Reading

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr. Seuss"

Stories have the remarkable power to ignite a child's imagination. As children listen, they are whisked away to enchanting worlds, crafting vivid images in their minds and tapping into their boundless creativity. Beyond sparking wonder, storytelling fosters strategic thinking and inspires children to discover inventive solutions to challenges."

"Children delight in the comfort of a cosy space designed for exploring books, reading, or immersing themselves in captivating stories. We've thoughtfully crafted inviting book areas that offer limitless opportunities for them to develop foundational reading skills and embrace our passion for literature.

"Early reading goes far beyond the basics, offering children opportunities to engage with print and text in diverse and meaningful ways. By experiencing language in various forms and even different languages, children develop a rich foundation for literacy. Throughout the setting, both indoors and outdoors, we provide a wide range of materials, including:

Magazines and newspapers
Cookery books and menus in the home corner
Handcrafted instruction books in our small world and construction areas
Meaningful labels with words and accompanying pictures displayed throughout the setting
Story-related props in the role play area, allowing children to act out their favourite tales
Visual cues and props to support word comprehension
An extensive collection of story sacks, regularly explored by the children
Puppets to bring stories to life

Additionally, books are thoughtfully placed in all areas

of the nursery. For instance, you'll find books about farming

alongside the farm animals, books about transport in the

small world area, and books about construction in the

building zone. This intentional approach ensures that

children are constantly surrounded by opportunities

to nurture their love for reading and learning.

"To inspire families to read daily at home with their children,

we offer a weekly lending library. Each child receives a

book and a reading record in their book bag, which is taken

home to enjoy with their family and returned to the nursery the following week.

To maximise every reading opportunity, we’ve also created a warm and welcoming reading area at the front of the nursery. This space allows children and parents to share a book together while waiting for nursery to start or before heading home. It’s heart warming to see children and their grown-ups bonding over a story, nurturing a shared love for reading.

Events

" Each year, we celebrate World Book Day, with children and staff dressing up as their favourite book characters. Parents are warmly invited to share stories with the children, and some parents read traditional tales in their home languages, enriching the experience with cultural diversity.

We also host Literacy Experience Days, designed for children and their families to enjoy together. During this special event, the room is transformed into an enchanting environment where stories come to life. Using props, puppets, and items from each story, we create immersive experiences that capture the magic of books.

Our collaboration with parents extends beyond the day itself, as we work together to nurture a child's love for a particular book and explore how it can be a gateway to developing a wide range of learning skills across different areas.

"At our nursery, stories and singing are seamlessly woven into the fabric of daily life. Every day, children gather to enjoy lively group storytelling sessions, sing songs, and recite rhymes. They also benefit from special moments in small group or one-on-one storytelling, where their imaginations truly take flight.

Every fortnight, we introduce a new book to explore, sparking excitement and curiosity. The children dive into a variety of interactive and creative activities tied to the story, enriching their learning and deepening their understanding. Recently, we’ve been captivated by Jack and the Beanstalk and Jasper’s Beanstalk. As part of these stories, the children planted their own beans, eagerly waiting for them to sprout before taking them home to care for. They also became young authors, crafting their own versions of the story in handmade books, and stepped into the roles of their favourite characters by acting out the tales with friends.

We hold high aspirations for all our children, fostering a love of literacy that grows with them. For those ready to advance their skills, our teacher leads focused phonics sessions using the Read Write Inc literacy programme. This systematic approach makes learning to read and write an exciting and rewarding journey."

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Richard Steele