What do I do with the picture books (story sharing books)?
One of the most important things you can do as a parent at home is read to your child.
Loving stories is important because children who love stories want to read stories for themselves. Children who read a lot become better readers.
Here are some top tips for storytime:
- Make it a treat – introduce each new book with excitement.
- Make it a special, quiet time – cuddle up!
- Show curiosity in what you’re going to read.
- Read the story once without stopping so they can enjoy the whole story. If you think your child might not understand something say something like ‘Oh I think what’s happening here is that…”
- Chat about the story, e.g. 'I wonder why he did that? Oh no, I hope she’s not going to…'
- Avoid asking questions to check what they remember.
- Link to other stories and experiences you have shared, e.g. 'This reminds me of…'
- Read favourite stories over and over again – encourage your child to join with the bits they know. Avoid saying, ‘Not that story again!’
- Use different voices – be enthusiastic!
- Love the book – read with enjoyment.