Book Basket Pick
What you need
- a basket
- four or five picture books, including one they love
How to do it
- Stand four or five books in a basket on the floor, covers facing out, with one they love among them.
- Sit on the sofa a few steps away and say, "Pick a book for us and bring it here."
- Wait while they choose, then make room beside you as they bring it over.
- Read whichever one they bring, then send them back for another.
Why it matters
Choosing from the basket and carrying the book over is their way of saying "this one, with you", and with a book they love in there, the choice is a real one.
What they're learning
- Asking for a story
- Bringing a book over is a clear request: read this, with me.
- Making a choice
- Looking along the covers and picking one out.
- Carrying
- Holding a book in both hands on the walk over to you.
What to look for
Watch for which book comes out of the basket most, and for them holding it up to you before they reach the sofa.
A tip
Swap a few books in and out each week but leave the favourite in. Board books are lighter and easier for small hands to carry.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: put just two books in the basket, one of them the one they love
Harder: move the basket across the room, so each book makes a longer trip
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Quiet & calm activities · Activities for 18 month olds · Activities for 2 year olds · Toddler activities with a basket