50 Things Kids Can Do While You Read
What magic is this?
Hello! This post is a part of Reading While Parenting’s Messy Summer Reading Club, which drops into your inbox on Saturdays until August 23rd. If you are not interested in receiving posts on this particular topic, you can opt out by deselecting “Reading While Parenting” here.
Here is a list of things your kids can do while you read a book!
Let me share these secret magical potions for your reading life to expand…
Here’s the thing… if I could, I would give you the magic secret. However, there aren’t any magic potions, spells, or wands available for this task. Probably much less impressive, I am going to hand out a permission slip.
You have permission to read
While your kids are present in your home
When they are away
You do not always need to be “productive.”
And…
Parents deserve to have a meaningful reading life.
Okay, I’ve signed it for you. There is a list below, and who knows, maybe it will inspire you. Maybe it will help you think about time in your day in a different way. Or maybe you will enjoy some of the links sprinkled in there. Some of the things on the list will not be options for your kids, dependent on developmental age, needs, and the constraints of your unique family, but that’s okay. Certainly, use your wisdom about your child and the level of supervision or support they may need. And share in the comments what your kids do while you read.
You can read while your kids:
Are at school
Are reading their book (I recommend checking out
for more on that)Are listening to an audiobook
Are drawing
Are playing with Play-Doh (I’m not going to go as far as to say playing with slime because that can go downhill way fast)
Are at camp
Are watching a show
Are playing with Magna-Tiles
Are eating a snack
Are at a playdate at another person’s home
Are taking a nap
Are creating a Lego stop motion movie
Are playing tag (nerd alert: I found the linked Wikipedia deep dive into tag really interesting)
Are playing hide and seek
Are writing a story
Are dancing
Are playing dress up
Are creating a complicated doll or figure drama
Are making mud (or dirt soup)
Are creating with clay
Are doing homework
Are doing paint by numbers
Are playing with their siblings
Are making food (within their ability to do it safely and independently)
Are playing with a pet
Are playing librarian (you can be a patron here)
Are playing school
Are having a water fight
Are building Legos
Are researching animal facts
Are playing pretend shop owner
Are “gardening”
Are making friendship bracelets
Are doing a collage
Are listening to a podcast
Are collecting nature items in the backyard
Are cleaning their room
Are playing in the yard
Are riding bikes and scooters
Are watching a movie
Are doing sidewalk chalk
Are blowing bubbles
Are playing a sport
Are asleep at night
The comments section is what we make of it. Feel free to answer any or all of the questions below.
What do your kids do while you read?
When or what are you going to be reading this week?
Any reading conundrums? These may become a topic for a future post.
This week, I read at the pool with my kid! This is was unusual occurrence, my big kid had no camp this week while his siblings were all in camp. But it gave me a glimpse into the future when all my kids are more independent swimmers. I also finally got the new Emily Henry from the library, so I am starting that today.
How is your summer reading going?
Ok, obviously I love this and am (as always) grateful for the shout out, BUT ALSO I’m laughing because right now everything is about our backyard potions. So, read while they make potions, and then read while the little one is napping and the non-napper is… making a “cookbook of potions” 😂. (But only read a few paragraphs at a time because they are not even 2 and 5 yet, BUT WE WILL KEEP TRYING!)