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A few years ago, I struggled to fit read alouds into our homeschool day. I was teaching 4 children from high school down to preschool and just couldn’t find the mental energy to read out loud in addition to all the other subjects.
But then I had the idea to play audiobooks during lunch time! It was so simple, I wondered why I had not thought of it sooner.
Here’s Why It Works:
– Audiobooks turn reading time into downtime for mom. You get to relax and enjoy listening to someone else read for a change!
– Everyone is already together at the table to eat. Part of the challenge for me was just getting all my kids in one place at the same time. It’s so easy to make this a routine because mealtimes are obviously part of your schedule already.
– Children get to eat while they listen. I’ve found that this works especially well if you have young children. They are occupied eating (and sitting still), so there are fewer interruptions.
– A little time adds up to a lot of time when done consistently. In just 15 minutes a day, we’ve read over 10 read aloud books each school year.
So, What Are Read Alouds?
A read aloud is simply good quality literature that you read out loud to your children. It’s usually above their reading level; they may not be able to read it on their own.
Reading aloud benefits children in many ways.
- It develops important comprehension skills.
- It increases vocabulary.
- It educates children about the world around them.
- It improves writing skills.
Historical Fiction Read Alouds
Read alouds are a wonderful way to reinforce and cement in their memory what you are teaching your children for history. For example, last year, we read The Winged Watchman by Hilda VanStockum, which is about the Nazi occupation of Holland. My children not only learned facts about World War 2 and Holland, but they also felt an emotional connection with the main character, Joris, and gained a greater understanding of how the war affected the people in Nazi-occupied territories.
Historical fiction read alouds provide a memory anchor or reference point for children to recall facts. My children can more easily tell me about World War 2 because we read this story.
Literature Read Alouds
We don’t always read historical fiction though. Great literature will draw your children into the story. It will enrich their lives by exposing them to new ideas.
There is great value in reading a well-crafted, clever story like The Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit. This book is light-hearted and comical, but my children were developing reading comprehension skills and increasing their vocabulary while they were entertained with the characters’ antics.
2 Ways to Get Audiobooks for Free
1. Check Out Free Audiobooks With Library Apps
I have found 3 apps that work with my library and each one has different books. You download the app and then log in with your library’s name, your library card number, and password. Then you check out titles like you would any library books. They are returned automatically on the due dates, but can easily be renewed.
The apps I use are:
- Overdrive
- Hoopla
- RB Digital
I’m not sure if these are available for all public libraries. You can search your library website for options that are available to you.
2. Get Free Audiobooks From LibriVox.org.
LibriVox is a site where volunteers have downloaded audiobooks that are in the public domain. Since the readers are volunteers, you may not always find readers that you enjoy listening to. Sometimes it takes me a few tries to find a good one, but the wide selection of unique books makes it worth the effort. There is also a LibriVox app available.
Free Ambleside audiobooks on LibriVox.org: I was excited to recently discover this list of free downloadable audiobooks used in the Ambleside Online curriculum. Ambleside Online is a free curriculum that adheres to the Charlotte Mason educational philosophies. Click here for the LibriVox “Recordings of Books on the Ambleside List” page.
Get Audible Audiobooks Without a Subscription
Did you know you can get Audible audiobooks without paying for a subscription? You can! Only the audiobooks that say, “With Audible Membership,” require an Audible subscription. I have found loads of audiobooks on Amazon that don’t require a subscription for purchase.
All you have to do to listen is download the FREE Audible app onto your smartphone from the app store.
Related Reading: Kids’ Audible Audiobook Daily Deals for Under $5 – No Subscription Required
Book Lists
Here are 3 places to find good read-aloud books:
1. Simplycharlottemason.com – This is an excellent book list that is grouped by age level. It’s a great place to start.
2. Sonlight.com – This curriculum site has extensive read-aloud book lists. I don’t buy from them, I just browse their site for ideas. You can click the “What’s Included” tab to see the history and literature read-alouds they recommend for each level. This has been my go-to resource for book ideas since the beginning of our homeschool.
3. Here’s a link to my post: “Mega Book List of Excellent Read Alouds.” These are books we have personally read and love.
It Works for Bible, Too!
We use the same method for Bible reading now, too! I have found this to be the perfect way to get in more Bible time.
We listen to an audio Bible during breakfast and then our literature read aloud at lunch.
I use the YouVersion Bible app because it has fantastic Bible reading plans and studies. We’re currently doing a YouVersion plan to read through the Bible in 2 years.
Related Reading: The Best Free Family Bible Study App
My idea to listen to audiobooks during meal times has made it possible for me to include read alouds without adding any extra work for me. I hope this idea will help you add more rich literary content into your homeschool day as well!
Do you have a favorite way to do read alouds in your homeschool? Comment below to share what works for you.