Read-Alouds and the Large(ish) Family

When Michael was my one and only, things were so much easier. He was always a child who loved when we read to him, and I think we began simple read-alouds like Mr. Popper's Penguins and the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books when he was only three.

Now, three more children later, read-aloud is still a treasured tradition in our family. Every day after lunch and a downstairs tidy, we settle in the living room and listen to a story. Sometimes Daddy has an additional read-aloud going at bedtime as well, usually in the summer when he doesn't have a meeting every night.

Things get a little hairy when you have four. What's good for the ten-year-old doesn't always suit the toddler, and vice versa. It's a bit of a juggling act at times. I was recently re-reading Donna Simmon's fabulous book Kindergarten with Your Three to Six Year Old, and was struck by the passage:

It is really tempting to let the eldest child's needs dictate the form of one's homeschool. Try to avoid this. Let everyone listen to Old Testament stories-- but also let everyone listen to fairy tales. Many older children, even if they won't admit it, love to hear the stories of their "youth".

Oh, how true this is! As I tell fairy tales to my six-year-old, I catch the eight-year-old and even the ten-year-old stopping what they are doing and listening. Even the two-year-old has picked up themes from some of the books we've read aloud, shouting "Accio!" when he wants something. And recently while I was reading The Boxcar Children, my oldest interrupted me to say, "You know Mom, when I was little this was my favorite chapter. I remember."

How, then, do you choose suitable read-alouds when you have children spanning multiple ages? Here's what works for me. I work through a rotation, choosing books for the three oldest that I think will appeal to them. Our three latest read-alouds were The Silver Chair, aimed at 10-year-old Michael, The Boxcar Children aimed at 6-year-old Nicholas, and now, The Sisters Grimm, aimed at 8-year-old Katie Grace. Once Daniel is 4 or 5, I'll throw him in the mix as well.

I wouldn't choose anything that would be disturbing to the younger children, but I don't only choose books that are on their level either. I'm a strong believer in Vygotsky's theory of scaffolding in education, and I've seen how introducing children to literature that's a bit beyond their reach stretches their imaginations and understanding.

I read a lot of classics-- the Narnia books, Five Little Peppers, Homer Price, All of a Kind Family, the Ramona books-- but also try to incorporate some "new classics" like From the Mixed Up Files of Dr. Basil E. Frankweiler and the Redwall and Harry Potter books as well. We've also done some pretty new books such as The Penderwick Sisters and The Sisters Grimm.

Finally, don't be afraid to let a book go. If no one is enjoying it, it's OK to shelve it for a while and come back to it later or not at all. After all, the whole point is to make this a pleasant experience!

Happy Reading!