Hilary White shows how
You can spark children's interest in picture books and help them to get the most out of your story times at home by trying the following suggestions.
D Even a newborn baby can be introduced to picture books. Choose a book with simple, brightly coloured images and hold it at a distance of approximately 20cm so that the baby can focus on the picture. Once a baby becomes able to grab and chew them, make sure you have a good stock of wipeable board books.
D Little ones can learn a huge amount from the images in a picture book.
Watch them carefully as they study the picture, and only turn the page once they have stopped looking.
D A picture book makes a great source of conversation, and conversation can be a great source of learning. Stop and talk about the story from time to time, and try to respond fully to all the child's questions and comments.
D Answering a child's every question and comment can, however, take forever. If you run out of time before you finish the story, skip quickly through the rest of the pages and read the ending. Children need to know how the story finishes, even if they are already familiar with the book.
D Avoid asking direct questions about the story or pictures - even the chattiest child will tend to clam up if they feel they are being interrogated. Encourage children to talk about a book by linking the story with their own experiences. For example, you could make comments such as 'Look, there's a black cat in the picture, just like grandma's'.
D Choose books that reflect the child's recent interests and experiences.
If they are fascinated by the building site you pass on the way to nursery each morning, find a book on diggers and bulldozers. If the child loves dogs, choose appropriate information books or stories featuring a dog as the main character.
D Let the wriggly child adopt whatever position they find comfortable during story time (it's surprising how much they can take in, even when lying on their backs with their legs in the air!). Help the active child to remain engaged with the book by setting small physical challenges - 'Can you balance on your "front legs" like Elmer the elephant?'
D Be patient when asked to read the same story for what seems like the hundredth time. Young children learn a huge amount from repetition, and they probably need to keep on exploring a particular event or issue in the story. The familiar and well-loved picture book can also be very comforting, particularly at bedtimes or stressful moments such as starting school.
D Turn story time into an Oscar-winning performance. Use special voices for different characters and long meaningful pauses to build up suspense. Don't overdo it, though - little ones and sensitive children can be unnerved when their familiar nanny turns into a growling tiger or fierce ogre.
D Once children know a story well, encourage them to join in. Let the child finish off a repeated phrase or a line that ends with a rhyming word. This is a good technique for developing their reading skills.
D Make sure that books are constantly available to even the youngest children. Put two or three carefully chosen board books on a low shelf so that toddlers can help themselves (remind parents that a few books may get destroyed while their children learn how to handle them).
D Ask parents to let you have a little space in one of their bookshelves for storing 'special' books. This encourages older children to look upon certain books as a treat to be treasured.
D Introduce children to the local library. Show them how to choose books and use their own borrowers' tickets. Check out services such as organised story times, seasonal activities and competitions. Most libraries also have a children's librarian who can help you find books to suit the individual interests of a child or order a particular title. For more ideas, visit www.amazon.co.uk.
D Help children to make their own picture books. Punch a hole in the corner of some sheets of paper and tie them together with ribbon, or fold a strip of paper into a zig-zag. Fill the pages with words, stories, stickers, drawings and cut-out magazine pictures.
D Use a small photograph album to make a personalised picture book for the child. Choose some photos from a special trip or event they've experienced, write matching sentences on cards and slip the words and pictures into the plastic pockets of the album. Choose a title for the book - 'Harry's Birthday Party' or 'Ayesha's Trip to the Zoo'.
