Share your top tips for reading with toddlers and win £300 worth of books NOW CLOSED

[EmilyMumsnet]

Every parent loves to snuggle up with the kids and a good book - but a strong case of the fidgets can often bring a reading session to a (literal) screeching halt.

This week we're asking you for your top tips for reading with babies and toddlers. What do they enjoy? What do you enjoy about the experience?

Baby Campbell's brand new series of finger trail books are the perfect interactive reads for curious children, designed for ages six months and up, each page has finger trails cut in, which follow the story across the page and there are lots of flaps to lift.

Share your tips and you'll be in the running to win a year's supply of adult books and a year's supply of children's books, courtesy of Baby Campbell. You can choose 48 books from a selection of titles on the Pan Macmillan website, up to the value of £300.

This competition is now closed. The winner will be contacted shortly

Follow their interest. Whether that be a particular book, everything about trains, or a tv link in. Mine always find certain bits to join in with - animal noises or the refrain.
I read my daughter the same short last story before bed every night for months. Then branched out to others with the same character. It acted as a sleep cue. I occasionally read them to my son and find it really relaxing!

My flat is a bit like a library, there are so many bookshelves, and I try to get interesting, relevant books for the children so that they enjoy the storyline, and hopefully get a love a reading. When they were much smaller we always had bedtime stories and I tried to make the experience interactive, either with books with pop-ups, flaps and different textures, or by involving them in the storylines!

Most important I think is to start young. If you've missed that opportunity I find pick your time well if dd age 2 is busy woth something she won't want a story if she's moaning and acting bored she loves the one to one attention a story gives her. Also choose books with short sentences at this age she loves turning the pages and will get cross if I haven't finished the the page so don't let her turn it. Final tip would be stories that have a lot of pictures on each page sometimes we don't read the stories but discuss the pictures.
Happy reading!

Persevere, my little boy was such a wriggler anD jut water to turn pages at speed. I juat went with it and read when I could. Then overnight something clicked when he was about 18 months and he loves being read to now.

My youngest DS is a real fidget at story time, but interactive books (such as lift the flap and noisy button books) get his attention. Also reading throughout the day, not just at bedtime when he is tired and prone to misbehaving!

My best tip is to start reading to baby from day one. I read to my daughter from the day she was born, as as she grew introduced her to more by first showing her the pictures, then as her eyes could follow my finger, I pointed as I read so that she could follow. She learned to read herself quite quickly once she twigged and then I'd let her read to me, helping and encouraging, using lots of praise, especially when she tackled unfamiliar words. I've also read with my nieces, nephews, grandson and other children, and found that for as long as you keep it fun and interesting kids are usually more than happy to sit down with a story. Each child will show an interest in something so pick up on clues and go with the flow.

Don't force it, if they aren't in the mood let them play, if they don't wan tto finish a book that's fine.

I started reading to DS from when he was a tiny baby and it made it part of a bedtime routine, this meant as he got older he expected there to be a story time. If he got fidgety we might stop reading and talk about the pictures, asking him questions about the story, when he was young I didn't always expect an answer but by talking directly to him it tended to bring the focus back. I also made sure I picked books I liked as I'm sure he picked up when I was bored too.

I love reading so I started very early with my little girl and she loves books. We have a routine every evening with a bible story, short story and longer story before she goes to bed. We also read to her in Afrikaans and English. She loves books with flaps and any sort of noises :-)

I just can't stress enough how important reading to your children is.I read to my son everyday and to keep his attention I sometimes sing the pages out loud and make them interactive asking lots of questions to get him involved with the story.That way he remembers and loves the books even more than flicking through the pages.I also ask him if he can read the story to mummy and he then goes on to turn pages not really reading yet but rememberi g from the pictures and sounds.Its so wonderful and as well as enjoyment on both sides helps with their language and communication skills.Xxx

Start reading from an early age and make reading fun with lots of different books. Get the child involved by going to the library or book shop together and letting him or her pick out the books.

They love to join in dont they? - get them lifting flaps, pointing at obscure items in the illustrations, counting things. Always let them go if they have had enough and always be prepared to read the same favourite story over and over and over again!

