Theme 3: Including books, stories and rhymes in your day

Supporting families to integrate reading into their daily routine.

The benefits of reading routines

Children and babies love routines and including reading into a routine is a great way of keeping a habit going. Not all families can have set routines, and the word ‘routine’ itself can sound a bit overwhelming for them.

Bookstart Corner suggests concentrating on bedtimes, when forming habits and rituals can be easier to implement and the benefits can be more obvious.

Routines research graphic

Discuss the bedtime routine

Ask parents what getting ready for bed looks like for them. It’s okay if they don’t have a proper routine – they are not possible for every family – you can still support them to try to have more structured bedtimes.

Top tips for the bedtime routine:

  • Try to make time for a book at the same time each day – before bed is great
  • Read a book in the bath – there are plenty designed for this
  • Snuggling up with a book and hearing a parent’s voice helps children relax and feel safe
  • Turn off devices
  • Read in a low, soothing voice

Read Busy Bear!Busy Bear and Bookstart Bear puppet

The Busy Bear! booklet will provide a way for you to start talking to families in a bit more detail about sharing books and establishing a reading routine.

The story follows the Bookstart Bear on his daily routine. What time do the family normally get up, go to bed or start nursery? When do they enjoy reading a book with their child? Don’t forget you can use the Bookstart Bear puppet to bring the Busy Bear! story alive.

Follow-up activities

More activities you can do in the session or suggest families try in their own time.

  • Suggest parents and carers try out reading to their child for just 5-10 minutes before bed each night for a week - ask them how it went next time you see them
  • Keep a book in your bag and try reading it together while you’re waiting at the doctors or for the bus. Which books do you think your child would enjoy the most?
  • Talk about times where you might need to keep your child entertained or distracted, e.g. while changing a nappy or brushing teeth. What kind of rhymes do the parents or carers think might work best at these times?