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You are here: Home / Archives for Read Aloud Series

6 Tips To Develop A Reading Routine

  1. Why You Should Read Aloud To Your Child
  2. 4 Components Of Good Read Aloud Books
  3. 8 Tips To Selecting Good Read Aloud Books
  4. 6 Tips To Develop A Reading Routine

Winding up the Read Aloud series today with Part 4 from DA Poppins. It’s been such a pleasure having her each week on the blog to share some seriously awesome tips on how to encourage and foster a love for reading in our home with the kids. If you missed it last week, there’s a super exclusive freebie Read Aloud Cheat Sheet available for download too!

Read Aloud Series, Da Poppins, Nanny Shecando

6 Tips To Develop A Reading Routine

As a nanny, particularly when working with the early childhood ages, reading books and reading aloud should make up a large part of the daily routine. Why? Because routine and structure can be highly beneficial for children, especially toddlers. Plus, routine lets your children understand what’s important within your family. If you place a strong emphasis on developing a reading routine, your children will learn to see that reading is important.

Once you’ve got the selection process sorted (here’s 4 components of good read aloud books to help with the decision process), we suggest you work to incorporate a daily routine for reading into your family life. A good habit to get into is setting goals for the amount of books you read each day and the type of book. When reading to babies and toddlers, you can choose both the shorter, simple books, and a page or two from a longer book.

There is no need to feel the pressure to finish a story with younger children. Listening is a skill that comes with practice and age. If they have been hearing stories daily since birth, two and three year olds are not only ready, but eager for story times. If they have had no previous introduction to books, two and three year olds still have to be coaxed into a story time but will quickly develop a love of books if you’re persistent in the habit of daily reading.

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DA POPPINS, NANNY SHECANDO, READ ALOUD SERIES

6 Tips To Develop A Reading Routine

1. Read books instead of watching t.v or having “screen time”

2. Read after morning snack, before or after lunch

3. Read short “concept books” during play-time (bonus points if you incorporate a related playtime activity)

4. Read before or after nap-time (this’ll help immensely to settle your child before a daytime nap)

5. Read when your child is in need of a distraction

6. Read before bed to finish the day (by way of engaging in essential bonding time)

Once you have developed the habit of reading and nap-time, you can begin to choose longer books that can be read from start to finish.

If you’re at all uncomfortable with reading aloud, take some time to explore Mem’s website. She has book lists, an audio example of her reading aloud, and even a lesson on how to read aloud. I assure you, her forthright enthusiasm will encourage you!

Tips for a reading routine: “read when your child is in need of distraction” @Dapoppins

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>>> Do you have a reading routine for your kids?

________

Dana, Da Poppins, is a professional career nanny based in Vancouver, Washington, a graduate of the prestigious Northwest Nanny Institute and has over 20 years experience in the industry. Dana is a strong advocate for the benefit of reading and children’s literacy, is a talented scrapbooker, and writes the blog Da Poppins.

This was Part 4 of the Read Aloud series.

December 2, 2014 By DA Poppins Filed Under: Nanny Life

8 Tips To Selecting Good Read Aloud Books

  1. Why You Should Read Aloud To Your Child
  2. 4 Components Of Good Read Aloud Books
  3. 8 Tips To Selecting Good Read Aloud Books
  4. 6 Tips To Develop A Reading Routine

Have you been reading lots of stories this past week with the kids? We have! I took a leaf out of Dana’s book and renewed my local library card and borrowed a tonne of children’s books to read with the kids during the day at home. We’ve been loving having some new stories to dig into each day! Today, guest contributor Da Poppins is back with Part 3 of the Read Aloud series. Catch up with Part 1 + Part 2.
Spoiler Alert: there’s a bonus free download Reading Aloud “Cheat Sheet” too!

DA Poppins, NANNY SHECANDO, Read Aloud Series

Some books are more fun than others to read for story time, and sometimes it can feel a bit like lucky dip when faced with a large selection of books to choose from. What I know about books is nothing compared to a librarian or bookseller, but I don’t let that stop me. Children’s picture books are my favourite and new-to-me books are easy to assess in just a few minutes. Because we know that you can’t always just a book by it’s cover, I’ve put together my personal nanny tips to help you out!

________

8 Tips To Selecting Good Read Aloud Books:

1. Good read aloud books don’t have to rhyme

2. Good read aloud books are not dominated by pictures

3. Good read aloud books for younger readers have repetitive sounds, words + concepts

4. Good read aloud books should not force the reader to struggle to find a “voice”

5. Good read aloud books have longer sentence structures

6. Good read aloud books introduce new words and concepts

7. Good read aloud books allow time for story lines + characters to develop

8. Good read aloud books work great as bedtime stories

 

>> Click to download your Free Read Aloud Cheat Sheet <<

Free Read Aloud Cheat Sheet, DA POPPINS, NANNY SHECANDO

>> Click to download your Free Read Aloud Cheat Sheet <<

or just click the image to download

________

“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” – Frank Serafini

A good read aloud book introduces new words and concepts – @Dapoppins #childrensbooks

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>>> How do you select good read aloud books at home?
>>> Do you scout your local library for new reads too?

