Reading out loud to your children has undisputed benefits for both adult and child alike but a lot of parents and guardians can find it a daunting prospect. This is where you’ll find plenty of suggestions for great picture and board books to read aloud to your little ones – from rhyming wonders to ideal silly-voice material - and to really maximise the time you spend as a family.
Begin your reading aloud adventure with the most wide-eyed audience there is - babies and toddlers. With tactile treats like Dear Zoo and the That’s Not My… series, and peerless classics such as We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and Each Peach Pear Plum, they’ll be transfixed by your reassuring renditions.
Bring on the silly voices and discover comic timing you never knew you had as you make the little ones chuckle with these fantastically funny stories - from superhero shenanigans with Supertato to the bonkers bird-based brilliance of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Young children take great comfort and enjoyment in the pleasures of rhythm, rhyme and repetition and there are plenty of great picture and board books that make the most of these factors. Discover what a treat they are to read aloud as well, from the evergreen masterpiece The Gruffalo to canine corker Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy.
As bedtime is the most likely time of day for a reading aloud session, you’re going to want to deploy the soothing power of gentle and comforting tales. Cuddle up with perfect night-time stories from Owl Babies and Peace at Last to Lost and Found and Mog the Forgetful Cat.
One of the best things about reading aloud to young children is the conversation and questions the stories can spark. Whether it’s a chat about confronting fears, inspired by Gretel the Wonder Mammoth, or enquiries about space, prompted by Look Up!, there is nothing better than bonding with your child over a good book.
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