Is Story Time for the Children - or for the Schedule?

Mel Shepherd • May 6, 2025

I recently came across a statistic that genuinely made me pause and reflect: only 41% of parents of under 4s regularly read with their children at home. As Early Years professionals, that’s hard to read - especially when we know how critical those early reading experiences are for language development, emotional bonding and lifelong learning.


We know that part of what we do in Early Years settings is to offer experiences that children might not be getting at home. So, what can we do to support a love of reading and bridge that gap in our settings?


Let’s take a moment to reflect on how we use books in our environments, and how we might do more to foster a deep, meaningful connection between children and stories.



1. How Are We Using Books in Our Settings?


It's easy to fall into routines - story time at the end of a session, often with the whole group, just before tidy-up time or mealtimes. But when we do this, who is the story time really for? Are we reading to settle the group and make transitions easier for us, or are we truly focused on engaging children in the joy of storytelling?


Let’s ask ourselves honestly: is reading becoming a task to tick off or a moment of connection?


There is value in sharing stories as a whole group – that sense of community and connection. There’s not much better than sharing a funny story with a group of children and seeing how much they enjoy it and hearing how hilarious they find it (The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak is absolutely fantastic for this), but if that’s the only way we share books, and we’re not thinking about what books we’re sharing, how we share them and why, then we maybe to look at our Story Times and reflect how much they are benefitting the children.



2. Are We Creating Cosy, Personal Story Moments?


Some of the most powerful reading experiences happen in small groups or one-on-one, snuggled into a quiet corner with a book chosen by the child. These are the moments where real engagement happens - where we can respond to children's questions, follow their curiosity, and take our time.

Moments like this give us chance to take our time over a story, developing understanding and supporting language development.
 
I’m sure lots of us remember curling up with someone we have a great attachment with and reading a story – it might not be the story that sticks with us, but the engagement and the attachment.



3. Are We Sharing a Wide Variety of Books and Stories?


Representation matters. Children need to see themselves, their families and their communities in the books we read. They also benefit hugely from stories that show them other ways of life, different cultures, and new experiences.


A varied bookshelf includes:


  • Picture books from different cultures
  • Books featuring children with additional needs
  • Stories with different family structures
  • Non-fiction and poetry
  • Wordless books that encourage imagination and storytelling


The more diverse the selection, the more children learn about themselves and the world.


Providing a wide range of different reading materials might encourage children to read who previously have not shown much interest. Having comics for example, provides opportunities for children to look at stories independently and start to understand the importance of pictures and understanding the story through these.
They may even start to use their imagination to make up their own stories based on the images. So opportunities for learning and enjoyment that go way beyond the physical books/comic etc themselves.



4. Do We Tell Stories as Well as Read Them?


Storytelling doesn’t have to come from a book. Telling stories from memory, sharing real-life anecdotes, or making up silly tales together helps develop language, sequencing and creativity.


Children also love telling their own stories. Could you offer a story basket, a puppet theatre or blank books where they can narrate and illustrate their own adventures?


Again, this doesn’t haven’t to be a big group activity – some educators will be expert at this but you may be less confident. So, take your story telling to the children, engage with them in their imaginative play and tell their story alongside them. This might be as far as it goes, or they may want to create their own book or pictures of their story!



5. Are Books Available in All Areas of the Setting?


Books don't need to live only in the reading corner. We can weave them into every area:


  • Recipe books in the role play kitchen
  • Nature guides in the garden
  • Storybooks near the construction or small world area
  • Emotion books in the wellbeing corner


When books are integrated into play, they become tools - not just an activity. Children learn that reading connects to everything they do.


Giving access to books in other areas can mean that children who tend not to choose to spend time in the Book Corner may still access books through their play. With adults nearby to support this, these books can still have as big an impact on how much children respect and enjoy books as sharing a story can.



6. Do We Use Books for Research and Discovery?


Children are full of questions - Why is the sky blue? How do caterpillars turn into butterflies? Using books to find answers builds critical thinking and shows that books are a source of knowledge.


Non-fiction books should be just as accessible and celebrated as picture books. Keep them in reach and use them during child-led inquiry.


We are so used to going straight to Google (other search engines are available!) these days to find our answers, but we can still encourage children to find the right book to find out what they want to know. Of course, it may take a bit more time, but how much learning can be done along they way!?



7. Are We Supporting Children’s Families to See the Importance of Books?


Many parents want to help but don’t always know how or feel confident enough. We can support them by:


  • Sharing tips for reading at home during parent chats or newsletters
  • Reassuring them that it’s not about perfection - just being present and sharing the moment matters
  • Sharing some of the children’s favourite books
  • Giving books as Christmas/leaving/birthday gifts


Helping adults understand the power of shared reading can have a huge impact, but also ensuring they have access to books at home – this may not be something which some families have and we need to find ways to support this.



8. Could a Lending Library Encourage Home Reading?


A simple, low-cost lending library could be the bridge between home and setting. Offer books to borrow and return, perhaps with a little bookmark or suggestion sheet inside with prompts for adults to ask their children as they read.
 
You may add story sacks in to your lending library, but remember that just a book is enough.


It doesn’t need to be fancy - just accessible and welcoming, and it sends the message home that books are to be loved and shared.



Final Thoughts


Book Corners and Story Times should be more than just a part of our Early Years environment or daily routine - they are invitations into imagination, windows into new worlds and opportunities to connect. In a time when not all children are getting those experiences at home, what we do in our settings really matters.


Let’s make sure we’re not just reading to children, but reading with them. Every story shared is a moment of magic and every book is a chance to make a difference.

