Age guide: 2 to 8 years. Adapt the questions to your child’s age.
Reading aloud works best when it feels like a conversation. A few well-chosen pauses give your child a chance to notice, remember and wonder. You do not need to quiz them. These ideas help you decide when to stop and what to say.
Before you open the book
Look at the cover and ask what they think the story will be about. Who might be in it? What clues is the picture giving? If you have a large picture book, run a finger or a feather under the words as you read, so your child can see how print moves from left to right and top to bottom.
While you read
Pause now and then, not on every page. Try one or two of these:
- What do you see in the picture?
- What just happened?
- Do you remember why that happened?
- What did the character do? Why do you think they did that?
- How do you think they feel? What would you do?
- What seems confusing or not quite right?
Mix them with your own surprise: “Oh no!” Let your child’s answers lead the conversation, and if they want to carry on reading, carry on.
Match the questions to the book
- Counting or shape books: How many are there? What comes next? Where is the circle?
- Rhyming or letter books: What other words start with that sound? What rhymes with that word?
- Books about animals or plants: Have you seen one of these? What does it look like, eat, sound like?
- Books about friendships or feelings: Why might she be upset? What could he do?
Stop before the ending
Read the story until just before it finishes. Ask your child what they think will happen and give them paper to draw their own ending. Compare the drawings and talk about the clues in the story that led to each. Then read the real ending. There is no wrong answer. The goal is to explore the story’s clues and the different endings they make possible.
After the book
Leave the book somewhere your child can find it. A book that was loved yesterday can be a surprise today. Look for others about the same topic.
Keep it light
If your child resists your questions, stop. The most important part is enjoying the book together. For more everyday conversation ideas, see a little back-and-forth with young children.
