Theatre-inspired tips for reading aloud to children

What’s your child’s favorite book? Act it out! By adding a little bit of theatre-inspired magic, reading time can become playtime. Here are our best tips on how to step into a book with your child and reap the most important benefits of reading aloud.

by Julia Veiga, Teaching Artist Fellow in Theatre

 

Early literacy and creative play go hand in hand, especially for our youngest learners. When children are invited to move, imagine and embody the stories they hear, they build stronger language skills, deeper comprehension and a joyful connection to learning.

At the Cathedral Arts Project, we believe every child deserves access to the transformative power of the arts. In our drama classrooms, we don’t just read books—we step into them.

 

Make It Come Alive

Reading out loud is a powerful way to build early literacy—but how you read makes all the difference.

• Use different voices. Whisper the dramatic parts. Shout when the moment calls for it.
• Don’t forget onomatopoeia—sound effects like “zoom!” “crash!” and “roar!” make stories come alive and help kids stay engaged.
• If you don’t have the book you want to read on hand, check YouTube. Many picture books are available as videos. Try turning the sound off and reading the words on the screen yourself—your voice matters more than you know. Children connect more deeply when the story comes from you.

 

Extend the Story with Imagination

After reading, invite your child to act out a part of the story. You don’t need a stage or costumes—just a little creativity.

• I often use a Magic Bag with my students. For example, when reading Where the Wild Things Are, we pretend to pull out the things we need to become a character: a tail, a crown, a pair of wild claws. After we’ve put on our imaginary costumes, with one simple prompt, such as “Show me your wild thing roar!”, the story is off and running.
• Ask questions. Build the world together. Maybe they fall asleep and wake up in a forest. Describe the setting around you, such as “The trees are so tall. And I can see the ocean over there! What do you see?”
• Let your children guide the adventure. Re-enact the moment Max gets into the ship and sailing away, thinking about how he might be feeling in that moment. Or solve a problem—be King Max, trying to get the Wild Things to be still. Usually, the kids will take it from here. And they may take the story in a whole new direction!

 

This kind of play strengthens comprehension, introduces new vocabulary, and helps kids explore story structure and emotion through movement.

Why It Matters at CAP

For many of our youngest learners, like those I teach in Head Start classrooms, reading aloud and acting out stories becomes a vital entry point to self-expression, literacy development and confidence-building. In these moments, children aren’t just listening to a story—they’re stepping into their power as readers, artists and creative thinkers.

Reading doesn’t have to end with “The end.” Through imaginative play, children begin to understand story structure, emotions and problem-solving, all while spending quality time with the people they trust most. Together, we’re helping students read, dream and grow.

 

This story is part of a series of articles featuring CAP Teaching Artist Fellows. They’ll share monthly insights from their years of experience in arts education, personal stories that impacted their careers as artists and educators, and ideas for families to incorporate more creativity into their everyday lives.

In May, for Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ll learn from LaRhonda Britton-James, LMHC, CAP Clinical Creative Art Counselor. To be notified when the next story is live, sign up for our email list today.