Story time is an important time for your child, and for you too! It’s the perfect way to help your child wind down for the night, but it’s also a fun and powerful way for your child to learn about the world around them. From learning language to colours and the names of animals, story time can teach your little one a lot, and maybe even teach you something too.
But how can you take story time to the next level to ensure it stays fun and educational for your children? Take a look at these five creative ways to put a new spin on story time and spark a passion for reading and learning in your child.
1. Put on a performance
If you really want to entertain your kids during story time, then you need to put on a show! Telling stories using different voices and expressions can keep kids engaged, and make things more fun for all of you. It can feel like you’re stepping out of your comfort zone at first, but you’ll soon get into it as you watch your kid laugh and smile at your storytelling.
Need some inspiration? Watch Robin Williams in Mrs Doubtfire, as he explains what it means to ‘do voices.’
Alternatively, listening to audiobooks as you follow along can also help children enjoy story time, with someone else providing the voiceover work.
2. Use props and pop-up books
Storytelling doesn’t have to be just about reading books on a page. You can help bring stories to life using props, such as soft toys of the characters in the books (Winnie the Pooh is a great example!). You could also try using some interactive books, which include pop-up and moving books to help keep things interesting and get your child involved in the storytelling too. Not only that, but you could even combine story time and bath time with some bath-friendly books for kids.
Take a look at some recommended interactive books for kids:
@thehutchisonhome The Cook in a Book interactive books are one of my toddler’s current favorites. Of the three we have, the spaghetti one is his favorite because of the fork 🍝 A few of his other favorite interactive books- Stir Crack Whisk Bake Don’t Push the Button series Any Poke a Dot book by @Melissa & Doug The Boo Boo Book Cocoa’s Cranky series Tap the Magic Tree Mix it Up Let’s Play Never Touch a series And I’ll have them all saved under “books we love” on my Amazon. We love interactive books at this age because it helps keeps him engaged, but also me! They definitely make reading even more fun. #toddlerbooks #interactivebooks #toddlermom #cookinabook #toddlerfavorites #toddlerreading ♬ January – Art Music
3. Ask questions to help keep them engaged
Asking questions is a fantastic way to help your child learn through story time. You can ask them to describe certain pictures, guess what happens next or try to explain why the characters are doing what they’re doing. Encourage them to describe things – check out these 9 Lists of Adjectives for Kids: Building Language Skills, to help you find new words to teach your child. Their vocabulary will soon grow, as will their ability to voice their thoughts and opinions. Soon, they’ll be the ones asking all the questions!
4. Bring stories into their other activities
Story time doesn’t have to end when the book closes. There are ways you can keep the story going by bringing stories into your child’s other activities. You can do this in a lot of ways, including:
- Drawing characters and scenes.
- Building elements of the story out of LEGO.
- Indoor soft play.
- Crafts such as making masks or clay figures.
- Play games or try role-playing.
Using stories as inspiration will help them develop better memories, develop their own storytelling abilities and help nurture their creativity. It can also give you some ideas for activities when you’re short of things to do!
5. Take their learning out and about
Stories are an amazing way to teach your kids about the world around them, so why not explore some of the ways you can connect stories to their lives? From trips to the zoo to nature walks or seeing how trains work, there are a lot of fun activities you can do to help broaden your child’s understanding and create some special memories too.
Keep prompting them to talk about what they’ve learnt to help them develop their language skills and develop deeper connections to stories. Treat every day as an opportunity for them to learn something new.
Kids’ imaginations are incredible, and it all starts with story time. Story time lets you all delve into other worlds, learn new things and enjoy quality time together. Even as your child gets older, reading is something they can continue by themselves to boost their language skills even further. Get creative and make story time special to help your child’s development and enjoy special family moments you’ll cherish forever.
Thank you for reading.
