Reading to a 20 months old

[SpacePuppy]

Ds is 20 months, he loves books and has a few lift the flap etc. loved touchy feely books as well, but for some reason he won't sit still to have a proper story read to him. He doesn't seem to be interested in the book unless he is in control of turning the pages etc. How do I approach this? I told dh that I think if he was in a group where everybody had to sit down to have a story read to then he would, but the other day he watched in the night garden and at story time, got up after about a minute and walked off. Not interested! Maybe its his interests (if they have them at this age) he adores books on planes, trains, cars, bugs, creepy crawlies etc.

get him a short book.

the little thomas the tank engine books are perfect, although they are more addictive than heroin if you're a small boy.

also buy picture books with words and numbers in, so he can dip in and out of them.

It's about seeing books as fun and part of life.

Is it a problem that he has to turn the pages? Is it very disruptive?
DS sits in his cot while I read a bedtime story ( or three!) and I try to involve him in the reading by teaching him to say a repeated phrase ( like the little one saying "roll over" in that nursery rhyme) or an action.

I wouldn't worry too much, I remember thinking this about my son at about the same age and now at 2.5 he never stops reading books - he will happilly sit and listen to 3 or 4 books in a row and will now look at normal books (as opposed to board books) which he would not tolerate at all before 2 ish. He will quite happilly read in bed on his own for an hour (instead of napping!) as well.

I think before around 2 just stick to the borad books, touchy-feely lift the flap ones if he is not interested - he is still getting the concept and spending time reading with you and you are still reading out some words to him. Also have you tried some bath books - ds got into the bedtime story concept through reading these in the bath. At your sons age we found he was really interested in the USbourne name and say type books - i.e identifying words and pictures rather than properly reading a story.

I wouldn't bother trying to read a story with him yet. Just go with teh flow and talk about teh pictures in teh book. Or precis it. I think tehy just don't yet have the attention span at 20 months to follow a detailed story

he is not even 2!!

why are you so stressed about it???

Spacepuppy, my ds (nearly 2) is the same. Tbh I'm just happy that he loves sitting down with a pile of books and looking at them. He will now point to and name things in the pictures if he is in the mood, but still likes to be in control of the book! All part of his fiercely independent character .

Not really stressed, but trying to show him how to sit down for a story and listen is impossible, it appears he has the attention span of a gnat! He "reads" by himself, I just thought maybe I was approaching the situation wrong, I always end up trying to save the book from being torn apart, as he sees it, the book is there for exploring rather than respecting the fact that it is fragile and will tear if your too rough with it.

Maybe I'm just being impatient, I'll stick to the board books with one word and pictures!

Follow his lead, my ds lost a bit of concentration around that time to but got it back in a month or two.

sorry have not read all posts but to OP

dd is 25m and has always liked books a;though her attention span varies over time. we use J Donaldson, Ahlberg etc which she engages with BUT never on first read

we show the book let her handle it talk about pictures and tell story usually at set times we often go slowly and talk about each page sometimes just about the pictures and how sometime relates to her experience
we do voices etc.

these days it is much easier and she sits and asks for stories, we also visit the library together

hope it helps books are great

and btw i have a Thomas obsessed dd we have long discussions about steamies and diesels and what Toby and the Fat controller did

dd would never sit on my lap to listen to a book just not interested, but she was reading before she started school.
I remember the HV asking me if I read to her
I told her she had to be joking DD wouldn't sit on my lap long enough, too interested in doing other things.
She is 9 now and reads far more than dd11 who liked to be read to as a todler.