transcript  Storytime: How to Share Books With Your Child

Story Time:

Imagine giving your child a brighter future.

Imagine bringing your family closer together in the process.

Imagine this taking just minutes a day.

Imagine raising a reader.

This video will give you the tools to make this your reality no matter how well you read, what language you speak, or how busy you are. When we say your child this could refer to any child or children in your life -- any child with whom you’re sharing a book.

 

Why shared reading is so important

By sharing stories with your child, you are building a foundation for future learning and since ninety percent of their brain will develop in the first five years, it’s never too early to develop a love for books --even if your child is just one month old! Children who are read to regularly have an average vocabulary five times larger than that of other children and those who aren’t read to regularly are three to four times more likely to drop out of school later on. As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. No other activity is as important to their success as the experience of sharing a book together and if you involve them in a story, they will learn more than if you simply read it to them. This process is what we call “the shared book experience.” you’ll find that reading in this way can be as much fun for parents as it is for kids.

 

Tips for Sharing Books

Story time is about more than just the book itself. Story time is family time. [Child 1]“I’m cuddling with you” [Adult 1] “I know, it’s nice to cuddle” It’s a chance to cuddle, sit close, and get comfortable together. But if you’re new to this experience, you may find that it doesn’t happen overnight. Here are five tips that will help you get there.

1. Make “Story Time” part of your daily routine. It doesn’t matter whether it’s at night before bedtime or when your child wakes up in the morning.Sharing books at the same time each day will give you both something to look forward to.

2. Set the stage. Turn off the TV. Read in a chair, in bed, at a table -- anywhere where you can be together, comfortable, and close.

3. Get your child involved in the story. This will look different depending on his age and unique abilities. For an infant, point out and name the objects in the book.[Adult 2] “Tres pollitos...cuatro gatitos” Even though she cannot use words yet, her brain is developing and she will absorb all that you’re saying. [Adult 2] “Uno...dos...tres...cuatro…” [Adult 3] “What is this?” [Child 2] “A Digger” [Adult 3] “Digger?” If your child is a toddler, let him name what he sees [Adult 3] “what is this” [Child 2] “car” [Adult 3]“car” [Child 2] “this one school bus” [Adult 3] “that’s a school bus oh my gosh” [Child 2] “school train" [Adult 3] “school train” [Child 2] “bike” [Adult 3] “the bike, what is this one?” [Child 2]“helicopter” [Adult 3] “helicopter?” You can also ask him to identify what is happening in a picture. [Adult 4] “então, o cachorro levou o bebê para cima. Porque? Porque?” Repeat your child’s answer and add on to it. [Child 3] “Sujo!” [Adult 4] “Estavam sujos  então, foram tomar banho.” [Adult 5] “mira que paso?” [Child 4] “llorando” [Adult 5] “y porque está llorando?”  For preschoolers ask questions that start with ‘why’ [Adult 5] “Por qué no tiene frutas?” or ‘where’ [Adult 5] “Donde estan las frutas?” or I wonder. Questions that don’t have a yes or no answer. If possible, personalize stories by relating them to situations in your child’s life. [Adult 5] “El monkey, la serpiente, el sapo… bailando.. como Natalie! Natalie baila así también. Half for Sareta and half…” [Child 4] “for Natalie” [Adult 5] “para Natalie” [Adult 1] “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? I see a...” As the story become familiar let her add words when she knows them. [Adult 1] “Red bird, red bird, what do you see? I see a...” [Child 1] “yellow duck looking at me.”

4. Follow your child’s lead. Let your child decide where to go in the story and proceed at his pace. [Child 2] “Black bus” [Adult 3] “black car” [Child 2] “black bus” [Adult 3] “black bus?” [Child 2] “black bus” [Adult 3] “black bus? Wow, what is that one?" [Child 2] “Pink bus” [Adult 3] “Pink bus, wow!” [Child 2] “‘nother book.” [Adult 3] “another book?” Let her turn the pages, if she wants to spend the whole time on one page, that’s okay [Adult 5] “what’s this?"  [Child 4] “Yellow” [Adult 5] “yellow is?” [Child 4] “Amarillo.”  Use that time to talk about what you see in the picture and to ask questions. If your child has a favorite toy, you can be creative and incorporate it into the story. You may find that your child wants to read the same story with you over and over again. That’s okay. [Child 1] “In the small small pond.” [Adult 1] “in the small small pond? Okay well we’ll read that one first.” [Child 1] “In the small small pond. In the small small pond.” [Adult 1] “yes” [Child 1] “in the small small pond.” But if he wants to stop reading, then stop no matter how long it’s been. [Child 2] “I’m all done.” [Adult 3] “You’re all done?” Remember, her interest is critical. Sharing books should always be a positive experience, not a stressful one.

5. Above all have fun! [Adult 4] “sabe onde o cão levou o bebê? Para a cama da mamãe.” Remember that your enthusiasm will be contagious [Adult 4] “pular, pular, pular, pular” [Adult 1] “follow me said nkasi” Use different voices for different characters slow down to build suspense and speed up during exciting scenes. [Adult 6] “In the brush, in the bold bold mush, and the quiet old lady saying ‘hush’” All children love music, feel free to sing [Adult 1] “head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes.” [Child 1] “head shoulders, knees, and toes” be supportive and enthusiastic [Adult 5] “Can you tell me what is this mouse doing?” [Child 4] "cutting the fruit” [Adult 5] “muy bien!” If your child correctly identifies an object or color, praise him. [Adult 3 and Child 2] “four...five...six.” [Adult 3] “Good job!” But remember, it‘s not about getting the right answer every time [Child 2] “that’s a belt” [Adult 3] “Okay, this is a watch, but it looks like a belt!”

 

Obstacles to Reading

If you’re watching this video, you’re already heading down the road to your child’s long term success. Unfortunately, the road of real life is filled with obstacles and one of the biggest of these is time, but there are many ways to be creative. Once you develop a routine, you’ll find that you can share books anywhere -- on the bus, in the park, in a restaurant, or while waiting in the doctor’s office. Try to keep a few book stored in your car, in your stroller, or even in your purse or backpack. Change the titles occasionally to keep your child interested. You can even let them pick which books to carry along. But, what if you can’t read or the book is written in a language you don’t understand? Don’t worry, you’ll find that anyone can share stories regardless of language or reading ability. Try choosing a book with pictures you enjoy. [Adult 5]  “What’s that?” [Child 4] “a key” [Adult 5] “a key? For what?” talk about what you see with your child, point out familiar objects and discuss them. [Adult 5] “This is a lock, right? And this is the key?” Use your own imagination to make up a story from the pictures. [Adult 4] “Desceram para a lavanderia. Eu quero saber porque!” Above all remember to engage your child in the process. This shared conversation does not require that you read any of the words on the page! No matter what strategy you’ve used to share books, it’s the interaction between you that is important, not reading a story word for word. When a child shares a book with you, all of her senses are engaged -- It’s a complete experience: her eyes focus on the page; he hears the soothing sound of your voice; she smells familiar scents; he uses his words to tell you what he sees; she feels the warmth of your embrace as you sit together close, safe and secure. [Child 2] “Yay!” We hope that this video has not only given you the tools for sharing books with your child, but also the inspiration to do so.

You want the best for your child.

You have the power to impact their development.

You have the power to give your child the greatest gift of all -- the promise of a bright future.

You have the power to raise a reader!