I used to help in a secondary school with children with reading problems (often dyslexic but not necessarily). Although they are not toddlers they need a similar experience but without the embarassment of reading books that were for toddlers. I learnt very quickly to use things like McDonald menus, CD covers, fan magazines, simple home made games on a theme that they enjoyed and similar to help them overcome their problems.

I love reading with my two DDs. When they were both babies I used to pretend I had buttery fingers and would fumble with the book before dropping it to the floor - cue shaking baby belly chuckles! We take our time over books and pause to play I Spy with the pictures. "Can you spot something orange?" My eldest DD would sit through a shelf worth of books even as a toddler, but my youngest was a bit more of a challenge and we often wouldn't complete even one story until she reached 3. Now my DD1 tests DD2's comprehension of whichever story she's chosen at bedtime. DD2 who is now 3 often takes the book we've read together to bed and I can hear her settling herself as she re-tells the story with real people in her life. Very entertaining!

Fill your home with books from day one! Let your child see that books are the most natural things in the world. Let them touch them, hold them, chew them, fall asleep with them, wake with them as well as read them. It may sound simple but as a reader at my children's school my eyes were opened to the amount of children that didn't even know how to open a book as they started school.
Children also 'do as we do' and if we make books a wonderful part of our lives then they will follow suit.
MAKE IT FUN...

We have lots of books and the best thing we did was buy a bookcase that means all books face forward and the girls can flick through and choose what they want to read. Every night they can choose a story and once we've read it to them our oldest then proceeds to "read" it to us. We point out some words so hopefully some.of it is going in and she'll be reading before we know it.

Don't be afraid to make a complete fool of yourself and really get into it. Tell stories on long car journeys - toddlers can often remember odd words/sentences from their favourite books (i.e. the one you've had to read 99 times this week) and might join in with you. Make up stories with them as characters. Choose books that you enjoy reading too. Don't be afraid to let them handle books - they might crumple a few pages up, but will enjoy turning the pages themselves.

Choose a cosy place to snuggle up together to read. Make it an experience that they will want to repeat.

Go at their pace through, if they don't want to read, don't make it an issue - otherwise it will put them off!

Sharing is the key I think. A comfortable place, looking at the pictures as well as reading the words, getting your child to tell the story as they see it and to tell you what's happening in the picture. Attention, your attention on the child and their efforts at interpreting the book is also key. A book blanket/quilt is fab, so that they can snuggle when reading the book.

As others have said, start as soon as you can.

The sooner your dcs associate sharing a book with closeness & cuddles, the better. At that age, they don't have to be very long stories either.

The sooner your dcs learn to treat books with respect (i.e not for tearing, walking/crawling over, throwing), the better.
It may seem a hard lesson to teach at a a very young age, but even toddlers can learn that throwing/stomping on their toys/books can "hurt" their toys/books and make both they toys/books and mummy feel very sad.

With all the rhymetime/story sack making & other activities run by libraries, there should be plenty of opportunities to introduce dcs to lots of different types of books that they can reach & choose from.

There are not just lift-the-flap and tactile books, but also books with the holes of shapes that can be fun for peekaboo, etc.

In fact, being able to make their own choice from various books & bring these for you to read to them is in itself a great game.

And for the days that you have no energy to be supermum/dad and do all the funny reading voices, there are CDs of books!
We especially loved the audio CDs of Dr Seuss stories read by Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson. Though we have the Dr. Seuss books at home, Rik & Adrian's version win hands down every time with their amazing voices and sound effects.

Generally building a bit of reading into your daily routine helps- not just at bedtime either.

• For example you could have a small book area in every room.
• Bath books are especially useful at meal times, as are the information booklets on child safety, etc that you often get from the library/GP.

It's never too early to learn the importance of holding hands, looking both ways before crossing the road, not playing with matches, etc. Also, if it's written in a book, it is the law - (great to exploit this for as long as you can).

• Besides this, don't forget that it doesn't always have to be a book, it can be cereal packets or road signs when you're out & about.

You could have lots of discussion about what else could "P" mean or what words start with P as well as the thrill of when your child recognises the word "Stop", etc.

