This presentation shows the ages of children and what books, types of interactions with staff can be used

1. Birth-6 Months
Start reading chunky
board books, soft fabric
books, or vinyl bath
books.
Though babies may seem too little to understand,
they enjoys your company and the sounds of your
voice and words.
At this age, babies may come to recognize the
book-sharing routine by calming, widening their
eyes, or smiling and kicking to show excitement.
Babies will also want to explore books through
their senses by grabbing and chewing on the book.
They may not pay attention to the whole story, so
take a break when they get bored…

2. 6-9 Months
Offer short, simple
stories with colourful
illustrations- such as
board books.
Babies may begin to explore books by looking,
touching (opening/closing), and putting them in
their mouth. By 9 months, they may prefer or seem
to recognize certain stories or pictures.
In the early years, putting books in their mouth is a
normal book behavior and tells us that they want
to explore the books.

3. 9-18 Months
Offer board books with
simple stories. Stories
with rhymes and phrases
that repeat will catch a
toddler’s attention.
Children this age love
stories with pictures of
familiar objects, such as
animals.
Toddlers may have a favorite story that they
requests multiple times.
Starting at about 12 months old, you can start to
ask simple questions about the pictures such as
“Where is the moon?” and watch to see if your
baby points or gestures.

4. 18- 24 Months
Introduce longer stories
(perhaps with paper
pages,) with more
complex plots.
Humor can be
introduced at this age, as
are silly rhymes.
Toddlers may not sit still while you read…. If you
keep reading, they will keep listening, and may
come back to reconnect and hear more.
Look for ways to connect ‘toddler’ energy to the
story, such as asking them to hop like the rabbit in
the book. Toddlers might also be able to label
objects with simple sounds or words, for example,
exclaiming “Moo!” when they see a picture of a
cow.
For new talkers, get in the habit of pausing before
you say a favorite line or phrase in the story to see
if they will fill in the final word.
While reading, take some time to discuss what’s
happening in the pictures and ask questions about
the book such as “Who is hiding behind the tree?”
This interaction helps to build toddler’s thinking
and language skills.

5. 24-36 Months
Children at this age may
be ready for books with
regular pages and those
that have an engaging
plot, books with humor,
rhymes, and great
illustrations.
Nonfiction stories—such
as a book about
construction vehicles,
stories about animals or
seasons, or books that
discuss jobs such as
doctor or mail carrier—
are also of interest to
children who are working
hard to figure out how
the world works.
At this age, you can ask questions about the story
that are a little tougher such as “How do you think
the boy is feeling?” or “What do you think will
happen next?”
Make connections between the book and the
child's life by asking questions such as “The boy in
this story played in the snow. What did you do in
the snow this afternoon?”
By 3 years old, children may even be able to tell
you the story based on what’s happening in the
pictures. It is normal for children to request to hear
the same book over and over. Childrem still love
repetition and won’t tire of a story.