Sharing books is most fun when you can get children involved in the story. When children participate, they show that they are excited about the story and about reading. There are some things you can try to make book sharing time a fun experience for all the children in your classroom or family child care home.
First, make sure all of the children can see the book and pictures. Then, try changing your voice to make the book interesting and fun. It brings the book alive. Pointing to pictures and having children name objects not only keeps them interested but builds their language skills, too. Encouraging children to predict what comes next is fun and keeps them engaged. It also is a great way to build attention and memory.
Some teachers often have good luck keeping children interested by connecting things in the book with things in real life. Remember, children have their own ways of being involved. Some children are very active and talkative. Others are quiet and pay close attention. Still others ask a lot of questions. Each style is O.K.
For more ideas on how to extend learning and make children's stories more interesting, check out the database of Story-Stretching Ideas for Child Care.
