Reading with, Not to, Your Child
By Thomas Weck
Reading a book to your child is a great way to help your child learn. Sometimes, though, simply
reading the words on the page may not be stimulating enough. Some of the time your child might
be perfectly content to sit and listen; on other days, he may not be able to keep one foot still! Do
not fret. Your child can get his learning and keep his energy at a high level, too! The trick is to
read with your child.
Start with the old standby–reading. Once the story has begun to unfold, ask your child some
questions before moving onto the next page. Use questions that will encourage interaction.
* Point to some of the pictures on the page and see if your child can describe what the
illustrations show. Is the main character revealed on the first page? Can you tell where the story
takes place? Is it daytime or nighttime as the story begins? Do you think it will be the same at the
end of the story? (And no peeking ahead is allowed!)
* Have your child try to reason how a picture on the page relates to the story. For example, you
could ask, “Why does the candle droop?” Could it be that it is because it has been burning for a
long time?
* Identify specific words used in the story as a teachable moment. Are some words written in a
different way from the rest of the words? Are some bigger? Smaller? In a different color? Ask
your child to guess why. Have your child say the special words in the story in the way he thinks
the author intended for them to be read. Talk about how the words could be said differently to
express a different emotion.
Are you getting a sense for how easy reading interactively can be? By reading in this way,
your child is part of the reading time, too! Enjoy watching your child’s excitement as he/she
figures out the answers to your questions and comes up with unique ways to add to or change
the story. Encourage your child to ask questions of you too. Prompt your child to come up with
the questions for you by announcing, “on the next page, it is Daddy’s turn to answer YOUR
questions.” The possibilities are endless for ways that you can read interactively with your child.
If it isn’t naptime or bedtime, have your child act out part of the story, or make up a song or
dance to retell the story to you after you have finished.
If your child has a lot of stuffed animals and they are the same type as in the story, let the teddy
bear dance around or climb up the pillows and let the dog bark, etc.
Try to come up with new ways every time you read a book.
Thomas Weck is the author/creator of the *Lima Bear Stories. Originally made-up bedtime
stories he told his four children, the Lima Bear tales resurfaced when Weck’s son Peter had
children. Peter remembered the stories and wanted to have his father write them down so that he
could share them with his children. Father and son took it one step further and created Lima Bear
Press (www.LimaBearPress.com) to produce the stories as books that children everywhere can
enjoy. The first three titles were released in 2011: The Megasaurus, How Back-Back Got His
Name, and The Cave Monster. The books are not only fun and funny with great illustrations,
they also have an underlying message such as such as tolerance, honesty, courage, etc. More
books in the series will be released in 2012. Learn more at http://www.limabearpress.com.
