The most fundamental skill you will ever teach your child in your homeschool is reading. Reading aloud to your children represents one aspect of that process. In this Facebook Live presentation, I talk about how to read 1,000 books before kindergarten to your children.
The Read-Aloud Handbook
Then, I turn to Jim Trelease’s “Read-Aloud Handbook” as the Bible of reading aloud. There are many other lists you can find with classics for children. I discuss some of these lists, books, and websites where you can find reading ideas.
The rule of thumb is 20 minutes a day. It will seem really long and hard when the children are squirmy toddlers, but if you persevere, they will grow to love this time. You will enjoy it, too, I promise. It takes a bit of effort in the first few months with small children. But you can also break it up: 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the evening.
I concluded the presentation with a nod to Mortimer Adler’s “How to Read a Book.” This is more for adults reading books to themselves. Somewhere in your homeschool career you may get tired of kiddie books and read some books for grown-ups. As you read things for your level, it would help you to know what Adler suggests. While his ideal is rather lofty, e.g. reading a book three times, at least you can see what he wants you to obtain from your reading experience. You can even take some of these principles into your reading aloud to your children, especially because you will read their books at least three times. Small children love repetition.
