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.

The focus on building children’s love of books, alongside phonics, has arisen from studies which show the benefits of enjoying reading.

The one we probably all recognise is that children who enjoy reading are often better readers.^[2] This might be because they read more often, so get more practice.

Children who enjoy reading also have more opportunities to learn about the world around them through books, and come across a wide range of vocabulary.^[1]

And children who read regularly have greater levels of wellbeing, perhaps because they find reading relaxing or because it helps them to understand emotions and other people’s points of view.^[1]

Research published in 2022 shows that the number of children who read for pleasure is declining.^[3]

It's never too early (or too late) to start enjoying stories with your child. And by making reading together part of your daily routine, you will give your child a strong foundation for a lifetime of reading.

Tips for reading with your baby, toddler or child

For all children:

Make looking at books together a time for connection. Try to remove other distractions like the TV or your phone and snuggle up together to share a story.
Choose books you both enjoy
Watch and listen to see what your child is particularly interested in and repeat that part or talk to them about that character, event or word.

Babies

What to try

Don’t wait to start looking at books with your baby – even your newborn will enjoy listening to your voice as you read to them.
Choose books that you enjoy reading – if these become favourites you will read them a lot!
Pick books with rhyming text – your baby will tune into the pattern in the story before they understand all the words.

Toddlers

What to try

Rhyming books are still great, so keep reading them.
Pick books with a simple story, so your toddler can start to see how a story is sequenced.
Don’t insist on sitting still! Think about what listening looks like for your toddler, for some it will involve a bit of wriggling so don’t stop the flow of the story to get them to be still if you know they’re listening.
Repeat favourite stories and when you do, pause so your toddler can finish a line every few pages.
Chat about what you think the characters might be feeling.
Talk about the story when you’ve finished reading it and use questions to help your toddler sequence events.

Children

What to try

Build excitement about books. You could say, “I’m looking forward to going to the library today so we can get a new story.” Or “I’ve got a new book for us to read later, I’m so excited!”
Look at the cover and see if your child can guess what might happen in the story.
Talk to them about the author and illustrator.
Make sure they understand any new vocabulary – perhaps by using it in a game later or chatting about a new word once the story is over.
Begin to talk about the words printed in books, perhaps pointing to the title as you read it, or the first word in the book.
Repeat familiar stories and sometimes ask your child to ‘read’ bits of the story to you.
Keep books where your child can reach them so they can pick one and look at it themselves sometimes.

Three books we love

Here are three books we think are perfect for stories on dark nights.

You’ll find many more recommendations in the ‘Discover more..’ section of your today screen, where we have articles about books that will help your child master the skills they’re working on now.

The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharrat

This book is gorgeous and encourages lots of interaction!

The pages are opaque, so as you begin to journey into the forest and open each new page, you see an outline silhouette of the picture on the next page. Each time you're asked to guess what it could be.

There are plenty of surprises inside, like a unicorn blowing a horn, an ogre doing yoga, and three brown bears in picnic chairs!

There is also scope for lots of conversation around the characters who are already familiar from fairytales or myths.

The text rhymes so your child can listen to the pattern in the words. And the excitement builds as you turn each page, guessing what might be coming next!

My Pet Star by Corrine Averiss, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

This lovely rhyming story is about a child who finds and cares for a star.

The story shows how the child looks after the star until its sparkle returns, then lets it go back into the night sky.

Your baby might simply enjoy the rhythm and rhyme of this story.

Your toddler might look at the pictures and see what the child and star do together. You could talk about how you think the characters feel at each point.

As your child gets older, this book might prompt conversations about kindness and caring for the environment.

Goodnight World by Debi Gliori

Goodnight World is a perfect bedtime rhyme.

The rhyme takes you around the world saying goodnight to clouds, trains, birds and trucks and more. Before going into a house, then a bedroom for a final goodnight.

As well as enjoying the rhyme, the beautiful, detailed illustrations could prompt some bedtime conversations.

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References:

[1] Department for Education (2023). The reading framework.

[2] Toste, J. R., Didion, L., Peng, P., Filderman, M., & McClelland, A. M. (2020). ‘A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relations Between Motivation and Reading Achievement for K-12 Students’. Review of Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654320919352

[3] Cole, A., Brown, A., Clark, C., & Picton, I. (2022). ‘Children and young people’s reading engagement in 2022 Continuing insight into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on reading’. National Literacy Trust Research Report https://cdn.literacytrust.org.uk/media/documents/Reading_trends_2022_-_Final.pdf