What Parents Need to Know About Kids Reading Ebooks
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As parents and educators, we must look for the many possible ways for children to read. This includes reading allowing kids to read ebooks on the iPad, Kindle, NOOK, or any device with reading apps like the free Kindle app.
Since the reading experience is different, let’s think through how to best use this ebook reading technology for learning purposes.We don’t want our kids to have too much screen time and we need to be sure our children are benefiting from the digital reading experience.
Because digital books give kids more book access and availability!
If you can’t get to a library, afford lots of new books, want lightweight books for travel, or are stuck at home during a quarantine, consider using ebooks for your children’s home library.
And as you might suspect, they’re often VERY enticing to readers.
Let’s talk about how can you help your kids make the most of reading on screens.
Parent Tips for Kids Reading Any eBook
Show Kids How To . . .
– turn the page without skipping pages
– bookmark a page
– take notes and highlight passages
– use the dictionary feature
– look up the overview
– share books
– brighten or dim the screen
– rotate and lock the screen
– increase or decrease the font size
– add audio narration
Parent Tips for Kids Under Five
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center published a report in 2012 that said enhanced eBooks distract children from comprehending the narrative details. Even if you’re reading with a parent. The Print vs. E-Books report states, “The enhanced E-Book was less effective than the print and basic E-Book in supporting the benefits of co-reading.” (Enhanced means eBooks with sounds, animations, and games.)
“One of the suggestions we make and have started seeing in some enhanced e-books,” Cynthia Chiong of the Center told me in a phone interview, “is the inclusion of a setting where parents/kids can turn off some of the interactive elements.”
She added, “I think a benefit of enhanced e-books is that kids really like them and would probably want to read it over and over again, so parents should encourage that. Also, as with any book reading, educators and parents can really help the learning experience by elaborating on and reinforcing the content.”
A 2016 report showed the need for more research on ebook reading found that IF the design and quality of the eBook were high, generally so was the learning. It echoed the previous research that found enhanced eBooks to be distracting.
The researchers also recommended that adults share in the reading experience with children because as literacy experts know, discussion enhances comprehension, language development, and print awareness.
Parent Tips for Kids Under Age 5
- Read the ebook twice. Once for meaning and once for the fun features.
- Dialogue about the story just like you would a print book. Conversations about books and words are important for children’s comprehension and literacy development.
Parent Tips for Kids Ages 6 and Up
- Audio narration. Struggling readers may want to add audio narration when they’re reading a new book. This will provide a model of a fluent narrator that can help them improve fluency as well as comprehension.
- Use the highlighting and dictionary features to learn new words and annotate your interactions with the text.
- Use parental controls. Once you download the book, turn off access to other apps. Or use a tracker to check that your kids aren’t flipping to Instagram while they’re “reading.”
- Show your kids how to check out library books themselves using the Libby app that connects to your Kindle app.
Also, consider these recommendations for screentime by age.
Bonus Ebook Tip: Try a Free Chapter Sample Before You Buy
One of my favorite things about reading digital books on a Kindle app (free for ANY device, you don’t need to own a Kindle) is the free preview feature. Before you buy, use the free preview to see if the book captivates your attention. I use it all the time and highly recommend it.
Make sure you’re on the Kindle format. Then click “Send a free sample.”
Important purchasing note: If you’re reading on an Apple device, you can’t buy the book directly from your Kindle app due to legal issues between Amazon and Apple. Instead, use your web browser like Safari or Chrome, go to the Amazon website, and make your purchase there. It will automatically download to your app.
Reading at Bedtime: Good or Bad?
Avoid blue lit screens at night if you can.
According to a survey by Ipsos Mori and The Reading Agency, half of the bedtime stories are now read on eBooks –either by children to themselves or co-read together. It’s surprising considering the research about poor sleeping after iPad reading.
So just to be clear, the blue light from screens has been proven to adversely affect sleep.
Fortunately, many devices have a new night mode feature that allows your screen to filter the blue light. On Apple devices, click on the moon image on your settings to change the light to
If you’re going to read at night, simply turn the brightness down, hit the night mode, or use a display altering app like f.lux that will adjust the color of your display.
What Should My Kids Read?
You know me. I think any book that a child wants to read is pretty much a good choice. But here are all my recommendations with reviews. I think you’ll find more than enough to get you started.
Ages 3 – 5
Best Picture Books for 3-Year-Olds
Best Picture Books for 4- and 5- Year-Olds
Ages 5 – 8
Best Easy Reader Books for 5- and 6-Year-Olds
Best NONFICTION Books for 5- and 6-Year-Olds
Best BEGINNING Chapter Books for 6- and 7-Year-Olds (1st & 2nd Grade)
Best Book Series for 1st Graders
NONFICTION Books for 6- and 7-Year-Olds
Best Books for 7-Year-Olds (2nd Grade)
Best Book Series for 2nd Graders
NONFICTION Books for 7-Year-Olds
Best Books for 8-Year-Olds (3rd Grade)
Best Book Series 3rd Graders LOVE
NONFICTION Books for 8-Year-Olds
Ages 9 – 12
Best Books for 9-Year-Olds (4th Grade)
Best Book Series for 4th Graders
NONFICTION Books for 9-Year-Olds
Best Books for 10-Year Olds (5th Grade)
Best Book Series for 5th Graders
NONFICTION Books for 10-Year-Olds
Best Books for 11-Year Olds (6th Grade)
Compelling Book Series for 6th Graders
NONFICTION Books for 11-Year Olds
Best Book Series for 7th Graders
NONFICTION Books for 12-Year-Olds (7th Grade)
Ages 13+
ALSO READ:
Good Children’s Chapter Books on Kindle Unlimited
Storybook Apps for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Early Elementary Age Kids
Free or Cheap e-Book Deals for Kids
Beginning Reading Apps for Kids
The Best Boxed Chapter Book Sets for Kids and Teens
iPad apps are part of what we are offering at Flying Rhino and with Fraboom.com. Please visit it and find out why our live teaching methods are so revolutionary for kids and their education in this modern world. We can give you free memberships as well so you can try without risk!
E-books are a great idea to make children reading more, but do you know that now children can make their own e-book with the iPad? And this contribute to motivate the students. To know more about these e-books you can read this post:
http://en.apple.ididactic.com/ebook-realizado-por-ninos-ipad/
Technology, like the iPad, is where kids want to be so it make sense to have education apps, like reading, on mediums that kids like to engage with. If you haven’t done so already, check out Bookboard — http://bookboard.com. It’s a great combination where the creators have taken advantage of mobile devices to enhance the overall experience, but still preserves reading.
Great piece Melissa.I really like your ideas on ways to share reading as if it is a “traditional book.” As luck would have it, I wrote a post this week about our experience trying to get Catherine engaged with an eReader this summer. http://blog.biguniverse.com/2012/11/05/e-readers-the-ubiquitous-frontier/