________

Dana, Da Poppins, is a professional career nanny based in Vancouver, Washington, a graduate of the prestigious Northwest Nanny Institute and has over 20 years experience in the industry. Dana is a strong advocate for the benefit of reading and children’s literacy, is a talented scrapbooker, and writes the blog Da Poppins.

This was Part 3 of the Read Aloud series. If you missed Part 1 or 2, you can find it here. Or click on to read Part 4 here.

November 25, 2014 By DA Poppins Filed Under: Nanny Life

4 Components Of Good Read Aloud Books

  1. Why You Should Read Aloud To Your Child
  2. 4 Components Of Good Read Aloud Books
  3. 8 Tips To Selecting Good Read Aloud Books
  4. 6 Tips To Develop A Reading Routine

Get ready to delve into the wonder of story time again as we continue with Part 2 of the Read Aloud series. If you missed Part 1, you can find it here.

Read Aloud - Part 2

I believe that a nanny should have a good grasp on children’s literature and be able to introduce all sorts of books to their charges. But I do know that this can seem a little daunting. I walk into the children’s section of the library and think, “so many books, so little time.”

The best way for a nanny to find good books is to spend time in the library or the bookstore and just browse through what is available. I do it as an activity with the children, but I also do it on my own when I can have more time to really research. Story time isn’t just something I do now and then as a nanny, it is part of a skill I bring to the family. While some nannies are better at outdoor activities, and some are better at planning and doing crafts, I am really good at reading stories and inventing stories to entertain. Because of this, it’s an area and particular skill to being a nanny that I personally emphasise.

Story time isn’t just something I do now and then as a nanny, it’s a skill I bring to the family.

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4 Components Of Good Read Aloud Books

A good read aloud book has repetition. The best books for children, newborns to at least first graders, will have some sort of repetition. Readers will notice a repetition in the words, or theme, or even character actions. Repetition is what helps to make the story memorable.

Think about some of the classic stories: Goldilocks and The Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and The Three Little Pigs. All of these stories have stood the test of time so well that they are constantly being reproduced. Why? Because it’s not only that parents want to share a beloved tale from their childhood with their own children, it’s that together with a clear but simple plot, and clear but simple characters who each have defined personalities, you get the repetition that grows young minds.

A good read aloud book opens vocabulary doors. Language is interesting. Kids love learning new and interesting words. All kids, not just those who naturally like to sit still, but active rambunctious children love exploring language and new words just as much. Who hasn’t witnessed that cheeky-proud grin when a four-year-old says a three syllable word the first few times?

Read aloud books should not be confused with early reading books. Early readers have short, simple sentences like Mo Willems, “Elephant and Piggie,” series, or Dr. Seuss’s, “Hop on Pop”. Early readers are books designed for kids to sound out words or recognise sight words. While early reader books can and should be read aloud, these books by definition limit vocabulary choices.

“When we limit kids to what we think they might understand, instead of just providing everyday opportunities to learn new things, we just simply limit kids.” – DA Poppins

________

Key Points To Remember:

1. Look for books that have great illustrations, but also that the illustrations don’t dominate the story.

2. Look for books that have interesting, rich vocabulary.

3. Look for books that use writing devices like: onomatopoeias, consonance, assonance and alliteration, metaphors and similes.

4. Look for books that are fun for you to read. If you like a book, it’s that much easier to share!

________

 

Next time you have the chance, go and do some research. Find a handful of new books and share some new treasures with your nanny family. Parents will notice and appreciate the positive outcomes of consistent, daily story times.

A good read aloud book opens vocabulary doors. Kids love learning new and interesting words.

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>>> How do you chose the read aloud books for your kids?

________

Dana, Da Poppins, is a professional career nanny based in Vancouver, Washington, a graduate of the prestigious Northwest Nanny Institute and has over 20 years experience in the industry. Dana is a strong advocate for the benefit of reading and children’s literacy, is a talented scrapbooker, and writes the blog Da Poppins.

This was Part 2 of the Read Aloud series. If you missed Part 1, you can find it here. Plus Part 3 + Part 4.
You might also like Connect To Reading and our review of Hervé Tullet’s “Press Here”.

November 18, 2014 By DA Poppins Filed Under: Nanny Life

Why You Should Read Aloud To Your Child

  1. Why You Should Read Aloud To Your Child
  2. 4 Components Of Good Read Aloud Books
  3. 8 Tips To Selecting Good Read Aloud Books
  4. 6 Tips To Develop A Reading Routine

Despite not having a great deal of spare time on my hands these days to escape into as many books as I’d like, I am a keen book-worm. So it’s no surprise that I’m a big supporter of reading and of the importance of nurturing children’s literacy. I also try my hardest to encourage the same love and appreciation for books in my charges, and artfully schedule reading time into our regular routines. To kick off this Read Aloud series, I’m excited to have guest contributor Da Poppins here again (who featured in the first column of the Nanny Spotlight series).

