Bookstart Toddler: sparking parents’ confidence to share stories
Early Learning Co-ordinator Caroline Donnelly and Health Visitor Martina Hannon from Belfast’s Glenbrook Sure Start share how they incorporate Bookstart Toddler into their sessions to support parents to see themselves as story sharers
Showing the value of sharing stories in the early years
“Families we work with may be referred to us by the hospital before their child is born, by children’s centres, by their health visitors at their check-ups in the first couple of years of the child’s life – or they may be self-referrals,” says Caroline.
“We do a needs assessment to see where they may need the most support – through one of our groups, or for a family support worker to do some work at home with them. Every family is different, and other needs may become evident up until our work is finished with that family – typically until their child turns four.”
Martina adds: “A lot of parents believe that their baby or child is too young to sit and concentrate on a story. With our sessions, we’ll often have a staff member modelling to parents to show how their child really does enjoy books.”
With our sessions, we’ll often have a staff member modelling to parents to show how their child really does enjoy books.
Martina, Health Visitor
“When parents are introduced to the idea of using books to make up their own story, or ask their child questions as they go, it changes the whole delivery of the activity – it helps it seem much more interactive and enjoyable. We just want to get that engagement and interest going.”
Message of the month – tied in with Bookstart Toddler
The centre runs a range of activities to engage children and families and reinforce positive messages that support their wellbeing.
“We do a ‘message of the month’ with a particular theme (like playing with your child, or physical health). Throughout the month, we drip feed parents that same message – through conversations with them, resources, and our Facebook page,” says Caroline.
When the message of the month is about reading, it’s great to be able to have the Bookstart Toddler packs to back it up. We’re giving families this message to read with their child, but they might not be able to afford books. With the BookTrust packs, we’re giving families the resources they need to do what we’re asking them to do.
Caroline, Early Learning Co-ordinator
The ‘gifting moment’ with the BookTrust packs
At Glenbrook Sure Start, staff also give out Bookstart Toddler packs to those who could benefit from them.
“With the Bookstart Toddler packs, we take the opportunity to open and share them with families, rather than just handing them out on the way out,” says Caroline.
“We go through everything in the BookTrust packs with parents. We talk to them about how nice it is to have that calm reading time to wind down with their children. We encourage the children to read at home by showing them the packs, and we make a point of saying: ‘This is your book to take away and read at home’.”
Caroline, Early Learning Co-ordinator
Story times with the Bookstart Toddler books
“We run story times with the Bookstart Toddler books before the families then get to take them home,” says Martina.
Whenever there are lift-the-flap books – the children love these – everybody waits until they get a turn to lift the flap when the supervisor is reading the story.
Martina, Health Visitor
“Sometimes we’ll do a storytime with the same book three or four times, because children like to know the story. It’s also a great conversation starter – you can ask children: ‘What happens next?’ We’ll ask them questions that get them engaged with the story, and get them talking to each other, too. This helps them develop good, strong relationships with each other, and their social skills.”
Showing there’s no right or wrong way to read together
“Storytelling is also about showing the parents how to get children to actively listen, to engage with the stories,” says Caroline. “With parents who maybe don’t read themselves, and who don’t enjoy reading, we’ll start off by saying:”
“You don’t even have to read the words, you can just look at the pictures and tell the story your way.”
Caroline, Early Learning Co-ordinator
“The children just love the BookTrust packs. You see them showing them off to their parents. The feedback from parents is great too. When you see them leaving the sessions with their packs, they’re clearly proud of them.”
Martina adds: “After using the packs in our work with families, we also see parents who maybe have little experience of reading going off into a corner with a book and their child, and just really getting into the story.”
“The engagement is really good with the BookTrust books – they’ve got strong colours, sensory input, and they’re suited to telling the story from the pictures, not the words, which creates that magic for both the parent and the child.”
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Tips, guidance and inspiration for using our early years programmes in your work
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Advice for gifting BookTrust packs to families