One of our favorite ways to reconnect as a family is to read aloud every evening before bed; a tradition that began directly following KG’s birth, nighttime readings have become an ingrained part of our family history. The National Center for Education Statistics found that “in 1999, only 53 percent of children aged 3 to 5 were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read aloud to everyday than are children in families with incomes at or above the poverty line.”  Children who are read to regularly go on to be more fluent readers and as a consequence do better in school and are more confident learners.  It’s never too early or too late to start reading to your children.

Every child has the right to a safe education and access to books and technology and it is important that as adults we stand up for those too small to stand up for themselves.  If you have access to books, to a computer, and to an education you are so very blessed and it is your responsibility to make sure your child and children all over the world have the same opportunities.

World Read Aloud Day

Today is World Read Aloud Day, so in honor I set up a comfy reading area in the office and have 10 of our favorite books set up nearby for easy access. Much of my day with be happily spent here, many a book shall be read.

Since KJ can’t read yet, we’ll be practicing our letters & numbers while KG is at school in a scavenger hunt that will encourage her to shout the letter or number when she finds it.  I’m going to write out the ABC’s on Post-It notes and stash them around the house, making it KJ’s job to find the letters and put them in order.  Same with numbers!

Here are my 5 favorite books for reading aloud

1) Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault

2) Mommy Hugs, by Karen Katz

3) The Complete Tales of Winnie-The-Pooh, by A. A. Milne

4) Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown

5) Madeline and the Cats of Rome, by John Bemelmans Marciano

What are your favorite books to read aloud with your kids?

Disclosure: All book links are amazon links, so if you click through and purchase one of these fun books to read aloud with your kids I might get a dime for it.