How to Make Reading Time Even More Meaningful for Your Kids

When the Hilbys family sits down to read, they don’t just read a book straight through. Mr. Hilbys pauses and talks to his kids about the things and ideas in the book while they go through it, discovering the power of discussion during daily reading time. There’s no denying that daily reading time is memorable for kids as they grow, but when you discuss the books you read with your kids, these moments become truly transformative. The Tuttle Twins books are some of the best educational books for children, and they provide the perfect jumping-off point for these discussions!

PHOTO: Tuttle Twins

Choosing Books that Teach Critical Thinking

To start with, you need the right educational books for children. Let’s face it: some books are like candy. They may entertain, but that’s about it. They simply fall flat in the discussion department. The best educational books for children are books that teach critical thinking, like the Tuttle Twins series.

Why is critical thinking so important? It enables objective analysis of information, providing the capability to tell fact from fiction make decisions based on reason and logic. Critical-thinking skills also reduce the impacts of misinformation on your kids — something that’s growing more and more important these days.

In this day and age, kids are inundated with information, including misinformation. When they’re able to think critically, they can more easily detect bias by evaluating sources and avoid disinformation, especially what they see on social media.

Critical thinkers are also better problem solvers, a skill that’s essential in the workplace. Kids with this skill can break down complex problems and discover solutions that are not only logical but innovative. Critical thinking also plays a role in strategic planning, adaptability and efficiency in the workplace, all essential skills employers want to see in workers.

PHOTO: Tuttle Twins

Using Books that Teach Critical Thinking to Their Fullest

Books that teach critical thinking aren’t just educational books for children. They’re also a resource for enhancing those special moments with your kids. They’ll always remember how mom or dad reasoned through stories with them instead of just reading to them! Here are some questions you can use while reading books with your kids:

• What do you think will happen next and why?
• What do you think would be the best solution to the character’s dilemma and why?
•  What are some alternate perspectives to those displayed by the characters in the story?

Once the solution has been revealed, try these:

• Why do you think the characters chose the solution they did?
• What do you think the consequences of this solution will be?
• What are some alternate solutions the characters could have tried? What might the consequences of those solutions be?
•  Do you think the characters chose the best possible solution? Why or why not?

After you see the consequences of the characters’ solution or at the end of the book, try asking these questions:

• What do you think happened next and why?
• Now that you know the consequences of their actions, do you agree with what the characters did? Why or why not?
• What parts of the story were especially meaningful or interesting to you and why?

Kids grow up faster than we can imagine, and it’s moments like these that they will remember forever. Discussions mean more to kids than any material thing you could ever give them!