The Rainbow Road

🌈Get the goofies out before you start! Children are not built to stay in one place for extended periods. Make it easier by spending a few minutes on full-body movement before you settle in. Bonus if your movement activity relates to the book! (Example- reading about the ocean? Lead them in moving like a fish, an octopus, a whale, a crab, an oyster, a whirlpool... you get the idea. :)

 

🌈Get comfy! Let children find a cozy position that feels good for listening and engaging. (Tip: this rarely (if ever) looks like sitting cross-legged on the floor, hands in lap.)

They might pull up a chair, make a nest of pillows, lie on a mat, sit on their knees, or do downward dog if it suits them (we all find comfort in different ways). 

Go ahead and take a minute to help everyone find a space where their position won't interfere with anyone else's enjoyment of the experience.

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🌈When reading to a group, it can be tricky to invite open questions and conversation; offer a gentle reminder upfront about waiting and taking turns. If you come to a part that incites group interest and chatter, feel free to pause the story for discussion. Be available for individual discussion afterward, if any child shows expanded interest. 

 

🌈When reading with just one child, let the questions and comments flow! While the words matter, it's their personal experience with the book that creates the joy. Take their lead!

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🌈Select books based on known strengths and interests, and try introducing new topics by gentle transition. For example, if a child is hyper-focused on turtles, read them books on turtles. Then introduce other marine animals, then all types of animals, then birds, aircraft, and eventually rocketships, and before you know it your child is interested in outer space. Stories are a great way to expand a child's curiosity and knowledge base.

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🌈Make up voices! I promise you, your children will not pass judgment. ;) Don't be afraid to get silly and bold with your characters. Most kids respond enthusiastically to humour!

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🌈Try props! Be creative with toys, costumes, or general household items- if you can illustrate a point or create more fun by adding objects, please do! Reading a story about magic? A wooden spoon can just as easily be a wand. Sharing a tale about animal friends? Use stuffed toys as puppets. Exciting visuals will draw children in even more. 

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🌈Limit reading time to a period appropriate for the age group or attention span of your child or children. Listening intently for 10 minutes is a difficult task for many preschool children; pay attention to their cues and adjust accordingly. 

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🌈When the story is over, expand, expand, expand! Express your own questions and invite theirs. Make note of specific areas of interest and consider selecting your next books accordingly. Think of creative activities you could offer to extend the story. Were they enthralled by the stars on that one page? Show them how to carefully poke holes in a sheet of black paper and hold it up to the light to create their own. Did they love the part about the goats? Read Three Billygoats Gruff next. Captivated by Rainbows? Find "I Can Sing a Rainbow" online and learn the words together. (Tip: Pinterest is an excellent resource.)

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🌈Don't rush it. Too much time is better than not enough; whenever possible, allow the time for reading together to be an intentional, focused activity. Quality storytime includes more than simply reading a book. When you create an experience around reading, the benefits are abundant.​​​

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Read about the importance of storytime here.