The Big Read for small children special pull out

Way
Ahead
special pull out
For childcare professionals
working with under fives
// welcome / The Big Read for small children special
Contents
Welcome
to this special edition oF
Inside you’ll find
02 // The Big Read for small children special
Welcome
03 // The Big Read for small children special
The Big Read so far
04 // The Big Read for small children special
In their own words
08 // The Big Read for small children special
Way Ahead
magazine
We’ve crammed this special edition with ideas, prizes,
suggestions, information and interviews all around
encouraging a love of reading in under fives.
Why? Well, we want all under fives to love reading
so much, we’re dedicating an entire campaign to
it! And this special edition is just a little part of it.
Stories – from creating to telling
06 // The Big Read special for small children
The Big Read for small children special / The Big Read for small children so far //
You’ve probably heard of it by now, it’s called The Big
Read for small children and we’re aiming to widen
opportunities for young children to enjoy books and
to experience a wide range of language through
rhymes, poetry and stories. But we can’t do it alone!
Pebble Penguin poster
That’s where you come in. Through the campaign
we’ll be giving you loads of ideas, training,
information, suggestions, inspiration and resources
to help you further the work you do to encourage a
love of reading in the under fives. And best of all it’s free!
If you’re new to the campaign, this special edition
is a great starting point. But for the full works,
you need to get yourself over to www.surreycc.
gov.uk/thebigread and make sure you sign
up for the monthly e-bulletins, they’re special
editions of the monthly Way Ahead e-bulletins
but their completely devoted to The Big Read for
small children (subscribe at www.surreycc.gov.
uk/wayahead). And for tips, photos, exclusive
news and updates it’s got to be our SurreyEYCS
Facebook and @SurreyEYCS Twitter pages of course!
Here I am (on the left) chatting to Ashley Wyeth, Booktrust
Regional Manager for South England at The Big Read for
small children launch event.
We don’t want reading to stop at age five, so if you
work with older children, The Big Read for small
children e-bulletins include ideas for you too. Plus
we have tips and ideas online at www.surreycc.gov.uk
(depending on your role, search the site for playwork
and the over fives or childminders and the over fives).
We hope you enjoy everything within these pages
and find lots of new ideas to try with the children
in your setting.
Produced by
Communications Team, Surrey Early
Years and Childcare Service.
For more information or to contact us:
email: [email protected]
web: www.surreycc.gov.uk/thebigread
tel: 01372 833833
Happy reading!
Enter our
prize draw
for your
chance
to win!
There's just so much to tell you!
Where to start? Well, The Big Read
for small children campaign got off
to a great start at our launch event.
We held it in Painshill Park and it was
lovely to see over 700 children joining
in with stories and activities with their
dads, mums and carers. We tried out
all sorts of ideas and we thought you
might find them useful for your mini
Big Read for small children events
so we've made an album on Facebook
with photos and tips.
mini Big Read for small
children events
Haven't heard of a mini Big Read for
small children event yet? Well, don’t
worry, it's not too late to take part. It's
a bit like a mini version of our launch
event you can hold with the children
in your setting. Apply for your free
event pack, download extra resources
and find out more at www.surreycc.
gov.uk/thebigread
Phil Osborne
Read with Me leaflets
Head of Early Years
and Childcare Service
Our new Read with Me leaflets are
full of tips to help dads, mums and
carers encourage a love of reading
at different ages and stages of their
child's development. Find them at
www.surreycc.gov.uk/thebigread
so far
Win prizes
Facebook and Twitter
You could win books for your setting
by the authors in our interviews on
page 6. That's right, we have a copy
of Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson,
Splosh (Kipper storyboards) by Mick
Inkpen and Golidlocks and the Three
Bears, illustrated by Emma Dodd to
give away.
We've been busily posting and
tweeting to bring you more tips, ideas
and photos. If you haven't already, why
not join in by liking our SurreyEYCS
Facebook page and following us
@SurreyEYCS on Twitter?
For your chance to win, just get in
touch with us by 14 February 2014.
You can either email us at wayahead@
surreycc.gov.uk with the subject
heading Way Ahead book prize draw
or write to us at:
Way Ahead book prize draw
Surrey Early Years and Childcare
Service
Fairmount House
Bull Hill
Leatherhead
Surrey KT22 7AH
We need your name, your setting name
and address and a phone number so
we can contact you if you win. If you
enter by email, we'll reply to confirm
we've received your entry. Terms and
conditions apply, for full details, visit
www.surreycc.gov.uk/wayahead
Pebble Penguin
Did you know Surrey Libraries have a
new Pebble Penguin library card just
for under fives? There’s a Reading
Adventure stamp card too and
children can get rewards for reading.
