Name: CHEC Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-12T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-14T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Denver, CO

Tagged: read alouds, Reading times

This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 10 months ago by ruth.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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July 23, 2014 at 9:54 pm
ruth
Participant
I need to have more reading time with my kids. I’m sure this may seem like a silly question but how do you all to read alouds durring the day. I know, just gather the kids and start reading, but what times of the day and for how long? I know my ds (9) can narrate really well after 10 min of reading but after that he starts to loose focus. I wouldn’t expect them to narrate durring this time. I just don’t read aloud to them outside of school hours and I would like to do so more. I need a little structure though so the concept of just picking up a book and reading isn’t taking hold in my brain. I also have issues with my kids being on slightly different scedules. My ds (9) will be up at 7, the girls 5 and 2 don’t wake up until 8. I thought about lunch times too but usually between me making lunch and then cleaning up and putting the 2 yr old down the time slips away. Can you all share with me how you do your family reading times?
Ruth
July 23, 2014 at 10:10 pm
andream
Participant
I have a 9, 6, and 4 year old this year. The older two do SCM history readings with me. When it is a reading from the Bible, I use the Bible ap on my ipad to have it read aloud. They like his voice and it gives my VCR a break. Sometimes I have to pause if its a long reading and let 9 year old narrate first section, then continue reading and do a second narration.
All three of them listen to our science read aloud while we have snack (sometimes the youngest wanders off, and that’s okay with me)
While they have lunch, I usually play a story from the storynory website. Now we are doing Brother’s Grimm Fairy Tales.
We have an hour of quiet time every day. During that time, the six year old listens to a playaway from the library of a book that I already read to my older child when she was around that age. (a playaway is basically a indestructible MP3 player, you just need your own earphones and a battery) The youngest sometimes listens to a playaway, like Curious George. My oldest does her individual reading during that time and narrates after that.
We have an afternoon snack time where I will read poetry or laying down the rails, picture study, etc.
At bedtime my husband tucks the younger two in reading a Bible on the 4 year olds level and he makes up stories to tell them. I read a longer read aloud book to my 9 year old when I tuck her in.
I hope that gives you some new ideas.
July 23, 2014 at 10:27 pm
Tristan
Participant
Ours are spread through the day. So we do school reading during morning hours, a read aloud during lunch, audio book during quiet time daily, read aloud during snack or dinner, audio book at bedtime.
Today (we’re only doing summer schedule, so really light) here is what we read. Remember, I’ve got 8 kids. This week the oldest is away at girl’s camp so I only have 7 kids ages 1-9. These readings were done with all kids together.
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel during the morning, we’re doing Five in a Row this week for fun.
One short chapter about Tecumseh in Heroes of Ohio over snack.
One short chapter about Commodore Oliver Perry over lunch.
The Mysterious Benedict Society audiobook for 1.5 hours during quiet time.
We’ll read aloud a chapter from scriptures tonight with daddy and then the audio book will be turned back on for an hour or so at bedtime.

July 23, 2014 at 11:04 pm
Monica
Participant
During our school year, we have read-aloud at 9:00, over lunch at 12:30, and then DH does a literature read-aloud to them at bedtime (8:00 or 8:30).
Also, the kids have their own silent reading time from 12-12:30 each school day.
July 24, 2014 at 11:25 am
ruth
Participant
Thanks for the ideas ladies.