MAKING BOOKS A PART OF THEIR LIFE...
Part of my day job is working with children and their parents. From new born babies all the way up to teens and I'm always amazed when someone will ask 'but how do you make books fun?'
To me, it's very very simple. You begin when they are babies and make books a part of their life.
You give them books before they even know what they are about. You let them feel them, play with them, yes even bite them (it's how babies learn). And you read to them, whenever, wherever.
A board book takes only a few minutes to read. But what it offers up to children is 100 times more. It promotes brain development, improves concentration, builds up a child's imagination, teaches them new things, helps with language skills and vocabulary. The list goes on and on....
It's also a great way to strengthen your relationship.
But the main thing is to make children realise that books are FUN.
Recently we had two of the grandchildren here, and as naturally as could be Miss Nine found a book and began reading it to Baby Boy.
It was gorgeous to watch and she read book after book to him. Helping him feel any textures in the books, making the animal noises, using her performance skills to make it a great experience for them both.
When we have the granddaughters stay, we have a set routine. After dinner and bath, pjs and clean our teeth we always have a story read in bed.
Miss Nine and I will take turns reading pages or chapters....
Miss Two will listen then she gets her own story read when she's in her bed.
It doesn't matter what sort of day we've had. We could all be exhausted and all I want is a coffee and to be able to put my feet up, but they insist. There has to be a story before bed.
It's just the way it is. Both girls look forward to it. There is much time spent choosing the right book, sometimes a favourite that I have read time after time after time...sometimes it's a book that is new. Or at least new to them. We have quite a few bookcases around the house so they wander from one to the other (although the bookcase in the girl's room is meant to house all their books).
Reading in my house will never be a chore, or a punishment. It is a reward, a treat to look forward to.
Hopefully we are helping build a life time love with the written word. Making sure that books, and reading, is not something forced on them at school, but a magical opportunity for them to escape into another world.
And of course the best thing you can do, is to show by example.
Vicki
To me, it's very very simple. You begin when they are babies and make books a part of their life.
You give them books before they even know what they are about. You let them feel them, play with them, yes even bite them (it's how babies learn). And you read to them, whenever, wherever.
A board book takes only a few minutes to read. But what it offers up to children is 100 times more. It promotes brain development, improves concentration, builds up a child's imagination, teaches them new things, helps with language skills and vocabulary. The list goes on and on....
It's also a great way to strengthen your relationship.
But the main thing is to make children realise that books are FUN.
Recently we had two of the grandchildren here, and as naturally as could be Miss Nine found a book and began reading it to Baby Boy.
It was gorgeous to watch and she read book after book to him. Helping him feel any textures in the books, making the animal noises, using her performance skills to make it a great experience for them both.
When we have the granddaughters stay, we have a set routine. After dinner and bath, pjs and clean our teeth we always have a story read in bed.
Miss Nine and I will take turns reading pages or chapters....
Miss Two will listen then she gets her own story read when she's in her bed.
It doesn't matter what sort of day we've had. We could all be exhausted and all I want is a coffee and to be able to put my feet up, but they insist. There has to be a story before bed.
It's just the way it is. Both girls look forward to it. There is much time spent choosing the right book, sometimes a favourite that I have read time after time after time...sometimes it's a book that is new. Or at least new to them. We have quite a few bookcases around the house so they wander from one to the other (although the bookcase in the girl's room is meant to house all their books).
Reading in my house will never be a chore, or a punishment. It is a reward, a treat to look forward to.
Hopefully we are helping build a life time love with the written word. Making sure that books, and reading, is not something forced on them at school, but a magical opportunity for them to escape into another world.
And of course the best thing you can do, is to show by example.
Vicki
Comments
Post a Comment