I'm not a reading expert, but I was fortunate to work with some of the best in the field during my time as an Educational Services manager for a public television station. I can't say enough about PBS - the institution that spurred intentional parenting when it came to media as an educational resource. I was lucky to get to attend a number of workshops presented by the likes of Ruby Payne, Jim Trelease, and LeVar Burton - long before I was ever a parent myself.
I don't remember everything I was taught, but a number of key ideas have stuck with me and I try to be mindful of them in setting up my kids for success.
I, myself, have always been an avid reader. I was a child that could focus on one activity for a long time even as a toddler. I liked time to myself, I had an active imagination, and I loved to get lost in my own thoughts. I read early and often - because I wanted to. Evyn is much the same way; she has always sat still for a good book or three, and even though she can't read just yet, she loves to go to the bookstore and dig into a stack of books, gazing at the pictures and imagining the stories that go with them. Ashlyn. Is a different story. She likes the idea of a book, and she will often ask me to read to her. But by the second page she's wiggling out of my lap and off to another room, ready for the next activity. It is really, really important that children be involved in reading early and often. So what can a mom with a toddler like Ashlyn do? Give up until they're older? NO!
When I was little I remember taking naps after church with my little sister Lora. I fondly recall the Story of the Little Tree scratched out on our record player, lulling me to sleep. I loved that story.
We've repeated the tradition in our house with audiobooks. I originally started with the kind of audiobooks that Evyn could "read" along to - the kind with the prompts for page-turning. Those were particularly awesome for the car, and they're not too expensive. It was a nice option because she wanted so desperately to read but just wasn't there yet. Then I noticed that she took a long time to wind down at the end of the night and was talking to herself for up to an hour before she fell asleep. For a while we played the Little Kid's Audio Adventure Bible from ZonderKids - and she loved it. After a couple of weeks of the series, we decided to freshen up the rotation a bit. Enter this awesomely-awesome series from Focus on the Family Radio Theatre - Classic Stories for a Girl's Heart:
The music, acting, and sound effects are incredible - truly closer to radio theatre than a narration of a book. Which is what makes the series easier for Evyn to comprehend and pay attention to. She usually listens to them as she falls asleep, but occasionally we will do "quiet time" with these (an alternative to a nap), or she'll color or do her art with the stories in the background.
I had a hard time finding something more brief and animated for Ashlyn, until this week, when I discovered Audible and Audiblekids.com (from Amazon).
For anywhere from .99 cents to $20+ you can download a range of stories, organized by age, genre, or popularity. I downloaded Mouse Tales, the Cat and the Hat series, and Skippyjon Jones. Ashlyn listens to them before bed and during bath time with Evyn, and we plan to bring them along on our trip to the beach next week. Basically, any time the kids are "trapped" is another great opportunity for an audio reading.
Another "car option" - especially if you want to be able to accommodate short attention spans by way of the dvd player - are the Scholastic dvd sets that you can buy (cheap) at TJ Maxx. I bought this one for six bucks for our Nashville trip. Besides the familiar content and visual format, these also feature the words on screen so would-be readers get the benefit of understanding words have meaning.
So here's the bottom line, and it's an important one: literacy is a series of skills that children must master in stages. And research proves: the earlier you start, the better. Reading aloud to your kids is one important step, but there are a number of ways to help the process along - and a huge number of resources to get you started.
I'm probably preaching to the choir here, in which case you also have some favorite resources - I'd love to hear what they are!
PS: I should mention that an obvious first place to look is your library. If you're lucky you live in a town with a library that keeps books on CD and not just tapes (TAPES!). I do not. At least not as of a year ago, which was the last time I looked. I should probably check back.
I'm pretty sure our library has a program where all you have to do is put in a request for an item and they'll stock it. The thing is, I've used it before and it can take anywhere from weeks to months to get it in - and in the end I'm looking for an entire shelf to choose from, not a specific cd to rent for two weeks. BUT, having said that, I'm sure they would be willing to at least START stocking them if I were to just ask. So I will definitely try that before getting into too much a huff. ;)
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Subject: [My Longest Year] Misty.Creek submitted a comment to 'friday find: audible.com & audiblekids.com'.
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:17:53 -0700
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A new comment from “Misty.Creek” was received on the post “friday find: audible.com & audiblekids.com” of the blog “My Longest Year”.
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If your library doesn't have what you want, ask for it! As a librarian in a former life (before kiddies), we always got what the public wanted unless it was out of print or impossible. So, Crystal, if your local little library doesn't have books on CD that you want, talk to the children's librarian and put in a formal request. I'm sure you're not the only parent wanting/needing that resource.
