Benefits of Reading Together
WRITTEN BY: BRITTNEY DOWELL
One of my core magical childhood memories involved a cassette tape audiobook series that accompanied read-along paperback books. Upon pressing ‘play’ on the cassette player, a magical adventure was narrated while you attentively listened for the musical ‘trill’ sound to turn the page. What captured the imaginations of my siblings and I however, was the image on the back of the book; two children huddled close together peering excitedly over an open book. The awestruck expression on their faces was literally illuminated by the glimmering light streaming out of the book. We were enamored by this concept, and spent a lot of time trying to open that book so the magical light would beam out. But we were never successful…and this notion endured in our imaginations.
Fast-forward to the future; 2026 — in an era where audiobooks are ‘streaming’…and books are quite literally lighting up! Que, The Glo Pal Light-Up Library. This collection has embodied a childhood dream. I am thrilled to get to share these with my children! We are very selective of what books take up limited real-estate on our bookshelves; the ones we will open up again and again. The books that ignite imaginations, offer comfort during sick days, or provide familiar routines for bedtime — these are the books I hope our kids remember as part of their childhood. The gifts that keep giving over and over again. The benefits of reading together are abundant - but here are a few of our highlights!
A comforting routine
In the busy day-to-day of life - the mess, the fun, the unexpected…there is something simple and familiar about opening a book. A beginning, a middle, and an end - a feeling of completion and accomplishment. Fingering through pages, looking at illustrations, reading stories in expressive character voices...the list goes on and on.
Whether in a morning snuggle, an afternoon reset, or an evening bedtime wind-down - there is something so comforting about sitting down together and reading a good book.
A moment to bond (...& breathe)
No matter what kind of day we are having…the-knotted shoe-lace-sibling-squabbles kind or the cheery sunshine-we-just-made-a-craft kind of day…cuddling with a book - whether new or familiar; we can set everything else aside for just a moment and immerse ourselves in the present.
This time often serves as a sort of reset for our busy brains and bodies... and it's good for the heart!
A learning opportunity & Imagination Ingenuity!
Whether reading aloud or following along and listening - reading together not only exposes us to vocabulary and sentence structure, but also allows us to practice our dramatic reading and performance skills by creating sound effects and playing with different character voices.
This interactive and imaginative experience can change each time a book is opened depending on who is reading (…or creatively interpreting the illustrations on the pages!). I enjoy watching my four-year-old, Auggie, excitedly wave the magnifier over the illuminating pages while his sister Ida reads - letting him become a part of the adventure, too!
A really FUN time!
Lastly….reading together is FUN. My children and I still pick up books from the library, and recall, “Hey! I remember reading this book!”. It sticks with you. Adventures imagined, stories shared, snuggles abound.
Magical memories being made together. It’s part of what makes childhood (and parenting!) really fun and memorable.
