Rhythm, rhyme and learning to read
Singing, dancing and making music together is fun, but also helps your child to master skills that are the very beginning of learning to read and write.
You might not be thinking about reading yet, if you’re still enjoying a newborn scrunch or wondering if your baby is the only one who wakes up every hour.
All in one place - helping your child learn to read
Reading is magical – a good story might transport your child to a fantasy land and books can them learn about the world. This month it’s World Book Day, so we thought we’d put all our articles about stories, books and reading in one place.
Tips for reading and sharing stories on dark nights
Lots of what we see about learning to read focuses on phonics – and this is important. But enjoying books is the key to a lifetime of reading, and unlocking a vast array of ideas and knowledge.
Parents who look at books with their children are described as transforming attitudes to reading.[1] Much of that transformation is connected to the warm, positive emotions of cuddling up together to enjoy a story.
At home story sessions – making reading and rhymes fun for everyone
We’ve been sharing ideas for DIY baby and toddler groups, to use while your usual ones are closed for the summer. This week it's all about stories and rhymes. From singing old favourites to making a game out of reading together we have pulled together ideas that can be adapted for your child’s interests and skills.
Before you start, decide where you will do your story time group and make sure the space is comfortable and fairly quiet.
All about... reading with babies
It can seem strange to read to a baby. You might think, “My baby can’t understand what I am saying”, “They don't know what the words mean,” or “They can’t hold a book.” Surely reading is for when they get a little bit older?
Reading with babies is sometimes awkward, but it is also really valuable. If we think about how a baby first learns, they do this by watching what is happening around them. They start by reading people’s faces, trying to work out what facial expressions mean, along with working out tones of voice.
Reading to your child during their first five years – what does research tell us?
It can feel strange reading books to your newborn baby, and although 95% of parents in a recent survey could see reading was important – just 77% started reading to their child before they were one, and 28% said they don’t find reading to their child easy.[1]
In this week’s research article, we’re going to look at the benefits of reading to your child whatever their age and give you some ideas for sharing stories together.
50 books to read before you're five
As we've been thinking about reading this week, we're sharing our 50 books to read before you're five again.
There are so many children's books out there and they can be inspiring, joyful, meaningful or simply silly. Our team wanted to share the ones we truly love so you, and your child, can enjoy them too. You can check off each book as you read it, or give it a rating to remind you what you liked (or disliked) most.
Why we love/hate World Book Day
We are huge fans of books at My First Five Years. There is nothing we love more than curling up with a good story to get lost in, whether reading for our own pleasure or enjoying sharing a book with children. Scroll down to see our 'books for free' suggestions, where we've rounded up the best ways to get reading without having to buy every book!
So why is it that the words “World Book Day” can send us into a tailspin of panic and dread?
