10 tips for reading and choosing books for children

Published on 26 September 2022

1. Read to your child for at least 10 minutes a day.
   
   
2. Have fun with reading – make silly noises, voices and sounds; enjoy cuddles, laughs and actions.
   
   
3. Look for books with rhythm, rhyme and repetition, and interactive books such as lift-the-flap, touch-and-feel and books that get you to do something.
   
   
4. Talk about the book and what’s happening in the pictures and story.
   
   
5. Reading helps build empathy and exposes your child to different and new experiences.
   
   
6. Let your child choose books too – they may like the pictures, topic or simply the colours.
   
   
7. Reading helps develop your child’s vocabulary as they are exposed to words they may not hear in everyday conversations.
   
   
8. Let your child see you reading too – they will want to copy you.
   
   
9. If you have another language in your home, read the book in that language (or make up a different story to match the pictures).
   
   
10. Remember to read, sing, talk, and play with your child every day.