Do You Read to Your Kids – or Did Your Parents Read to You?
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If you’re a parent and you’re not reading to your child – start. Literacy is extremely important in the intellectual development of a child. What if you’re looking for a true interactive experience? Have no fear – there’s a website that provides everything you could ask for. Speakaboos is a site full of children’s stories where old favorite characters are given new life using celebrity performances, gorgeous illustrations and original music.
This is a very playful and colorful site. That’s what you can do here – play! You’re not playing games, you’re playing around with books and stories! The books are recorded by famous people. You can even record yourself reading a story, and upload it.
The site is free, you just need to register. You might remember some of the characters, but sadly Curious George isn’t there yet. You can find the Pied Piper and Tom Thumb even! Circling back to being able to record your own voice and upload it – how amazing is it that you can have your own voice uploaded to the site to make use of the graphics, music and more!?
If you’re an adult and have a child, do yourself a favor – read to them. It’s extremely important. A lot of my successes in my adult life can be attributed to my parents reading to me and encouraging me through the years.
Until about a year ago, I just ASSUMED that every parent did this. I have recently discovered that it is not so, and I don’t get it. My parents read to me, I read to my daughter, etc. It must be another one of those family traditions that some families have and others don’t. You would think that after all the research recently that points to how this affects a child’s love of books/reading/learning that most parent’s would FIND THE TIME to do this. It only takes maybe 15 mins-half an hour a night to do it, and it adds so much! It’s more than worth the investment… – Danielle Closs
The sad thing is that I don’t think my brother in law and sister in law do this with my nephew, and he would love it, I’m sure! – Danielle Closs
Yup. Every night for at least a half hour. She loves it. And my folks read to me too. My Dad read me books in a series like Swallows and Amazons so that I’d be excited about the next chapter and then the next book… – Abby Martin
both :) – silpol
I download podcasts that I play for my daughter every evening. Sometimes I read to her, but she likes it more when I play puppet theatre for her. – Baard Overgaard Hansen
I’m with Danielle – I assumed that everyone does this, though I guess sadly there are plenty of kids who don’t get enough reading. My kids are 5 and 2, and have been read to all the time since they were old enough to focus their eyes on a board book. I read to my 5 year old from my Kindle – we’ve gone through several Beverly Cleary books, and we’re starting on the Chronicles of Narnia, now that they’re available on Kindle. She LOVES it, and it’s really fun, special time we get to share. READ TO YOUR KIDS! – Josh Bancroft
And for background, my mom read to me all the time. I remember "reading" books on my own when I was about 3, and by the time I was 8 or 9, I was reading her hand-me-down Stephen King novels and the like. :-) She turned me into a voracious reader, and that was a HUGE shaping influence in my life. I want to do the same for my kids, more than anything. – Josh Bancroft
Yes to both. Like my parents, I also read to my kids in English and Spanish. My husband reads to the kids everyday too. I don’t stick to kid book though. For example, I’m reading Foundation to my children right now. I also read to them whatever book I’m reading atm. – Anika Malone
Yes, my parents read to me. Then I read books on my own at an early age. – Morton Fox
Yep, my mom read to me constantly, for years after I could read on my own. We both enjoyed it. And I grew up to get graduate degrees in English lit. :) I don’t have kids yet, but I definitely plan to read to them when I do. And @Abby, we LOVED the Swallows and Amazons series. – Jandy Stone
I’m very glad my parents read to me. – l0ckergn0me
Nope. My parents never read to me, but I loved it when my teachers did. I also called the library a lot for dial-a-story. I don’t read much at all these days. I’d have to say the main activities that jump started my reading/writing ability was computer magazines and BBS’s. I was very proactive in those areas. – Rodfather
- Disney DVD Game World – Disney Princess Edition
- CINDERELLA’S DOLLHOUSE LG
- Movin’ & Shakin’ for Youngsters – CD
- Hannah Montana: DVD Game
- Bratz Interactive: Lil’ Bratz Party Time
- Childrens Braille Interactive Alphabet Book
- The Unlikely Princess Puppet Theater (Puppet Theater Story Books)
- Monster Multiplication Wheels: Reproducible Patterns for 20 Interactive Wheels That Help Students Memorize the Multiplication Facts From 1 to 12 (Master the Facts)
- Lullabies Around the World (CD and book) (Sara Jordan Presents)
- LeapFrog® Tag Kid Classic Storybook Fancy Nancy at the Museum
- Electronic Pictionary Man Game
- Fisher Price Dance Around Dora
- My Virtual Tutor: Reading 1st Grade to 2nd Grade
- My Virtual Tutor: Reading Kindergarten to 1st Grade
- My Virtual Tutor: Reading Pre-K to Kindergarten
- Dr. Seuss ABC
- Mastering Multiplication Tables
- Arthur’s Birthday
- Florida State Seminoles (FSU) ‘Go Noles’ Interactive Children’s Book
- Florida Gators ‘Go Gators’ Interactive Children’s Book
- Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (Baby Board Books)
- Peek-A Who?