Reading Aloud To Your Child, Nanny Shecando, Da Poppins

The Importance + Why You Should Read Aloud To Your Child

I’m so glad Hope asked me to write about the benefits of reading, and of the value in reading aloud to your children. I find it has such a positive effect on children of all ages, with many encouraging results. Over the years most of the families I have met as a nanny had a routine that encouraged reading aloud. Incidentally, all of those children went on to excel at reading in later school years. Plus, I’ve also seen the positive influence of reading aloud in my own kids.

In my opinion (and shared by many others; Jim Trelease, Pam Allen, Dr. Pamela High, Norah Colvin), reading out loud is one of the most important keys for success in school, and is the best way to facilitate good reading skills in your children.

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” – Emilie Buchwald.

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The benefit of reading aloud is that it not only dramatically enhances their development and education, but that it also entertains. Another bonus to this entertainment is also that it’s free, especially if you have a library membership. And if your child is anything like me, a good book only becomes better each time it’s read!

It’s recommended that you should read aloud to your children for a minimum of 15 minutes each day. That’s 15 minutes for every child, every parent, every day. Mem Fox, author of Possum Magic and other memorable children’s books, expands on this in her ten commandments for reading aloud and suggests to start reading books to babies the moment they are born, and to keep reading numerous books every day. For babies, toddlers, and infants, it’s best to start small when reading aloud. You can break up that 15 minute block into smaller chunks between each little “That’s Not My…” book throughout the day.

__________

So What Does Reading Aloud Achieve?

Reading aloud to your children generates an interest in books, and fosters a love for stories and the magic of reading. As Jim Trelease puts it, reading aloud to your children is an early advertisement for books. It gives your child;

Bonding Time
The joy of reading aloud to your child is that if incorporated into the nightly bed-time routine, you can leave the events of the day behind and settle into a good book. Their freshly cleaned, pajama clad bodies can snuggle into you whilst their eyes grow heavy, and listen to the sound of your voice weave a magical story from words on the page.

Vocabulary Building
Reading aloud helps children build a stronger foundation for school success. Almost all teaching in the younger years at school, particularly in the kindergarten level, is oral. So it’s natural then that children with a larger vocabulary will benefit greater. A good read aloud book opens vocabulary doors!

Empathy
Reading aloud is a proven method to help children cope with stress and tragedy. A good story also helps draw attention to the feelings of others by bringing characters emotions, feelings and thought processes into the story line and allowing children to align themselves with their character of choice.

Knowledge Skills
A good read aloud book will not only introduce new vocabulary, but also introduce new concepts. It can help to establish a sturdy foundation for how children deal with and process issues. For example, with younger children we often rely on books to aid with the introduction of new concepts such as potty training, religious beliefs, and the rite of passage that is ‘going to school’.

Pre-literacy Skills
Reading aloud stimulates language development even before a child can talk. It also assists children in the development of wider social skills, and builds motivation, curiosity and memory. Plus, reading aloud gives children the opportunity to practice their listening skills, which is fundamental to the school environment.

A Love Of Reading
Reading aloud helps children to develop a positive association with books and reading. If you foster and environment in where your children possess a persistent hunger for knowledge, their growth, education, and acquisition of knowledge can only be enhanced. The best overall achievement in my opinion!

__________

They may learn to read better, think better, imagine more richly, and become a passionate and lifelong reader. But perhaps most of all, it’s that benefit and enjoyment of spending time with them! In other words, that evening story you find yourself having to read every night, the one that’s more than likely seen better days and showing signs of over use, that book is doing your child a favour. No matter the age, or how tired they are, or how busy you are, always make time in your day for reading.

Even if it’s simply to read The Gruffalo out loud for the 100th time to the four-year-old who could recount if by rote herself, do it anyway. Your kids will thank you for it when they’re older.

Reading aloud to your children is an early advertisement for books.

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>>> Do YOU read aloud to your children each day?

__________

Dana, Da Poppins, is a professional career nanny based in Vancouver, Washington, a graduate of the prestigious Northwest Nanny Institute and has over 20 years experience in the industry. Dana is a strong advocate for the benefit of reading and children’s literacy, is a talented scrapbooker, and writes the blog Da Poppins.

The Read Aloud Series:

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

November 11, 2014 By DA Poppins Filed Under: Nanny Life

Oh, Hi There!

I'm Hope & I help nannies transform their approach to job search, and inspire those working with kids to maximise their potential within the international nanny industry. Plus, did I mention I like crafts + diy, baking & playing! Read More

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