In many areas, it can still be difficult to provide your child with all the books they need to enrich their early education. Many libraries are still operating with restricted hours or are not open at all. Likewise, most reading groups are still canceled.
So how does a parent provide a steady stream of books for their young child? YouTube can help!There are plenty of recorded read-alongs available for free on YouTube, which can be an excellent replacement for libraries and other group activities that cannot be held due to the ongoing outbreak.
YouTube Read-alongs Can Help with Early Education
If you search for children's books on YouTube, you can find plenty. You'll likely be able to find any book you're looking for, being read by an adult. Many channels specialize in this, so it shouldn't be hard to find some that fit your child and their interests. A few tips:
1 - Vet the videos before showing them to your child
Unfortunately, there are a lot of pranksters on YouTube. Just because a video says it's a certain thing, it's not necessarily that thing. We strongly recommend watching the videos for yourself to make sure they're legitimate, at least until you find some channels whose creators are trustworthy.
2 - Start with a few books you already have
The idea of watching adults on YouTube read books may be strange for a child. You can ease them in by starting with books you already own. That way, you and your child can directly read along with the recorded adult, making it a cooperative activity.
3 - Look for books with familiar stories
Another good way to engage your child is to look for stories they're familiar with, but new versions of those stories they haven't read yet. Many fairy tales, for example, have a lot of different variations. This will help keep them engaged.
4 - Start branching out
Once your child is familiar with the concept, look for more books, even ones they don't know. That way you can start broadening their tastes.
5 - Ask questions as you go!
Treat YouTube read-alongs like you would a live book reading. Pause the video every now and then to ask comprehension questions, or to see what your child thinks of the story or characters. This helps engage them with the books.
Playgarden Prep Online offers private preschool experience at home. And in our program multiple books are read aloud by Playgarden Prep teachers in recorded videos or in live zoom classes. We have also recorded books so little ones can follow the stories up-close by seeing the pictures in the book and hearing the story read by our teachers.
Contact us today for in-person learning options or Online preschool.