The back page of this special pull out
is a Pebble Penguin poster - why not
tear it out and put it up in your setting
for dads, mums and carers to see?
Everything else
What else? Hopefully you've been
reading The Big Read for small
children e-bulletins each month,
they're special editions of Way Ahead
e-bulletins, and they're fit to bursting
with ideas and prizes (subscribe
at www.surreycc.gov.uk/wayahead).
Oh, there's so much more to tell
you but we’ve run out of room.
So for everything else, head over to
www.surreycc.gov.uk/thebigread
03
// Stories - from creating to telling / The Big Read for small children special
The Big Read for small children special / Stories - from creating to telling //
How would you put a story sack together?
Get to know the story and then choose things that will
help the children to become more involved in the story.
Puppets are great! You can make the story sack items or
buy them, maybe from a car boot sale.
What are your suggestions for developing
activities for the children related to the stories
they read?
creating
to
telling
Stories – from
Ruth Parsons (pictured) is the
author of Harry’s Hazelnut, a story
sack trainer and a storytelling
expert so she knows a thing or
two about stories – particularly
when it’s outdoors! Read on to get
her tips on sharing stories with
children.
Why are stories so important for children?
Most of all because they’re fun and a great way of sharing
time together and everyone needs a bit of magic in their
lives!
Some practitioners may be nervous about
storytelling or they may be doing it for the
first time, what advice can you give them?
I suggest they read the story through themselves first
to get an idea of how it goes. They should not be afraid
to add in their own bits or change things slightly as this
will personalise the story and make it much more fun.
20
04
Sometimes using props is good and the listener focuses
on the props rather than the reader. The most important
thing to do is to read stories you enjoy as this will come
across to the children and they will share your enjoyment.
Relax and have fun.
For the more experienced practitioners, what
tips can you give them about creating and
telling their own stories?
I usually use stories as a starting point for an activity
which will help the children to develop in some specific
way, for example, if the children need to be encouraged
to speak, I will do a story which leads to an activity they
will want to tell me or each other about. My inspiration
for stories is always nature as it is so amazing! I use the
things I see around me and get ideas from folklore and
other stories.
What about supporting children to create stories?
If practitioners really enjoy it the children will too.
Remember children learn through their whole bodies so
give them lots of opportunities to move about and join in.
Sitting still is definitely a draw back if you are 3! Storytelling and listening is much better if it is active.
I think the best activities are ones the children can do
for themselves. The stories should give ideas and they
should be able to run with them in their own way. It is
useful to remember the saying “You can’t teach anyone
anything, they have to learn it for themselves”.
What tips do you have about taking reading
outside?
The biggest advantage is that you are right there in the
stories’ environment. It makes everything more real and
ideas and activities can flow more easily. Reading the
story indoors then having to get organised and dressed
for going out breaks the magic. It is also great to be
outdoors, people are often calmer and more relaxed.
The important thing to remember is that you want the
people listening to feel comfortable so they must be
warm enough, have somewhere to sit, and so on.
Any final advice?
Keep reading and making up stories and sharing them
with the children. It will remind you what it was like to
be a child and you will have great fun.
What is a story sack?
A story sack is a bag (or box!) filled with
a story book and lots of things related to
it that you can use to capture children’s
imaginations, extend their learning and
encourage a love of books. For example,
in Harry’s Hazlenut storysack, there is:
•
•
•
•
•
the story of Harry’s Hazlenut
soft toy charaters and props
a CD
a picture card game
a non-fiction book with a key to
common trees
• outdoor learning notes with woodland
activity ideas
• a guide for parents.
Story sacks don’t have to be expensive, a
pillow case makes a great bag and charity
shops are full of resources. It’s also a way
to make good use of toys and games that
are rarely used in your setting. Or ask dads,
mums and carers for donations of toys
and books their children have grown out
of or don’t use.
You could use story sacks to help children
with different situations too, such as
starting school or a new baby. The
possibilities are endless!
Prize draw
Read Ruth’s full
interview online at
www.surreycc.gov.uk/
thebigread
Win a Harry’s Hazelnut story sack for
your setting! We have eight to give away.
All you have to do to enter is email us at
wayahead.surreycc.gov.uk by 14 February
2014 with the subject heading Way Ahead
story sack prize draw or write to us at:
Way Ahead story sack prize draw
Surrey Early Years and Childcare Service
Fairmount House
Bull Hill
Leatherhead
Surrey KT22 7AH
We need your name, your setting name and
address and a phone number so we can
contact you if you win. If you enter by email,
we’ll reply to confirm we’ve received your
entry. Terms and conditions apply, for full
details, visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/wayahead
You could win a Harry’s Hazelnut story sack for your setting – we have eight to give away!
