Working with Under Fives
Though I trained and initially worked as a secondary-school teacher, I have always loved to work with under fives. In 2003, I had the fantastic opportunity to join Sure Start Acton’s team as a community librarian.
I've learned a tremendous amount over the now ten years I've been doing this role. Check back in a little while when I hope to have some recommended lists of books which I find work well for reading with this age-group, and especially for use in multi-lingual settings.
I've learned a tremendous amount over the now ten years I've been doing this role. Check back in a little while when I hope to have some recommended lists of books which I find work well for reading with this age-group, and especially for use in multi-lingual settings.
In the beginning I did a lot of outreach work - attending baby clinics and drop-in health clinics, to promote the library and encourage parents to bring their children.
I set up a Family Book Group and many of the people I’d reached out to attended - so much so that I had to start up two more groups. Parents and children aged 0 to 4 come for one hour of activities.
Numbers grew so much, we also set up a Baby Club, for children under one.
During each Family Book Club session we have art & crafts, puzzles and free play. Because the children are so young, it’s not appropriate to do a formal storytelling. Instead I do some one-to-one stories and parents read to individual or small groups of children.
Then we tidy up and sit in a circle for songs and nursery rhymes. This all helps develop social skills and the skills needed to learn at school - listening, turn taking, waiting, concentrating and so on. Of course rhymes and songs are wonderful for developing speech and language skills - as well as working together. And it's all fun!
I set up a Family Book Group and many of the people I’d reached out to attended - so much so that I had to start up two more groups. Parents and children aged 0 to 4 come for one hour of activities.
Numbers grew so much, we also set up a Baby Club, for children under one.
During each Family Book Club session we have art & crafts, puzzles and free play. Because the children are so young, it’s not appropriate to do a formal storytelling. Instead I do some one-to-one stories and parents read to individual or small groups of children.
Then we tidy up and sit in a circle for songs and nursery rhymes. This all helps develop social skills and the skills needed to learn at school - listening, turn taking, waiting, concentrating and so on. Of course rhymes and songs are wonderful for developing speech and language skills - as well as working together. And it's all fun!
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This work has build my understanding of what books work for babies, young children and their parents and carers, so feeds into my writing. It has also developed my confidence so I can offer Baby Rhyme Times and workshops for young children.