- The 39 Clues Book 1:The Maze of Bones
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12 Comments
Dayngr
February 11th, 2009
at 8:34am
My parents read to me as a child and I believe that because they did I love reading everything I can get my hands on from magazines to books. I read to my children every night right before bedtime and they pick up books throughout the day as well. They love books and we always make sure they get them as gifts for birthdays and holidays to help them foster a love for reading as well.
Charles J. Barry
February 11th, 2009
at 8:37am
I was both read to as a child and read to my daughter when she was too young to read for herself. Now she’s a voracious reader and can knock off a novel in a day or two at the age of 12. Some of my favorite stories as a child were the ones that came on record or tape. The Robert Munsch stories read by the man himself were my favorites. Well, those and my Star Wars ones that were on vinyl. Wish I still had those.
Zak Normandin
February 11th, 2009
at 8:38am
Since my daughter was under a year old, we would read with her every night before bed. She is now two and we are reading her 5-7 year old books because she is extremely bored with the books at her level.
My parents did the same for me when I was a kid and I still love reading to this day.
Jeff
February 11th, 2009
at 8:42am
Amen to that!
Considering what I read in the comment sections of the web sites and blogs I frequent, reading is not practiced enough.
Jason Friesen
February 11th, 2009
at 9:30am
Yes and yes.
My mom was very ill whilst pregnant with my next brother, so she lay on the couch and read to me all day for months. I was reading by the time I was three.
All three of my children have been read to continually. My eldest finished Lord of the Rings when he was 8. All three read voraciously. :)
kpslover007
February 11th, 2009
at 9:36am
My mom read to me when I was little. I could read those little baby books at age 2. My favorites were Goodnight Moon, and Most of Dr. Seuss books. Man I miss those days. Now I have to read Homer’s The Illiad and about how the Greeks and Trojans kill each other. What a transformation.
Adam
February 11th, 2009
at 9:37am
It is very important to read to you children. Alls it takes is 10 minutes a day.
I attribute my lack of English Grammar and Spelling Skills to not reading more as a youth. Granted, I have a disability that attributed to it, but disability’s are their to urge us to strengthen ourselves. I only wish I learned that sooner.
I read to my Oldest who is Kindergarten age now and is learning to read. Some times I let her read the story to me. She has grown leaps and bounds in just a few short months. Amazing what this type of interaction can do for a child.
Tim Brazer
February 11th, 2009
at 10:48am
Great post. I think it is very important, to the child and the parent, to read starting at an early age.
It can’t hurt right? It promotes a better relationship between parent and child. It probably does positive things for the child’s imagination too. Actually, I’m sure it does.
Wylis
February 12th, 2009
at 3:03am
Another great reading site for kids is http://www.starfall.com. My kids love it and I feel has helped them to learn to read.
Adorina Reyes
February 12th, 2009
at 7:23pm
My parents never read to me as a chlld. I tried reading to my nephew once but my father keeps interrupting as if jealous, until I never had the chance to make it a habit. Maybe my parents’ parents never read to them too.
dewfilms
February 12th, 2009
at 11:47pm
Another great way to get your kids to read is to get them fun, humorous books that they will enjoy reading over and over again.
Mo Willems has quite a number of wonderful children’s books lined up. And, his website is pretty cool as well…
http://www.pigeonpresents.com/
Steven Johnson
February 13th, 2009
at 7:35pm
When I was younger I use to get read to every night! When I turned age 10, my mother stopped doing it and I read before I went to sleep. Now that I’m 16, I’m always online and never read before sleeping! I spend my nights in the IRC!