05
// In their own words / The Big Read for small children special
The Big Read for small children special / In their own words //
In their
own
Julia Donaldson
Julia was the 2011-13 Children’s Laureate
and has written a range of children’s
poems, songs, plays and books including
The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom.
words
Here Emma Dodd, Julia Donaldson and Mick Inkpen answer our
questions and give us an insight into their worlds. We’re delighted
these three top children’s authors have given their support for The
Big Read for small children campaign. For a chance to win copies
of their books, see our prize draw on page 3.
Emma Dodd
Children’s author and book illustrator,
Emma’s books include Forever, Meow
said the Cow and I Love Beasts.
Where do you get your ideas
for stories from?
Anywhere and everywhere.
Ideas can come from the most
unexpected places!
Why are stories important
for children?
They allow children to reach into
a world beyond their normal lives,
stimulating the imagination and
developing empathy and a sense
of wonder at the world. Books can
also help children to understand
difficult concepts and emotions, and to process their own experiences.
What advice do you have
about supporting young
children to create their own
stories?
It’s all about confidence. I like to
stress that there is no right and
wrong answers when it comes
to creating stories. Imagination
is the key. And most importantly,
it should be FUN. If it’s not fun
to do, it won’t be fun to read.
06
Why are campaigns like The
Big Read for small children
so important?
I remember meeting authors and
poets when I was a child. It was
really inspiring and demystifying.
Time spent reading with a child
is so special. Some children meet
books for the first time through
these campaigns. That can be
life changing.
What are your favourite
children’s books?
I love That Rabbit Belongs to
Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell.
We are currently reading The
Roman Mysteries by Caroline
Lawrence. Roald Dahl’s books
are a great favourite in our house
too. My favourite book as a child
was called Old Winkle and The
Seagulls by Gerald Rose.
Did you always want
to be a writer?
When I was five my father gave me
The Book of a Thousand Poems
and I decided I wanted to be a
poet – though I was also very keen
on acting. I did have some jobs
before becoming a full-time writer:
I worked for a publisher, in local
radio and as an English teacher.
Where do you get your ideas
for stories from?
Anywhere and everywhere. My best
ideas come to me in the bath.
Out of all of your books,
which is your favourite?
What are your favourite
children’s books?
I love E Nesbit’s The Enchanted
Castle, and the Frog and Toad
books by Arnold Lobel.
Read the full
interviews online at
www.surreycc.gov.uk/
thebigread
I don’t have just one favourite
because they are all like my
children. I am maybe most proud
of my teenage novel, Running on
the Cracks.
Mick Inkpen
Mick has written various children’s
books but is perhaps best known for his
Kipper the Dog and Wibbly Pig books.
Did you always want to
be a writer?
When I was little I wanted to be a
railway signalman; all those shiny,
clunking levers that were taller
than me. I always enjoyed making
up stories, so writing stories and
splashing paint around in art
lessons were my favourite things
at school.
Where do you get your ideas
for stories from?
My books are not based on events
and characters in my own life, not
knowingly anyway. Childhood is
packed with things to play with;
from dragons and giants to potty
training. For me it’s a matter of
entertaining the child in me,
rather than writing for the notional
average four or five year old.
I guess you come at ideas any way
you can, but unlocking playfulness
is the key.
When I was writing Threadbear I
started with an image of a teddy
bear hanging by his ear on a
washing line, and wondered how
he got there. So the story started in
the middle and I worked backwards
and forwards from that point.
Sometimes an invented word
gets stuck in my head, the
way tunes sometimes do.
‘Lullabyhullaballoo!’ was like that.
What advice would you give
about supporting young
children to create their own
stories?
I am always a bit wary about
dishing out advice to those who
have more direct experience
of working with children than I
do. My guess is that most very
young children need only the
stimulus of a strong image to riff
around imaginatively, and that it
is only as children become more
familiar with ideas of ‘correct’
and ‘incorrect’ that they inhibit
that flow. The same happens with
making pictures.
What are your favourite
children’s books?
As a family we were very fond
of Would You Rather by John
Burningham. Not a book to take
down from the shelf unless you are
prepared to allow for plenty of time
to make such agonising choices
as: ‘Would you rather... your dad
did a dance at school or your mum
had a row in a cafe’.
07