Beat the Read-Aloud Snoozies: How to Keep Story Time Engaging
Reading out loud to your family is one of the most beneficial things you can do for them. There are many positive outcomes associated with reading aloud. Read-aloud time alone has the power to supercharge your homeschool and give your kids an experience they will always cherish. We have written at length about reading aloud on this blog. I encourage you to check out those articles to learn more about the benefits of family read-aloud time.
Sleepy During Read-Aloud Time?
Sometimes, however, my lofty idealism about read-aloud time is brought crashing down to the earth by a very practical difficulty—struggling to stay awake! I’m sure you’ve also had the experience: you snuggle down with your child in your lap and a fabulous book in hand, only to start nodding off a few pages in. On more than one occasion, I have entirely zonked out!
While this may be amusing now and then, it can become a source of frustration when it happens regularly. Instead of looking forward to reading time, you can come to dread it if you fear it’s going to be a drawn-out battle against your eyelids. I remember a time in my life when I got tired literally every single time we sat down for a read-aloud. I was fine before, but once I sat down with my kids and cracked open a book, it was like I was hit with sleeping dust from the wand of some unseen sprite!
4 Simple Tips to Keep You and Your Kids Engaged!
I eventually concluded this was too consistent to be a coincidence and made some changes that happily resulted in me banishing the snoozies from our read-alouds. If you’re struggling with this same problem, you might want to consider the following changes to your routine:
1. Don’t Get Too Comfy
One reason I always fell asleep is because I’d make myself too comfortable. I’d flop down in the nook of a fluffy couch with a warm kiddo on either side or sometimes I’d even read while lying in bed with them before bedtime. These postures tell our brains that it’s sleepy time and make it challenging to stay alert. I had success varying my reading posture to make it less comfortable. Instead of sitting on the couch, I would sit on the floor in front of the sofa with the kids on either side. Another posture I like is setting a kitchen chair in the middle of the living room and reading to the kids while they lay on the floor and color. Any posture will work, really, so long as it doesn’t send sleep cues to our body.
2. Don’t Read So Late in the Day
When I was constantly falling asleep reading, I noticed I was always trying to read aloud after dinner, between 7:00 and 8:00 PM. It was at the end of a long day. The night was falling, and I was digesting my dinner. That is not a good combination of factors for alertness! I understand we like to read at night because it’s typically when we have free time—plus the whole “story before bedtime” is a time-honored tradition. But there’s no reason you have to read in the evening. If staying awake is a problem, move your read-alouds to another time of the day. Why not read to your kids in the morning after breakfast or immediately before lunch?
3. Practice Engaged Reading
Sleepiness can be brought about by your reading habits. If you read in a monotone voice or constant pace, for example, the regularity of your reading style will lull you to sleep. I suggest reading in a more engaged manner. Do voices, vary your pitch and rhythm, act out certain scenes with facial expressions and hand gestures, etc. This engagement will keep you more alert and make the story more rewarding for your listeners.
4. Drink Ice Water!
Finally, keep some ice water on hand and periodically take a sip if you start to feel tired. The cold water is invigorating, and the process of metabolizing it will refresh your body and help stave off the snoozles.
Keeping Things Lively
There are many reasons why you may get drowsy during a read-aloud: relaxing environment, monotonous voice tone, late-night reading sessions, potential sleep deprivation, or simply the calming nature of reading stories. All of this can naturally trigger drowsiness, especially if you’re already tired. Ultimately, the solution is to try to keep things lively! Reading aloud can be snuggly and tender but should not be monotonous, dull, or sleep-inducing. With a few changes to your routine and surroundings, you can liven things up and hopefully beat back the drowsies at reading time!
If you’d like to continue the discussion and share your thoughts on read-aloud time, I invite you to join me and other parents at our Homeschool Connections Community or our Facebook group.
