I have been doing a little reorganizing at home. In my one-year old son’s room, his books had previously been all out of reach. (Why? So he didn’t chew them all to bits!) But now he has a small selection of board books on an easy-to-reach shelf. Well, guess what? We’re doing a lot more reading now! He can grab a book whenever he wants and now I no longer have to guess exactly when he’s in the mood to read. One of our favorite times? Just after waking up in the morning! Don’t you wish you could wake up and read a few pages before starting the rest of your day?
I wouldn’t be posting this if I thought it applied only to one-year-olds. I think there’s a lesson here for kids of all ages—and probably adults too. Whether it’s in the home, in the library, or in the classroom, take a look at where the books are. Are they accessible? Are they inviting? If not, try a little reorganizing and see what happens. You won’t know until you try!
Carol Hinz
Just this morning we read Global Babies (several times); Goodnight, Gorilla; Harry the Dirty Dog; and Baby Food and What's on My Head by Margaret Miller. Whew!