We love sharing picture books and below are are our Top Ten Tips for sharing stories at home!
1. Snuggle up together
Make it cosy! Make sure your little one can see the book the right way up, and that they can see you too. They will learn so much from your face as you read.
2. Chat about the book
Explore the pictures together and talk about anything you can see - animals, colours, patterns, places. Make links to familiar things: "There's a slide like the one in our park."
3. Make lots of noises
Make animal noises, weather noises, traffic noises. Watch out for anything in the story which makes a sound.
4. Use your voice!
Make stories exciting by changing the way you speak. Give a giant a deep, loud voice, and a mouse a tiny, squeaky one.
5. Move about
Make stories for babies and young children active. Copy the movements in a book - bounce when the horse gallops or wiggle like the worm in the garden.
6. Get your little ones to help
Children love to join in. Get them making sounds and doing actions with you, and, as they get older, encourage them to remember some of the words or rhymes.
7. Sing at story time
Sing a song you already know which fits in with something in the pictures or story. Or use a tune you know well and make up your own songs about something in the story.
8. Play with the books
Go on a bear hunt in the park or munch like The Very Hungry Caterpillar at tea time!
9. Keep talking
Tell them how much you love the book and they will love it too! Ask your child what they liked best in the story and tell them about your favourite bits.
10. Take books everywhere
Put them into toy boxes and always keep some in your bag for emergencies.