What do you read to your 4 year olds?

[Greyhound22]

I've been reading all the usual Julia Donaldson books etc and we sit and do some lift the flap books. We always did 3 stories a night.

Over Christmas we watched the Midnight Gang and I told him it was a book. He asked if he could have it so I bought it and we have been reading a couple of chapters a night sat in bed. I'm not convinced he's really getting it all but he just loves being read to whilst he's falling asleep. He hasn't asked for anything else and says 'Mummy will you read the book' when we go to bed.

So shall I carry on doing this with 'older' books or is it better to stick to the younger styles?

I'm clueless with things like this 😳

Also to be honest I have enjoyed reading it myself. I used to read lots but haven't been really able to the last few years.

I think the key here is that he's asking for it and you're both enjoying it! Go for it!

(Primary teacher 😀)

Thanks for the reply. I just had a moment of thinking 'am I bonkers reading this to a 4 year old?'. I'm fairly clueless with small people.

Persevere it pays off my DD enjoyed The Midnight Gang at five, but really loved Claude books by Alex T Smith, and Matilda at four. I think it's the combination of cuddling, reading and listening that is a winner.

we read loads of different stories sometimes educational sometimes just story books at the moment he picked a book about elements from the libary it's too old for him really but we have been doing a couple of pages after tea and he likes the funny facts. At night we read a chapter book I've read some Rohal Dahl obviously not all ate suitable, Winnie the witch chapter books, Paddington and he found a series he liked from the libary called the unintential adventures of the bland sisters. He has taken to choosing a chapter book at the libary aswell for bed times so I think it's fine and a really good thing that he is enjoying books

Oh good thanks all I will have a look at the recommendations- just felt it was time for us to move on a bit but was wondering if I had gone too far and he wouldn't get any benefit from it.

I have not tried any longer books with my youngest, she still likes to look at the pictures in things like Hairy Macleary and whatever she chooses from the library. I think as long as he is enjoying it, and you are too, and nothing in the content concerns you (I have not read that one) then why not!

My (nearly) 4 year old has found a fascination for the Mr. Men books. I forgot how funny they are! He literally howls at them x

This is a fun reading together book - no pictures and kindle only, though - Mr Frogg Goes to Work www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07L36JGZW?tag=mumsnetforum-21

just popped on to say we have just started the wishing chair and it's been a huge hit so far

I have a just gone 5 year old and we’ve been reading Roald Dahl books, a chapter a night. He loves them! Not convinced he knows what’s going on though.

My 4 years old dd is mad on Supertato and her sister's biff chip and kipper books.

My DS is now 7 and has always loved stories at bedtime. When he turned 4 he decided it was 4 books at bedtime, he'd had 3 when 3 so logic was he should now have 4. It was a bit too much tbh, even though they were all Julia Donaldson style and length. He loved all of them, supertato, Barry the fish with fingers, Norman etc.

I got Flat Stanley, a very short chapter book, with the words in quite big print. I encouraged him to read the words he knew and I did the rest. It helped to move on from the rigid 4 stories every night thing. We then went through a Roald Dahl boxset and he'd loved Charlie and the Chocolate factory the most. I found a pop up version on Amazon that has an abridged version of the story but still quite a lot of words. It's a very lovely and engaging way to tell the story but still have the child looking at words and starting to recognise them.

So long as he is asking for the books, keep reading them. You can ask questions along the way to check understanding and recap or explain if needed.