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Why We Love Reading With Our Kids

Diana Phillips • March 11, 2024

Let’s face it—you’re busy, and so are your kids. It’s hard to find time to have a meal together, much less actually read together. Research shows that reading with your child has benefits beyond just learning to read; children who are read to also build empathy and connection with their caregivers. 


March is National Reading Month, a time to celebrate reading together. In honor of National Reading Month, we polled the One Minute Reader staff to find out why they love reading with their children or grandchildren. We hope their responses will inspire you and your children to spend some time enjoying a good book together! 


Here is why our staff loves reading with kids:


"Reading aloud at bedtime is wonderful. I miss some of the voices who did that for me." ~Ian, IT Team 


"Reading with my kids was a lot of fun. I'd try to perform the books instead of just reading them so that the kids would really enjoy them." ~Marc, CEO 


"I loved the routine of getting the kids ready for bed and reading a book or two before tucking them in. As they got older, I loved reading chapter books with them and discussing the plot, characters, and theme. I now get to enjoy bedtime snuggles and reading with my 9-month-old grandson. There is nothing better!"  ~Michelle, Assistant Director of Curriculum 


"I love having them close to me and sharing a story. I love listening to their opinions and questions." ~Claire, Teacher Trainer


"Reading every night to my kids has, I think, been one of the best things I've ever done as a parent. We've shared in adventures and laughter; experienced fear and distress (from the safety of our home); felt the joy of love and redemption; and together kindled the spark of imagination.  And beyond the aim of spending quality time together, I know that reading together has helped develop their curiosity about their world and has shown them reading isn't something to be feared or shied away from. It provides an opportunity to learn new things and experience the world in new ways. It is a tool to help them continue to grow and be better humans." ~Dan, Director of Operations 


"Enjoying books with children is one of the great joys of life. Hearing a toddler ask for a favorite story again and again shows their love of reading from an early age." ~Sarah Jane, Director of Research and Professional Learning Materials 


"I love when my kiddos make the connection of something that happened in a book to something in real life. Seeing that "click" and light shine in their eyes is so fun to watch." ~Jenna, Customer Service 


"I love the bond that forms between the reader and listener. And it's so fun to see understanding growing and expanding." ~Karen, Director of Curriculum 


"I love the way reading connects me with my four kids. My 14-year-old was just complaining about needing to read Great Expectations for his literature class, which made me reminisce about reading that book at his age. I told him I thought it was boring at first too, but it's worth it to hang in there. It was fun for us to have a shared experience over the same book, decades apart. I have this experience when I introduce my kids to books I loved as a kid, too; it's even better to relive those books through their eyes. They've introduced me to some great books over the years too!" ~Anne, Writer 


What did we miss? What is your favorite part about reading with your kids? Please share!

Highlighted Posts

By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Reading fluency is a crucial skill that bridges the gap between decoding words and understanding their meaning. One effective strategy to build fluency is repeated reading —a technique where a student reads the same text multiple times until they achieve a level of fluency that feels natural and confident. What Is Repeated Reading? Repeated reading involves selecting a short passage at an appropriate reading level--ideally at or slightly above the student's instructional level. The student reads this passage several times, focusing on improving speed, accuracy, and expression with each reading. This practice allows for mastery of the text, leading to fluent and confident reading. Fluent reading should sound like conversational speaking--natural and expressive. Why Does It Work? Research shows* that repeated reading can lead to significant improvements in reading performance. The benefits include: Improved Word Recognition : By encountering the same words repeatedly, students become more familiar with them, leading to quicker and more accurate recognition. When these words become automatic, the students no longer need to put effort into decoding them. Increased Reading Fluency : Reading the same passage multiple times allows students to build fluency--each time reading it more smoothly and with greater expression. Enhanced Comprehension : As fluency improves, students can focus more on understanding the text, leading to better comprehension. This improvement in comprehension extends to unpracticed passages as well. Increased Confidence : Repeated reading is a form of mastery learning. Many beginning or struggling readers don't often get the opportunity to hear themselves sounding like fluent readers. After reading a passage multiple times, they've mastered it--and they sound great! This is a huge confidence boost that motivates them to keep reading. Repeated Reading at Home Incorporating the repeated reading strategy into your child's home reading routine doesn't have to be complicated or boring. In fact, many kids already do it! You've probably noticed that they often want to read the same book over and over. Don't discourage this--as long as they haven't totally memorized the entire text, they're building skills each time they read it. To work on repeated reading with your child at home, here's a simple strategy: Use an Appropriate Passage : Have your child choose a new short text that is slightly challenging but still within their level. Listen to Your Child Read : Have your child read the passage aloud to you. Note any words that are difficult for them to decode. Read Aloud Together : Read the passage aloud with your child, modeling fluent reading. Do this one to three times. Identify the difficult words together, and provide definitions. Independent Practice : Encourage your child to read the passage independently a few more times, focusing on improving their expression with each reading. Celebrate Progress : Affirm how much your child improved from the first reading to the final reading. Acknowledge their hard work and progress to build confidence and motivation. Additional Tips Keep Sessions Short : Aim for 10- to 15-minute sessions at first, to maintain focus and prevent frustration. Consider Using a Timer : If your child is open to the idea, set a timer each time they read the passage. Note their improvement in time, and celebrate their fluency growth. Make the timing element a fun challenge, but emphasize that this exercise isn't about speed reading--it's about building fluency. Repeated reading is a powerful strategy that can significantly enhance your child's reading ability. If you're looking for an easy-to-use program that incorporates this research-proven strategy, check out One Minute Reader . This program uses repeated reading and gamified learning to help kids at various reading levels build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence. * Dowhower, S. L. (1987). Effects of repeated reading on second-grade transitional readers’ fluency and comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly , 22(4), 389–405. Kuhn, M. R., & Stahl, S. A. (2003). Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices. Journal of Educational Psychology , 95(1), 3–21. LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology , 6(2), 292–323.
Back-to-School Reading Routines That Stick
By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Simple back-to-school reading routines that help kids build strong literacy skills, improve homework success, and develop lifelong reading habits. Get practical tips for creating a daily reading schedule, cozy reading spaces, and fun ways to make reading stick at home.
A young girl is sitting at a desk holding a sign that says help.
By Anne Hauth June 5, 2025
Is your child struggling with reading? Learn 15 key signs to watch for, from avoiding reading to spelling mistakes. Early detection is crucial for providing the right support.
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