Putting books in the hands of little ones to create readers

·       Books are toys for the mind, so bring them out to play.

·       Putting books in the hands of babies is the first step to opening them up to the world of books.

·       Make books accessible in the same way as toys, start with cloth books and board books that will hold their own on the      floor among the other toys.

·       Open the books and point at the pictures, say what you see and make noises to go with the illustrations.

·       Try reading the books, but allow for a short attention span and just read a few words at first, making them noisy and fun.

·        Leave a few books scattered the around the floor with the toys and wait for curious hands to pick them up and explore.

·       Put books in the hands of little ones, even if that means a few books get bent or even ripped.

·       Try different books, not every book will hit the mark. Try rhyming books, or ones with no words at all.

·       Be prepared to read a favourite book over and over until you know it off by heart.

·       Remember that a battered book is a loved book, like a favourite teddy, every crease will leave a memory of early books shared. Being careful with books will come with time, but first you need to spark the interest and show the possibilities that books hold.