Reading with your children

Librarians share books during storytime in order to promote positive interactions between children and books.  A simple Storytime Secret that you can do with your children at home is read with them.  Shared reading with your child is the most important thing you can do at home to help your child learn how to read. 
 
Fun Fact #1: It is never too early to expose children to books!  We want you to share books with babies and toddlers, too!  Young children can flip through the pages and gain an understanding of the mechanics of the books, and they can look at the pictures and you can talk to them about what you see. 
 
Fun Fact #2: It is ok to stop reading a book if your child is not interested.  Sometimes I am in the middle of reading a book during storytime, and I notice no one in my class is listening.  I those cases, I simply close the book—the end—it is that simple!  It is ok if your child doesn’t have the attention span to sit through a book, you can stop reading and simply talk about the pictures you see and the child is still gaining benefits from the shared reading time.  As you spend more time together sharing books, hopefully the child’s attention span will increase.
 
Fun Fact # 3: Reading non-fiction books can be really fun!  Is your little boy only interested in tractors?  We have non-fiction books that you can read together on tractors (or other heavy machinery).  Librarians love helping you find books that will interest your child, just ask us for help!
 
Exposing children to books at a young age helps develop curiosity, imagination, and builds their vocabulary.  An expanded vocabulary will give your child an advantage when it comes time to start reading!  Now, let's go to the LIbrary and gets some books!