Reading aloud usually starts with picture books and fades out once children can read for themselves. It is worth holding on to. A shared story builds vocabulary, stretches attention spans and gives families something to talk about, at any age.

With toddlers, it is about the rhythm and the pictures. Point, ask what they see and let them turn the pages. Reading the same favorite book for the twentieth time is part of how they learn.

As children start reading on their own, read books just above their level: longer chapter books with richer language that they would find hard going alone. They get the story; you both get the time together.

For older children and teens, a book read aloud on a long car trip or a chapter after dinner can still work, especially with a story you both want to finish. Audiobooks shared in the car count, too.

Most of all, keep it a pleasure rather than a lesson. Use voices, stop at a cliffhanger and let them pick the next book. The goal is a family that likes stories, and that habit lasts a lifetime.