One part of working in Libraries I love is taking story time sessions. I believe strongly that picking the right books for these sessions can determine the difference between engaging children during these sessions or easily losing their interest. Today I am sharing with you some ideas for choosing books for baby time that are interactive whether this be at home or in a professional setting, and a list of some of my favourites.
BABIES
Parents are often surprised when I suggest that a library card for a baby is a good idea. In Australia we support early literacy from birth and encourage parents to read to their babies as soon as they are able. When I do story time for babies I choose books that:
- That are engaging -e.g books about animals so you can make animal noises.
- Black and White board books especially up until 9 months of age because the black and white pictures assist with the development of visual stimulation.
- Books with very few words.
- Rhyming helps with word recognition.
Some of my favourite baby time books are:
- Animals by Emily Bolam – this book is particularly good for one on one reading as the pages are textured and nice for baby to touch. Is good for recognition of familiar objects and language skills.
- Brown Bear Colour Book by Jane Foster – This is a fairly new book and is a colour extravaganza.
- Noisy Farm by Rod Campbell – It is all about animals, lifting flaps and making noises.
- Things That Go by First Focus (Ladybird) – Different vehicles in colours black, white and yellow for visual stimulation. Another book for making noises.
- My all time favourite Time For Bed by Mem Fox – A beautiful bed time story that rhymes, has a small amount of repetition, and is just plain endearing.
The most important part of reading to your baby whether it be during a babytime session or one on one with your child…Just Have Fun!
Little Big Reads 