For the Love of Books ... Read!
Playing with books and reading stories are building blocks for developing children’s language and literacy skills. Setting a routine of reading a book together before bedtime is a great way to reconnect with your children after the day and help to develop their interest in language and reading.
Here are some of our favourite anytime stories for children. A good way to engage toddlers early is to find something recognizable on the page and associate your own action to it. For example, if the book has a picture of a dog ask, "What's this? What sound does he make?" This gives children something to look forward to on each page, even if they don't yet understand the words. Here are some of our favourite stories for children. Feel free to send us yours too.
Five Little Ducks
by / Raffi
Five little ducks went out one day over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only four little ducks came back.
Four little ducks went out one day over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only three little ducks came back.
Three little ducks went out one day over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only two little ducks came back.
Two little ducks went out one day over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only one little duck came waddling back
One little duck went out one day over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quac, quack."
But none of the five little ducks came back.
Sad mother duck went out one day over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
And all of the five little ducks came back.
The Lion and the Mouse
from / the Aesop Fables
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him. This soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him.
"Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse. "Forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turnsome of these days?"
The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and lethim go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts.
"Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.
Five Little Friends
Author Unknown
(Hold up five fingers to start and tuck one in after each verse)
Five little friends playing on the floor,
One got tired and then there were four.
Four little friends climbing in a tree,
One jumped down and then there were three.
Three little friends skipping to the zoo,
One went for lunch and then there were two.
Two little friends swimming in the sun,
One went home and then there was one.
One little friend going for a run,
Decided to take a nap and then there were none
