“A place for everything, and everything in its place” is an old adage that applies well to reading aloud.
The key point about where to keep read aloud books is: Books should be where children can easily get to them. Don’t keep them on a high shelf or behind glass in a cabinet. Why? Because children should play a role in selecting the books that we read to them. Plus, children should be able to look at the books on their own when we are not reading to them, even if the children can’t yet read on their own.
Involve children in returning books to their proper place. Arrange the books in a way that makes sense to the children. For instance, books about animals can go in one section, with books about machines in another section. Or, story books and information books can each have their own locations. In this way, children learn about categorization.
Keep library books in a separate place. Don’t mix them with books that we own. This way, we’ll be able to find the library books easily when it’s time to return them to the library, and we will save money on library fines. Also, teach children how to care for books, especially library books.
Dad reminder: You can start to read to your kids at ANY age. It’s fun for the kids and dad. It really is a dad duty!
– George Jacobs, Ph.D. and Wan Loh Inn, Ed.D.
Dr. George Jacobs, Ph.D. and Dr. Wan Loh Inn, Ed.D. are the authors of many books (including “The Read Aloud Guide”, textbooks for teachers and students, curriculum guides, and children’s storybooks).
Find out more about reading aloud to your kids.