3 Amazing Hacks To Take The Agony Out Of Read-Alouds

Make your read-alouds magic with these 3 tips, proven to help inspire your family to join you for some amazing family time and a great book!

You beam with excitement as you embark on an engaging journey with your family. But your kids? They roll their eyes. They reject the seat nearest to you, sighing as they stubbornly curl up in their own seat. Sabotaging every step, you would think you had assigned them hard labor.

The dreaded task you were thrusting upon them? A few moments of family fun with a read-aloud story.

At one time or another, we’ve all been there. Ready to take off on a mysterious and engaging journey that only a book can take us on… only to have to drag the kids along.

No matter what you say, no matter what you do, you just can’t get your kids excited about read-aloud time.

Yet real-alouds have proven power when used in your homeschool. In her book, Give Your Child The World, Jamie C. Martin shares that “books are passports” – and she is right!

Unlike any other medium we can use in our homeschool to teach our children, books allow us to transport our children from the walls of our home to faraway lands and time long forgotten.

And when a book is written well, it’s like magic. Without packing a single suitcase, your family is off on an enchanting adventure.

Something New For Our Homeschool

When I first told my children I was going to institute family real-alouds as part of homeschool, you could have heard a pin drop as the jaws fell open in disbelief.

The youngest two were easy to convince that this was a good thing. They are still young enough to enjoy sitting and listening to stories.

But the older two? They were my Everest.

The lack of enthusiasm from my teenagers when I announced my fabulous plan threatened to jeopardize my own momentum and enthusiasm.

Backed by research, I was ready. I had prepared for this and knew that they would try and deflate me – even before I finished my pitch. Appalled that I would suggest such a childish activity, my oldest children were ready to fight for their right to read alone – and only alone.

Not to be thwarted I pressed on, convinced that I was right.

Changing Minds One Read-Aloud At A Time

Knowing my children as I do, I came determined. Armed with two choices, I refused to back down.

A little eye-rolling never hurt, or stopped me, anyway. 😉

I had woken up this particular morning determined to start a new thing. And I was fully aware that the kids were not all going to be on board. I knew this would be an uphill battle, but it was one that I knew was worth fighting. Teaching everyone together via a family read aloud was an aspect of homeschooling I knew would shift our homeschool, putting us on the path to literature-based learning.

We started our read-aloud adventure with two options:

The first, a classic story but one that was geared more towards the younger two.

The second, also a classic, but known for being a tale for older children and adults.

Why would I give options?

Options gave my children a sense of control over the situation and the opportunity to have input.

The kids opted for story number 2, Animal Farm, based solely on my description of the tale and we began our journey.

Reading aloud daily, we worked in short spurts to keep the story flowing but prevent it from becoming monotonous. And by the end, I knew this was the right path for our homeschool.

Amazing Hacks For Your Read-Alouds

Since that first family read-aloud, I have discovered a few things about making the most of our time together. Hacks that make our reading time more enjoyable for everyone.

And when you implement them, your family read-alouds will be better as well.

1. Keep Them Short

Before we jump into the story I glance at a clock and make a note of the time.

10-15 minutes later, I’m done.

Even if this means ending in the middle of a chapter. Even if this means ending with the kids asking me to keep going. And even when there are only a few pages left in the book.

By keeping our read-aloud time short, I can help make sure no one gets bored or feels like a captive for the time we are reading. The children can maintain focus on the story, digest what they hear, and move on with their day.

Plus, ending with a cliffhanger helps bring them all back tomorrow. 😉

2. Provide Something To Keep Hands Busy

This one may go against what we think a good read-aloud looks like, but hear me out.

By providing something to keep their hands busy, my children are more likely to listen to the story and engage with it.

Yours will be too.

This sounds wrong, I know. For years I thought the only way my children could listen was if they were sitting still and only listening.

The reality though is that when hands are occupied, ears and imagination magically open.

What do I use to keep their hands busy? We tend to rotate through a variety of items including:

• Snacks
• Paper and something to write with (pencils, crayons, markers, etc.)
• Easy puzzles
• Fidget spinners
• Building blocks

Feel free to use the items that are going to work best with your children. Experiment and play around with ideas because the goal is to find the right items for your family. (Not sure how to get started with fidget toys? Check out what is a fidget toy.)

Just don’t use the same thing every time or provide something every single time. The magic of this read-aloud hack is in its spontaneous nature.

3. Get Into The Story Yourself

Have you ever listened to a monotone speaker?

It’s boring with a capital B! Even if the material is interesting, a speaker who is simply talking becomes one you naturally tune out.

For your kids, it’s the same.

This means that you need to keep their attention by not only selecting quality stories but by getting into them yourself. Use different voices to portray different characters speaking. Speed up your pace during exciting or dangerous scenes. Whisper when the story needs to be quiet or a character is nervous.

Get up and move around the room if you need to. Yell when a character is angry. Use a soft voice when a character is sad or hurting.

Get out your acting hat, mom, and put on a show for your kids to help bring the story, and your read-alouds, to life. Reel them in as you take them on this adventure and show them that a book is so much more than just words on a page.

Read-Alouds Are Vital To Your Homeschool

For your homeschool, read-alouds are a vital piece of the puzzle. Far too often though, we stop reading aloud once a child learns to read independently.

Yet, as my own family has learned, read-alouds can be a fantastic way to take on a story they might not normally choose. A way to learn together, regardless of age or grade. And a great excuse to have a snack.

Animal Farm was a big choice for us to start with, I know, but it turned out to be the perfect one for us. Not only were we able to read through the story together, but the older children were also able to grasp the political implications. This led to some amazing conversations that we would not have had if we hadn’t picked up a book.

So grab a book, make a batch of cookies, and set aside 10 minutes from tomorrow’s schedule. Pencil in read-aloud time for your family.

It’s an addition you will not regret and with these hacks, you will be ready to thwart any sabotage attempt or eye-roll your children may toss your way.

Get your free read aloud activity packet!

This 17-page Read-Aloud Activity Packet was created just for you! Contained in the activity packet are all 3 hacks from this post as well as pages for your children to use while you are reading. Two different book report forms (for both older and younger students), coloring pages, and a list of our favorite titles are just a click away!

Need Help Finding Books for Your Read-Alouds?

I have so many wonderful options for you to choose from inside my Amazon shop! Or, check out the posts below!

• Using Books To Make Homeschooling Easier For All Of You
• 21 Captivating Children’s Chapter Books For Kids
• The 20 Best Rhyming Books for Kindergarten & Preschool