Books where they can join in at the end of the rhyme, or say a particular word (e.g. "puff") are good fun though after a while you may need lots
of patience with all the repeating & demands of "Again"/"More!"

make it part of your routine as youngsters love routine- so read regularly especially when your child asks you too-read slowly to help them understand- explore the pictures- noise is o.k.-find stories that lend themselves to you and your child doing sound effects-and touchy feely textured books are really good too- make it fun and do what works for you-be prepared to stop when your child wants too- to adapt and read a favourite over and over again!

Every child is different. My one didn't liked stories initially. Didn't show interest in books. We tried library story time sessions. She was been nice during rhymes - but run away or play when they read stories. So we tried to show pictures in magazines and newspapers when we are reading them. Then she started to turn pages in them. We tried to tell simple stories by creating different characters and included whatever happened to her in that day (Mum, dad & a baby elephant went for shopping and bought a chocolate for baby elephant. On the way they saw... ) Then she got interest in stories. Now we need to tell lot of stories at bed time & she loves books.

Hi all,

Please forgive me if any of this is repeated or suggestions have already come up - I have grid to keep track of what has been posted but I just wanted to summarise some suggestions which book my daughters have been receptive to. My husband and I are both very keen readers and this is something the girls have picked up on from an early age.

1. We have always read to them with expression in our voices and put on accents to get them interested in the story. When my father started reading with my children he seemed to read everything in a monotone manner and seemed to have no idea how to engage with the girls through books. We had to re-educate him that if the reader showed enthusiasm in the story they are narrating then kids will get involved and this will pique their interest.

1. Novelty books - pop up books, pull here windows, flaps, materials, bright colours - kids will always get involved and interested in a book if it has something of this element involved. I have very recently bought some books in my local Poundland which have had a button on the front to play a musical introduction and then a couple have even had scented pages. Anything from coloured pages has succeeded in getting my kids involved.

1. My in laws live a couple of hours away from our house and when we were looking for things to occupy the girls, I came across some books which also contained a CD (Disney stories, tales from the movie Cars etc). The CD is basically a narration of this basic level book and you even get a helpful beep to turn the page. We were surprised at how interested the kids became when listening to them..

1. I have always encouraged my 6 yr old to read to her 3 yr old sister. At 6 she is a very capable reader and the little one is interested in anything her sister does!

1. I like to listen to audiobooks and have a membership to audible.co.uk which has worked out great value for both me and the girls. I have been able to buy Jacqueline Wilson, Roald Dahl, Anthony Horowitz and Enid Blyton stories at very good prices. Hearing an audio narration before or after reading a book can really help I find.

1. My one concern was that the novels my daughter was bringing home from school were also a little bit tedious.. All along the same lines, so I kept my eye out in library and charity shop sales for books which had a slightly funnier element.. Often the novels she would bring home from school but a bit moralistic and the themes repeated using mundane be good, behave in class, treat people kindly.. What about funny stories? I managed to find comical stories, anything with a slightly more humorous element.

1. With Happy Meal books £1 from WH Smith often having a movie tie in, I think there are some very simple things that can help children. We have regularly been to classes and groups in the library and we visit the library once a week, this has helped show the kids how to treat boo,s with respect and the importance of sharing in the community.

1. My father has also shown the girls newspaper headlines - all innocuous animal and zoo tales, pictures of Kate and William with their babies and encouraged them to try reading the headlines. Obviously you have to take care hat they don't see the bad news stories, but in magazines and papers you can always find a good new element somewhere!

Lastly, I would say, let your kids see you reading! Admittedly this may not be some easy for mothers of boys. I know my cousin and several friends have found themselves at a bit of a loss as to how to stimulate interest. Have many other parents found anything to be really helpful in getting boys level of interest up?

Hope they give some other mum's some ideas! I was very interested in hearing others ideas on here - thank you all!

Valski xx

Start from an early age and once they become more interactive allow them to turn the pages, ask questions, even try to read what is going to happen from the pictures. Regularly visit the library too and get them to choose a selection of books that interest them.

you cant start too early, with both reading and access to books. we read to our little boy from day 1 and he had a bookcase full of books from the charity shop in his nursery. He is now two and has been choosing his own books to read every day for ages, sometimes with us but most days he likes to spend time on his own reading his books as his downtime rather than TV.