How to calm the kids down with a story

Sharing a story together can be fantastic fun - especially when you get to the last page and start thinking up different endings. What might have happened if a pink dinosaur had turned up? Or what if the story was set in space? Kids often really enjoy thinking up new endings, and it’s a great way to help your child stretch their imagination.

Sharing a story together can be fantastic fun - especially when you get to the last page and start thinking up different endings. What might have happened if a pink dinosaur had turned up? Or what if the story was set in space? Kids often really enjoy thinking up new endings, and it’s a great way to help your child stretch their imagination.

Why not fill a spare afternoon together with some stories? You could talk about the different characters as you turn each page. How are they feeling? Are they funny, scary or sensible? What colours are they wearing? Then, when you've finished your book, your child could draw a new character to add to the story for a real plot twist!

Look for letters in a magazine or newspaper, and sound out each letter together as you cut it out. For even more fun, you could find all the letters that make up your child’s name.

Choose a picture in a book, magazine or newspaper together. Your child could then write a couple of sentences to describe what’s happening in the picture. They can have fun thinking up as many describing words as possible - like big, colourful, funny or beautiful.

Have a go at taking turns to read different parts of a story - or maybe read out a page each at a time. At the end, how about writing a 'book review'? You could get started by asking your young book reviewer what they liked or didn’t like about the book. Then maybe write two or three lines on your favourite character or part in the book.

Reading and sounding out new words really helps bring them to life, and makes it easier for kids to remember them. You can follow new words with your finger as you read them with your child - and to really get them thinking, you could talk about which words rhyme with the new word they’ve learned. Here are even more ideas to get your child ready for school.

While you’re reading a story together that you both know well, try saying the wrong word and see if your child corrects you. Call the Gruffalo a buffalo, or change the ‘Tiger Who Came to Tea’ to the ‘Banana Who Came to Tea’.

Reading a book is so much more fun when you do a silly voice for each character. The sillier the voice, the more they’ll laugh. You can even use their favourite character’s silly voice to keep them giggling and happy when you’re out and about.

By taking a book with you wherever you go, you can help avoid tantrums when you’re out and about. It’s an easy way to turn a bus journey, a visit to the park, or even a quiet afternoon at home into an adventure, especially if your child gets to choose what to read to you!