Creating a Child-Led, Play-Based Curriculum

By Mel Shepherd • March 4, 2025
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Born to Play, Built to Learn

By Mel Shepherd • January 30, 2025
O. Fred Donaldson, Ph.D said that "Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn." This summarises the basis of play based learning and explains the key to why play is so integral to child centred learning within our Early Years settings. This blog will explore why play based learning is vital and some of the ways it benefits children in their holistic development. 

Deck the Halls with Christmas Crafts – or not!?

By Mel Shepherd • December 3, 2024
It’s that time of year again, where the debate starts to rage about what Christmas activities we should be doing with our Early Years children. Do we send home matching ‘handprint’ Christmas cards to each child? Or do we leave everything entirely up to the child and allow them to create something, if they wish, that is entirely child led. The controversy around this can seem somewhat irrational and, to be honest, hasn’t been helped in recent years but the use of the term ‘craptivities’ when it comes to these more uniform Christmas crafts. I really strongly believe that we should be able to debate and share our opinions in Early Years, without belittling what others do. Realistically, I think there’s a middle ground that we can meet in, which still involves the child and gives them to opportunity to be creative, whilst also sending something home at Christmas for parents. I think that provocations are the way to go in terms of Christmas Activities – setting up some resources, and potentially some examples, to provoke children’s interest and spark an idea. 

My Essential Early Years Book Shelf

By Mel Shepherd • November 21, 2024
I absolutely love children’s books – there are so many fantastic books out there and it can be hard to know where to start. I started this as a top ten, but it was too tricky to narrow it down, so here is my list of essential Early Years books to have in your setting. It certainly is not an exhaustive list, but it is one that is full of books to enjoy with children that hopefully you will love as much as they do!

What does 'Quality' Early Years provision look like?

By Mel Shepherd • November 21, 2024
So, you book me to come in and support you to improve the quality in your setting, but what does that look like? Does quality have to fit within a certain approach? Does it have to involve particular styles of resources? Do you need all your team to be trained to Level 6? The answer to all of these is ‘no’ but of course it’s more complicated than that, let’s try and unpack it. When we really break it down, at its core, quality Early Years provision is one that puts the child at the centre of everything it does and focusses on meeting each child’s individual needs. The Early Years landscape can be confusing and overwhelming right now with different approaches and schemes telling you they are the right way to ‘do’ Early Years. The reality is, you need to find what works for you and the children in your setting. There really is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to Early Years! When I look at quality in a setting, there are a few key things that I am looking for: Sequential Learning - does learning flow through the rooms to support children’s development and support with transitions Adult interactions - are adults at the child’s level, engaging with them and learning alongside them Why this? Why now? - can Early Years Educators talk about the ‘why’ for what they are doing and why it is relevant for that child/group of children at that moment in time? Curriculum and ethos - what do you want for children when they leave your setting and how are you supporting them to get to this point? Team wellbeing and support - are staff happy and well supported at work, do they want to be there and have the training they need to be able to Leadership - are leadership confident and clear about what they are wanting to achieve as a setting? Do they model this for the rest of the team? Do they have a good knowledge of what is going on within the setting? Team training - are the team well trained? Do they understand what is expected of them and have the tools to achieve this? Safeguarding - do the team have a good understanding of how to keep children safe? All of this can be achieved with a range of approaches, resources and schemes and, in the most part, is focussed around the team and leadership in the setting all being on the same page and having the skills and tools they need to achieve the best for the children. I am a big advocate for In the Moment Planning and open ended resources, but this might not work for your cohort or for your team to meet the needs of your setting. That’s something that you can decide as a team who knows your children, families and community and what they need. When I come in to look at quality in your settings, what is important is for me to get to know you, your setting and understand the ‘why’ behind everything you do. This way, I can help to support you to develop the quality in your setting, whilst still keeping what makes you, you! If you think I can help, feel free to get in touch.

Teaching or Childcare - and do we have to choose?

November 19, 2024
This debate is something which feels like it’s raging in the Early Years world at the moment and there are two big areas of focus: 1 - To raise the profile of Early Years and its amazing, wonderful practitioners 2 - To help people (especially the powers that be) to understand the importance of play and how children learn through play. There is a lot more around this area but these are two topics which I think the majority of the Early Years community would agree are important right now for so many reasons - policy making, the staffing crisis and outcomes for children to name a few. So what is it that we do? It’s a complicated question, because if you list out the daily job role of an Early Years Practitioner it is endless. But the overarching question is, are we teachers or are we childcarers, and does it matter what our title is at the end of the day? Let’s take a look at some of the opinions people have about Early Years and how they could impact the sector. “You just play all day” We’ve all had this said to us about our jobs, haven’t we? And it’s very tempting to argue back that we don’t just play all day - but actually at its core, isn’t that what we’re doing? Shouldn’t we be responding with “yes, and it’s great, let me tell you about all the things we learnt while we played today!”? If we argue against this idea of ‘playing all day’ then are we risking reducing people’s understanding of the importance of play in the Early Years even more? “We’re teachers, we spend all day teaching” This is absolutely true as well - teaching and play aren’t mutually exclusive! In fact, I would go as far to argue, in the Early Years, you can’t have one without the other. Early Years practitioners are 100% teachers, and I strongly believe that they should be valued just as highly (if not more so) than any teachers throughout any of the rest of the education system. If we don’t get it right in the Early Years, then it can have a massive impact on children’s future journey through the education system, and the same can certainly be said for when we do get it right But there’s more to it than the typical ‘teaching’ role (or how that is perceived), we have to be careful not to lose the ‘care’ aspect of Early Years as well.