When you picture starting to do long read-alouds with your children, you probably picture your children serenely sitting, staring in silent rapture at you as you read beautiful literature. Or perhaps they are quietly playing with toys while they listen to you read classics or Shakespeare.
Cue reality.
Kids (at least my kids) can be very wild and rambunctious. If you want to avoid fighting, whining, disruptions, and Susie breathing all of Johnny's air, you need a plan.
Enter handicrafts.
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Why Handicrafts?
Handicrafts are much better than toys for reading aloud, because your children aren't going to be getting lost in their imagination. Handicrafts use the hands so kids that need to fidget or fiddle with something in order to learn are taken care of.
Handicrafts also provide enough distraction to keep your child occupied, but since they aren't using their imagination to play they will be able to listen more attentively.
But how do you figure out the best handicrafts for read-alouds? (This article won't cover all of the options, so definitely check out our Ultimate Handicraft List for more ideas.)
First of all, you need an activity that your child can do independently. In order for this to happen, you will need to put in the time beforehand to thoroughly teach your kids at least one skill. Knowing several handicrafts is probably a better idea so that they can have some choices. But it is definitely OK to start with one.
They need to be able to do the handicraft independently so that you can read without getting interrupted for help. However, if you listen to audiobooks for your read-aloud, occasional help can be given without stopping the audiobook.
What Makes a Good Handicraft for Reading Aloud?
Here is a list of things you need to look for in a potential handicraft choice:
- Quiet
- Not Messy
- Portable
- Thorough knowledge (or at least a pretty good idea) of how to do it
- Independent
- Hand tools instead of machines
Handicraft Ideas
Here is a list of some good choices for handicrafts that fit the criteria above.
- Drawing
- Braided Rug
- Friendship Bracelets
- Lanyards
- Crocheting
- Finger Knitting
- French Knitting
- Loom Knitting
- Knitting
- Macrame
- Rug Hooking
- Tatting
- Weaving
- Cross Stitching
- Embroidery
There are of course many more handicrafts that could work. This is just my top list. To see even more, be sure to check out our Ultimate Handicraft List!
Storing and Transporting Handicrafts
If you always read aloud in the same part of the house and you don't have toddlers, decorative baskets on a bookshelf are a great option to store your projects. You can keep everything together in one spot, and when it is time to read everyone can just grab their basket and get settled. Here are some nice options from Amazon:
If you like to move around the house or go outside on nice days to do your homeschool reading, You will probably want a container with a lid and handles so nothing spills during transport.
Conclusion
I hope you got some great ideas for handicrafts to do during read-aloud time! Remember, the handicrafts need to be quiet, portable, and non-messy!
If we all put in the time to teach our children proficiency in several handicrafts, we will be able to be doubly effective in our homeschooling efforts. We will be able to do two things at once by reading aloud to them while they work. This will also give us many thousands of hours to read aloud to our children without interruption.