My son doesn't really like me reading to him. How to increase his enjoyment?

[FomerlyMrsObedih_Now_BatmansMama]

I would really appreciate some suggestions of how to increase my sons enjoyment of story time. I probably only get to read him one book at nap and story time. Maybe a few more if he brings it to me or is in the mood. But generally speaking he has his favourite books and if they are short - he might let me read them to him. If they are long he prefers to 'read them' himself i.e discuss the storyline using the pictures. When he wants me to read to him he'll run his finger under the words and hum. I feel like he prefers short toddler books with simple words he knows and a storyline he can follow. If they story is too long he seems to get lost in all the words and will blatantly show his loss of interest. I don't know if this is connected but he reads lots of words on flashcards and if presented independently, but not when they are put together in a sentence/book form. Was thinking of making books for him to grab his interest in being willing to sit for reading time. I do not feel his attention span is generally the problem as we have hour long morning lessons but we do a variety of short activities in that time e.g reading bear, LM, LMs, LR, phonics etc. He knows shapes, colours, numbers etc. Loves learning, just seems hate listening to me reading to him for too long    We are trying to follow Before five in a row, most of the books from it he really loves. Maybe it's my book choices outside of this that are age inappropriate??

Any advise from parents who have big readers and toddlers who love read alouds would be very much appreciated. Oh and my DS is 2 years old this Friday.

[andreasro]

I couldn't read aloud to my son not even few phrases. I tried to use different types of books... not a chance...
Till one day... when I got my hands on a story book with Mozart... He loves music, loves to sing... but.. it wasn't this that attracted him to listening! I was so keen to read the book for myself that I was reading it aloud with great pleasure and joy, modulated my voice. He became interested and even started to remember things from it. And from that day on I've started to read him aloud or telling stories from memory using just pictures. It took me quite a while to have this success... I wish I didn't give up the first time, i wish I had tried to find a way...

One idea I can give you is to find books or make your own books with things he likes most, change the way you read aloud perhaps.

[FomerlyMrsObedih_Now_BatmansMama]

Thank you andreasro! At least I know I am not the only parent who has experienced this. I'll definitely experiment with home made books on his favourite topics and choose books according to his interest rather than my classical inclinations. Thnks for your advise and encouragement 

[andreasro]

Another way that is working well with us is this:

- first find a video on youtube, if possible, with a story book animated, like these: http://youtu.be/9yu_g5x3ZoQ, http://youtu.be/E9xh_gxBm5I

- then buy him and read him his favourite of these

I first showed him Goodnight Moon video few nights, before bedtime, he loved it and really worked.
Than bought the book and read the book before bedtime, trying to imitate the same voice of Susan Sarandon...
The next step: he took the book away from me and started to read from memory or show me things in the pictures!

These are just ideas, maybe starting from them you can find your own.

I've seen that the more you involve him in a story, the more he likes it and is inclined to listen to it and remember, and keeps him interested in it.

Please tell us what you did and how it worked

Andrea

[andreasro]

Also, some stories can be found on filmstrips. At least this is how some of the wellknown Romanian children stories were made decades ago and people saved them, here's an example: http://mybuni.com/diafilme/Ursul_pacalit_de_vulpe/

Or you can find stories in English, already made, and ready for print, here: http://kizclub.com/stories.htm, kizclub is a wonderful resource for free printables!

Andrea

[FomerlyMrsObedih_Now_BatmansMama]

These are excellent resources Andrea thank you!! Looking forward to trying these out    and will feedback on how we get on!

May I please ask your experience with transitioning from reading individual words to reading sentences? My son doesn't yet talk in full sentences, he's just using 3 sometimes 4 word phrases to communicate. So I am wondering if he doesn't like to read many words because he is developmentally unable to (in terms of mouth muscle) or if it is just a challenge barrier we have to work through? I was thinking of using flash cards to build short sentences?

Thanks again,
Davinia

[andreasro]

Dear Davinia,

related to your question, hope someone else, experienced, will help with that.
Still, I suggest you to read, if possible, Dr. Gentry's book "Raising Confident Readers How to teach your child to Read and Write, from Baby to Age 7 " http://jrichardgentry.com/book.php (cheap from bookdepository.uk). In his book he describes very clear the phases in which a child is, and shows what to do for each phase.
And, to my surprise, he shows why writing comes before reading and how to help a child.

Andrea

[FomerlyMrsObedih_Now_BatmansMama]

Got it! I will check that out - it would be helpful to understand this more. I have been following the forum post bout stages in reading and will continue to see if something there sheds some light.

If any one else is able to shed anymore light I would be very grateful.

[learnersinbloom]

My kids enjoy reading books more when we act them out.  Try adding funny voices, puppets, props/costumes, and letting your son participate.  It doesn't have to be a huge dramatic production - if a character in a book yawns and stretches, for example, as your child to demonstrate.  My kids constantly tell me they wish they could jump into stories and go on adventures.  Hope this helps.

[akalori]

I think that boys sometimes like nonfiction better than fiction.  I really like Welcome Books published by the Children's Press.  It's a whole series of non-fiction books with real photographs instead of illustrations.  It's hard to search for them.  They aren't often categorized by the series name ( Welcome Books) and they have many different authors.  They have words on one side with pics on the adjoining page.  It makes it easier for little ones to concentrate on the words.  I used to get them from the library when my kids were younger.

Here are some links on amazon.com:


http://www.amazon.com/Lloyd-G.-Douglas/e/B001IOBEE8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=inez+snyder&x=15&y=19#/ref=sr_pg_2?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Ainez+snyder&page=2&d=1&keywords=inez+snyder&ie=UTF8&qid=1293176052

Good Luck, Lori

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=inez+snyder&x=15&y=19#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sarah+hughes+%2B+welcome+books&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Asarah+hughes+%2B+welcome+books

[Yani_Byron]

How about some books on trucks...check out the library. 

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