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Posted by: crystal1011 | 09/21/2009 at 05:09 PM
If your library doesn't have what you want, ask for it! As a librarian in a former life (before kiddies), we always got what the public wanted unless it was out of print or impossible. So, Crystal, if your local little library doesn't have books on CD that you want, talk to the children's librarian and put in a formal request. I'm sure you're not the only parent wanting/needing that resource.
Posted by: Misty.Creek | 09/21/2009 at 10:17 AM
Someone else mentioned those as well. I'll have to check into it. Something tells me our library won't have them but I can always see!
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Subject: [My Longest Year] keri submitted a comment to 'friday find: audible.com & audiblekids.com'.
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:45:18 -0700
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A new comment from “keri” was received on the post “friday find: audible.com & audiblekids.com” of the blog “My Longest Year”.
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Crystal - Our library has these new items called "playaways" they are books but on an ipod type mechanism. You buy ear phones (once) for $1 and listen away. Have adult and kids books. My daughters have been really enjoying these. The latest was Wizard of Oz!
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Posted by: crystal1011 | 09/16/2009 at 05:49 AM
Crystal - Our library has these new items called "playaways" they are books but on an ipod type mechanism. You buy ear phones (once) for $1 and listen away. Have adult and kids books. My daughters have been really enjoying these. The latest was Wizard of Oz!
Posted by: keri | 09/16/2009 at 05:45 AM
Yes yes! Please check your library! And ask them if they have Playaways! Playaways are neat little MP3 players that kids can wear with headphones - the kids think they look so cool as they walk around listening to a book! When you're done, just take it back to your library!
You go girl! I love how you're encouraging your kids to read!
Posted by: Christine | 09/13/2009 at 08:24 PM
I just wanted to say that I just found your blog yesterday and I love it!! I was looking for burp cloth patterns and found yours and your swaddling blanket. I made 6 burp cloths last night and am heading back to the fabric store for more flannel for a blanket.
You see--I am a first time Grandma. Well, I will be in November. My girl is having a baby, and after having raised her and her 3 subsequent brothers, we are thrilled she is having a girl! We need some more femaleness in our family. :)
Anyway--I sew and (knit badly), but am enjoying being immersed back into the world of pink, ruffles, and tiny bows and buttons.
On a side note, I just want to say "Thank You" to you and your husband for the sacrifices you have made for me and the rest of our country. I sleep at night, because of husbands like yours.
*smiles*
Kim
Posted by: Kim | 09/13/2009 at 10:22 AM
Thank you for posting this. I downloaded a book for my son and he loved it. It will be great for long car trips.
Posted by: Tanya | 09/09/2009 at 06:13 PM
The very best books are those read by loved ones...my sister has figured out a way to record her voice reading favorite childrens books. She's recorded our parents reading also...they all live far away so this is such a special treat. She sends them to me on CD's. I'm not sure how she does it, but I could find out if you would like me to. Cheers!
Posted by: Elizabeth | 09/08/2009 at 11:43 AM
Do your kids ever listen to Adventures in Odessey? (sp??) I find myself tuning in to listen... I love it!
Posted by: Brianna Dupuy | 09/08/2009 at 11:34 AM
If you have an Itunes account you can search the itunes store for "children stories" there are a few free podcasts where people read stories and you can download them for free. My 3 year old nephew loves them. Storynory is one of the ones we use. the local library also has lots of CD's and tapes.
Posted by: Nicole | 09/06/2009 at 07:57 AM
I'd not heard of audible.com, it's a bit spendy....I get CD-books for my kids at the library FOR FREE. They are a lifesaver and I love to hear the giggling from the Back Seat Peanut Gallery.
Books rock. Whether read or heard....
Posted by: Suzanne B | 09/05/2009 at 01:59 PM
I love audible.com - use it all the time for books for me and have gotten a few for the kids too!
Posted by: Amber | 09/05/2009 at 11:17 AM
Wow, tons of great info here for moms. I discovered Audible a while back when looking for audio books in Spanish (for your dad's sponsored kids in Ecuador) -- great resource for any of us, actually :)
Btw, I just discovered your business website -- love it!
Posted by: Mom | 09/04/2009 at 09:26 PM
We have been fortunate enough to have some great books on tape/cd at our library ... Skippyjon some how sounds sooo much better coming from the car speakers than from me! Best of all ... it's free!
Posted by: Adrienne | 09/04/2009 at 04:19 PM