You’re Never Too Young or Too Old for a Good Story!
Don’t worry about when to start or stop reading to your little ones – just grab a book and read.
I’m not a big fan of autumn.
These chilly, rainy days remind me that winter is on its way, and my “to do” list is still way too long to complete before December 31st. Luckily, we get to enjoy some spectacular fall colours here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest as the bright reds and yellows of the maples, larch, and aspen peek out from the green hillsides blanketed in Douglas firs.
As the weather cools and the days get shorter, curling up by the fire with a good book is even more appealing than usual, and brings back fond memories of cuddling under a blanket, reading to my kiddos. But don’t wait for a chilly autumn day to start a storytime habit – just grab a book and read. Even babies love being read to!
When your kiddos are tiny and reading may seem a little pointless, it's worth remembering:
the more words they hear, the more words they learn
the roots of language are developing in a baby’s brain long before they start to talk
looking at pictures and hearing a story, babies learn about communication and build listening and memory skills
“Developing language and literacy skills begins at birth through everyday loving interactions, such as sharing books, telling stories, singing songs and talking to one another.”
(zerotothree.org)
(Flashback to a time when I wished for another pair of hands to turn the pages of the giant picture book balanced on my knee as I struggled to keep my two tiny tots from tumbling off my lap and onto the floor.😊)
And as your kiddos start to grow, sharing books helps to develop a love of reading and encourages:
building vocabulary
paying attention
the fun of guessing what will happen next
picking out words they recognize from the page
reciting by heart those books they insist on reading over and over
enjoying the soothing sound of your voice
My children, Sophie and Matthew, loved their summer trips to England when they were little. Every evening would end with cuddles on the sofa with Grandma, as she read from the latest Harry Potter book.
We missed a few summer visits in their teens when basketball and tennis tournaments took priority, but finally made it back across the Atlantic when they were about 16 and 17. Mum was sure her grandchildren would have outgrown the previous post-dinner reading ritual, but her enquiry about skipping storytime was met with a resounding chorus of:
“Of course she has to read to us- it’s a tradition!”
Mum was thrilled that these lanky teens still enjoyed storytime with Grandma- although she had to banish Matthew from the sofa to lie diagonally across the floor of her small living room. Apparently, his fidgeting made the book shake too much, so reading was impossible!
Now in their 20s, these two are both avid readers, and still enjoy tuning in to Cotswolds Radio to hear Mum reading Henry’s adventures when they need a ‘Grandma Storytime’ fix.
There is something special about being read to at any age.
*****
We’ve had a busy summer over here in the land of Henry’s adventures! Mum recorded all her stories for Cotwolds Radio so little adventurers everywhere were treated to storytime twice a week over the summer, and all three books are being re-broadcast for the lead up to Christmas.
I’m gradually adding all the recordings to our website, so Henry fans can tune in for a quick chapter whenever they fancy a countryside adventure! It’s been fun to hear Roshni on her Grab Some Sticks podcast and Strawberry Storytime put their own spin on reading Mum’s stories- we are so grateful to them for helping to share the Henry love.
As the recipient of the original typed stories, Sophie was quite the celebrity, mixing and mingling with the crowds and distributing colouring pages to the multitude of kiddies running around.
Apparently, Ben the horse was a firm favourite with the young illustrators!
(Head over to our website “free stuff” page to score downloadable colouring pages of your favourite characters.)
Another new adventure for Mum was participating in the Craft Fair held in September at the Old Prison in Northleach.
In a lovely full circle moment, Sophie flew in from Germany to help her grandma share Henry’s escapades with a new generation of little adventurers.
Wishing you all a cosy fire, a hot cuppa and a great book to read as we head into winter!
Cheers!
Sue and Jo
http://www.adventuresofhenryfieldmouse.com