In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to talk with your kids about books. Specifically, we’re talking about open-ended questions, which you’ve probably heard us talk about before here at Read-Aloud Revival.

Open-ended questions are key to having conversations with your kids about anything they read, and anything you read together.

But what exactly qualifies as an open-ended question, and why do they work?

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

  • How to make book conversation a habit
  • How open ended questions are a form of narration
  • How to talk about books even if you haven’t read them yourself

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I also answer a question about whether it’s OK to let kids play while you’re reading aloud.

Click the play button below to start listening:

Time stamps:

2:29Q&A: what if my child isn’t really listening when I’m reading aloud?
6:14‘Planting seeds’
7:21Your 3 Super-Tools: Prayer, Read-alouds, and Conversation
9:34A better question than ‘Did you like it?’
11:42‘An informal exchange of ideas’
14:20What is an open-ended question?
17:21If you already know the answer, it’s not an open-ended question
20:49Taking the pressure off
24:42A broader look
26:43Does this count as narration?
29:25Get the FREE guide (and more resources)
32:46Let the Kids Speak

Quote to remember:

“You’ve got three super tools for your parenting life and your homeschooling life: prayer, read-alouds, and conversation.”

Sarah Mackenzie

“Having an open-ended conversation with your kids flings wide doors of discovery in ways that writing a book report, writing an essay, or taking a quiz can’t.”

Sarah Mackenzie

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Books mentioned in this episode:

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Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Anne of Green Gables
Listening for Lions
A Single Shard
Bud, Not Buddy
Little House on the Prairie: Little House, Book 3
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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