Starting at an early age, siblings are taught to embrace the concept of sharing—toys and snacks, their parents’ attention, possibly even the same bedroom. But one of the most beautiful things siblings can share? A love of reading together—especially in Spanish.
Here at Sol Book Box, we know that many of our subscribers are families with multiple young children of different ages and reading levels. That’s why we’re highlighting the unique magic that happens when bilingual siblings share storytime—not just for fun, but for connection, confidence, and long-term language growth.
Here's 10 big benefits you'll feel right away:
#1. Older Siblings Feel Special
When an older sibling reads in Spanish to a younger sibling, they get to experience the joy of being looked up to—not just as a sibling, but as a teacher. That sense of leadership can build their confidence, especially in their own language skills as they read out loud and model fluency.
#2. Younger Siblings Feel Empowered
For younger siblings, reading alongside an older brother or sister can be a powerful source of motivation. Watching someone they admire read in Spanish makes the idea of bilingual reading feel accessible—and exciting. It plants the seed: “One day, I’ll be able to do that too.”
#3. Siblings Can Improve Their Communication Skills
Reading together will encourage your children to communicate with one another. While they read, they can give each other friendly commands (“Please turn the page”) as well as ask each other questions (“Why is the dinosaur blue?”) that pertain to the pages in front of them. Improving their communication with one another will be rewarding for their relationship, and improving their communication skills overall will serve them well in school, in sports, and elsewhere. They’ll learn the value of asking questions, expressing their opinions, and raising good points.
#4. They Get to Practice Listening
When siblings read aloud or take turns with a book, they also practice listening. Whether one is narrating or they’re echoing simple phrases back and forth, reading together helps children tune in, focus, and follow along. With Spanish books especially, it’s a great way to build familiarity with pronunciation and cadence.
#5. Reading Together Reinforces Their Bond
When their parents are busy, siblings often look to each other for entertainment. Reading together gives siblings something fun to do and it also reinforces their bond. What a gift it is to realize that your sibling is not just a member of your household—your sibling is your playmate, your reading pal, your friend.
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#6. They Cultivate a Calm Environment
When children have a bad day, or a long day, they may feel down or overly tired. On days like these, there’s usually nothing more comforting than a family member’s voice, and when siblings read together, they’re capable of calming each other down and making each other feel not only relaxed, but also loved.
#7. They Establish Common Ground
Even with age gaps and different personalities, siblings often discover shared favorites when they read together. A beloved Spanish picture book. A hilarious animal story. That one author they both can’t get enough of. Finding common ground in stories can smooth over daily disagreements and bring kids closer—one page at a time.
#8. Siblings Can Acknowledge Their Differences
Books can also help siblings celebrate what makes them unique. One might love sports, the other music. One prefers silly, the other serious. Reading across interests (maybe a fútbol-themed story followed by one about a mariachi band!) can help them appreciate each other’s tastes and spark some great conversations.
#9. It’s Refreshing
If you’re a parent who has spent a lot of time reading to your children, there’s a strong probability that your children will find it so refreshing to read with one another. The ever-forming bond between siblings is quite special, and the more time that siblings can spend together strengthening that bond, the better.
#10. Memories, Memories, Memories
When siblings spend time together, they are given the opportunity to create memories that can potentially last a lifetime. As a parent, you can only hope that one day your children will look back upon their childhoods and remember special moments—like reading on the couch together—with fondness and gratitude.
In closing
Given all of these benefits, your friends here at Sol Book Box would like to kindly remind you to invite your children to read together as often as possible. Besides, it is heartwarming for parents to witness their children bonding—especially over a stack of excellent children’s books.
You may even want to take a moment to snap a photo of those sweet siblings with their noses in a book, their fingers pointing to characters they admire, their smiles reflecting how much they are truly enjoying one another’s company.
