And I remember my sister was really into the boxcar children books.
My Father’s Dragon, Elmer and The Dragon, and The Dragons of Blueland by Ruth Stiles Gannett
The Cat Club books by Esther Averill
were our favorites when the boys were littler.