FADE IN:
EXT. CENTER OF TOWN — HIGH NOON. A tumbleweed rolls by. Two people stare at each other across a distance, fingers itching. One is a parent. The other is considerably shorter, with sticky fingers.
PARENT
"No one wants any trouble here."
TODDLER
"No no no no no no no! No book! Fruit cup!"
PARENT
"I just reckon you’d like a story—"
TODDLER
(Throws the book. Takes off shirt and throws that too.)
"Noooooooooooo…"
Ever have reading with your child go south? Well, here are some tips for surviving a storytime standoff.
First off, if your toddler is throwing a tantrum for attention, it’s best to ignore the behavior. Otherwise, the lesson they’ll learn is that if they keep getting louder, they might get what they want. Even reasoning with a child mid-tantrum can provide enough reinforcement for the screaming to continue.
So, if they throw the book across the room, it is best to just model calm behavior and let the rage ride its course.
But that’s not the end of the story… (see what we did there?) because if your toddler is acting out, they probably do need attention. After all, everyone wants to be valued and loved. You just want to give it for the right reasons.
So, afterward, look for something positive they do (even for a few seconds) to comment on. For instance, “You did such a great job getting your pajamas on for bed.” Or “Great job waiting patiently for reading time to start.”
The best news is that reading stories together can be a great way to give your child the attention they need in a positive way.
If your child is reluctant to have storytime or struggles to sit still, it’s okay to let them play with toys or move around while you read. You can still ask them questions about the book from time to time.
Try to read at a consistent time each day (like before bed) to set expectations, and let your toddler pick the books. It’s a great way to get them invested!
For storytime itself, start by reading the longest book first. And don’t be afraid to skip sentences, or even whole pages, if their attention is flagging.
When you read, slow down. Here are a few tips to develop your toddler’s early literacy skills and have a successful storytime:
- “Serve and Return” Conversations: Pause when reading a book to see what your toddler is noticing on the page. Ask them a question about it. Listen to their answer. Respond.
- Time to Think Before Responding: When you ask a toddler a question, make sure to give them lots of time to form an answer.
- Sentence Elongation: If your toddler points at an image and says, “ice cream,” you can elongate it by describing it in more detail. For instance, you might say, “Yes, it’s three scoops of strawberry ice cream!” This is a great way to build vocabulary.
- Repetition: Toddlers learn through repetition. So, don’t be afraid to read the same story every night, or repeat passages.
For other reading tips and book suggestions, try browsing these toddler storytime resources from jbrary. To get help dealing with behavior issues, check out this helpful booklist curated by CPL librarians.
Here’s to hoping you can wrangle your little outlaws to hear some great stories.
EXT. OUTSIDE OF TOWN. A tumbleweed rolls by. The parent and toddler ride off, snuggled close on the same horse, into the sunset.
FADE OUT.
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