Why and When an Open Face Bookshelf for Kids ?

A nine-month-old girl coos to her grandmother as she is being readied for bed. Grandma talks to the baby about her pretty blanket, the nice bath and what a beautiful child she is. She sits the baby on her lap and opens a familiar book of lullabies. They look at the pictures as Grandma sings. Now and then, grandma pauses and the child sings in her own special way. They seem to take turns as the book sharing and singing continue.

Even when the child is an infant the skill of reading is being developed. This is how it starts and grows. The basic requirement is some good books and a creative display, some quality time and a lot of patience.

It has been proven time and again that, if you want your child to do well at school, then one of the best things you can do is to encourage a love of books.  Kids who are introduced to books and the art of reading on a regular basis are more likely to perform better academically than kids who rarely pick up a book.  The actual process of a child reading by himself or herself can’t start too early but it is essential to encourage a love of books right form the infant age. There are so many wonderful books new and old that have survived the test of time are still the best sellers. There are books that boost the early development skills of creativity and imagination, problem solving and just simply language.

Board books with thick pages are favorite of 2 year olds who read with mom and dad or grandparents. There are even cloth and washable books. Books for infants ideally don’t even need to contain a story just colourful large pictures or touch-feel kinds where the child can develop the sensation of touch by feeling the different textures in the  books like soft furry patches, rough sandy bits and then some the evil sound books if you can put up with them. Buy books from well-known publishers and authors just to be sure that you are investing in something that is  designed to introduce young children to the pleasures that books can bring in a baby friendly way. Good books come at a price, yes they are all made of the same material but it is the research that has gone in, that makes a book more expensive. Even as adults we think in pictures so make sure that the baby books have excellent photographic representations.

Don’t panic if your child is not treating the books well. It is natural that he or she will throw it around tear it, chew on it, or just use it’s any other toy. At this point don’t assume that they don’t like books, your baby is not trying to destroy the books; he’s exploring them in much the same way as he explores everything else he comes across.  This is how they learn don’t stop them.  Sturdy board books are a good bet early on to save them from these mishaps. There is enough time latter to explain to them that books are to be treasured but till then let them enjoy them the way they like, that’s the only way they are going to start loving them.

Picture books are a good choice for toddlers and up. Large picture books with a storyline are most enjoyed at the age of 2 to 6 years. It’s a pleasure for you and your child. Picture books help to expand the imagination of little kids beyond places they have been or things they have seen, they are an excellent option for bedtime storytelling. It’s a great way to relax with your child as he winds down at the end of the day and prepares for bedtime. It’s very natural for kids of this age to want to read the same books over and over again. The more familiar they are the more comfortable they get. Repetition is invaluable at this stage of learning, you will soon realise that your child is able to narrate the whole story back to his or her grandparents or your guests in his own words, this is when you can be assured you have done your part of installing the love for books in your child.

Teaching children to respect books is just as important as it is to teach them to read a books. There needs to be a dedicated place for books in his or her room. This is how you tell them that these are treasured things and need to be taken care of. An open-faced bookshelf is a must for kids of this age.They need to be able to see the beautiful covers of the books, this way there is greater chance for them to pick up and read them more often. Toddlers and pre-schoolers especially use images to identify their books before they learn to read.  A nice display unit will add colour and charm to their room. It is great way to encourage their independence and also get some organisation skills as they can pick the books and out them pack on their own.  An open faced bookcase gives maximum exposure to books and as their collection grows you can move some books to traditional book shelves that hold more books in the same area. Open face bookcases are great hand downs to a younger sibling or used as a great place to display your kids artwork for all to admire.