at what age to start reading chapter books aloud to child?

[Anonymous]

We read them to our three year old.

[Anonymous]

We started at about 4. Maybe right before she turned 4.

[Anonymous]

We started around 4. We still also mostly read picture books - there are so many wonderful picture books for children!I think 2 is too young. One thing we started a bit earlier (3-4) was letting them listen to certain chapter books on tape during rest time once they stopped napping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never. By the time they're ready for chapter books they can read themselves.

Yes, but some children like to be read to even though they know how to read. It's part of the bedtime ritual. I still read to my older kids, who are 10 and 9 years old, and they love it (as do I). They do their own reading in the early evening.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PPs that it depends on the kid. #1 loved getting lost in a story and had an incredible attention span. Started with My Father's Dragon, Little House series, etc. at age 3. #2 was really into it until 4. They both still love when we read to them even though they are much older now and can read themselves.

[Anonymous]

I started reading chapter books to my kids when they were around 5 or 6. We started with the Magic Tree House books and have rad every book in the series.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never. By the time they're ready for chapter books they can read themselves.

We learn so much by being read to by an adult. It is also a very special bonding time. Most people who love to read were read to by their parents at a young age, even when they could already read. Together, you can read more challenging books and discuss, which really gives kids an advantage when it comes to vocabulary and thinking skills.

+1 We started reading selected chapter books at bedtime probably around age 4, and started audio books in the car at 3-4 yrs so my younger was actually listening to chapter books at age 2. They are 10 and 11 and still like us to read to them. At this age, it's an opportunity to bring up more challenging themes and raise discussions about stuff going on in their lives. DS (11) goes through phases of not wanting us to read books to him so instead I'll read him an article I thought he'd be interested in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never. By the time they're ready for chapter books they can read themselves.

We learn so much by being read to by an adult. It is also a very special bonding time. Most people who love to read were read to by their parents at a young age, even when they could already read. Together, you can read more challenging books and discuss, which really gives kids an advantage when it comes to vocabulary and thinking skills.

I hate reading out loud and it puts me in an awful mood. Trust me, nobody should try to bond with me during that time. I bond with my kids at other times. Also, I hate being read to out loud and the second I could read I dismissed my parents so I could read to myself. I love reading despite my hatred of aloud reading.

Oh, and we each read the same book over the same time period often, so we discuss books together that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never. By the time they're ready for chapter books they can read themselves.

Yes, but some children like to be read to even though they know how to read. It's part of the bedtime ritual. I still read to my older kids, who are 10 and 9 years old, and they love it (as do I). They do their own reading in the early evening.

Well good for your kids. My kid reads on her own and we have a different bedtime ritual that takes all of two minutes.