Story time is a classic parent-child bonding moment, but not all children show an interest at first.
Helping your child enjoy story time might feel like a daunting prospect, but our video below has tips and advice about making it more exciting and engaging for your child’s needs.
Speech and language therapist Alys Mathers has additional storytelling advice, answering common questions on routines and the benefits of reading with your little one.
You may find that sometimes your child struggles to engage with story time and isn't interested. To encourage them to listen, here are a few things you can try.
Your child might benefit from a specific structure during story time. You could even build up excitement by wrapping books in paper or hiding them for your child to discover, and letting them choose which one they want you to read.
What's this - are you going to help me read it?
Yeah!
Get cosy and maybe gather some toys or items linked the story so that you and your child can involve them in the story too.
Can you rustle the leaves?
If your child can sit and listen for a couple of minutes at a time, start with very short stories. As your child gets used to story time, you can gradually build up to longer stories. You don't need to follow the script in the book. You can make it up as you go along.
If your child starts to lose interest, simplify the story by just describing the pictures and talk about what the characters are doing.
Can you find me his big bushy tail? There it is. Well done.
Interaction can also help to keep them engaged. Ask them to make noises or do actions from the story to help maintain their concentration.
[Monkey noises]
Well done!
Even if you don't read the story in full, your child will be hearing lots of different words and speech sounds, which is great for their speech and language development.
If you are concerned about your child’s language and communication development, then discuss any issues with your health visitor
What if my child isn’t interested in story time?
It might be as simple as trying a different story to read! Some books will be more interesting to your little one than others.
A visit to the library can give many more options for them to find what types of stories they like.
As they grow to understand the words in a story, you might find that some books are too easy or too hard. In that case, you might struggle to hold a young child’s interest.
This can be more of an issue than being ‘too familiar’ with a story - many children enjoy the comfort and predictability of a book they know well.
Though story time is a common bedtime activity, that might not be the preferred time for your child. For example, they might be more eager for a story after lunch rather than at night.
How can I make story time more interesting and engaging?
Story time does not need to be about sitting quietly – some children find it easier to focus their attention and understand a story if they get to be active.
Whether that’s acting out the parts of the story, using toys as props, or ing in with any sound effects, making story time interactive helps to keep things fun.
How do I get my child to sit down for story time?
Sitting or lying down isn’t necessary for a good story time session!
Help your little one get involved in acting out parts of the story or repeating common phrases - this can keep distraction at bay more easily than trying to keep them sat still.
If the length of a book could start causing some restlessness, don’t worry about having to read everything exactly as it is on the page. Finishing the story while your child is still enjoying it is more important than reading the book cover-to-cover every time.
Why should children and parents read together?
Reading to your child is valuable – they can learn new words for things that they might not come across in everyday life, like lions, castles or dragons.
Even with picture books, it gives children the chance to use their imaginations, and think about something they’re not actually experiencing.
Many children's books rhyme and rhyming words are fantastic for discovering the patterns in spoken words.
Understanding those similarities in rhyming words can help when learning speech sounds, and also help your child’s development when they start to read.
