Summer Family Read Alouds (with Movie Night Options)

Family movie nights are a special treat in our household, and it is such a glorious thing when they can include a story we have read together! When it comes to literature, the Summer season is a great time for stories of tree houses, the jungle, everlasting springs, and dolphins. The following Family Read Alouds don’t disappoint in those areas.

It is a well known saying: “The book is better than the movie”, and while I’m not sure that’s always true, I am certain reading the book before the movie is of great importance! When a book is read first, the child’s imagination creates the characters, the setting, and the intensity of the story. It also challenges them to comprehend the story on different levels. In contrast, when a child sees the movie or visuals first, it can impede their wonderful creative imaginations, and also be a crutch for comprehension.

If you know where to look, you can find education in everything. Reading a story first, then watching the movie, is one of my favorite ways to teach the skill of comparing and contrasting. It is also a wonderful tool for checking comprehension, as well as understanding theme and theory. While I believe it is incredibly important to be discerning about the movies being shown, there are still many ways to use the combination of books and movies to teach Language Arts and Creative Arts fundamentals.