Online courses
Reading 101: A guide to teaching reading and writing
This is a free online course from Reading Rockets. The first module, Introduction: How children learn to read, offers a good summary of reading development.
Sounds-Write phonics program – Udemy course
This is a free online course for parents, about the Sounds-Write phonics system used by educators. The course is taught by the co-author of the Sound-Write program and is well reviewed.
Apps for children
This is a popular learning app suitable for children 2+ years old. The Reading Eggs learning program is developed by teachers and has won multiple awards. There is a free trial period which is useful to test if your child is engaged.
This website is available to login with a Stanton library card. It has reading and writing games, as well as stories to listen to. Recommend using an iPad for the best interaction on the screen, tracing letters etc. There are three age categories to choose from: Age 3, Age 4, Age 5-6.
Children’s books
The children’s section is on the ground floor of Stanton library, a welcoming space full of wonderful picture books and a large non-fiction section for young learners. A regular trip to the library is a great way to build reading together into your routine.
Link to children’s picture books in Stanton library catalogue
Stanton library activities
The children’s librarians at Stanton run 2 types of fun weekly sessions to help foster an early love of reading, Rhymetime for ages 0-2 and Storytime for ages 3-5. On a nice day, the sessions are run outside in the park.
If you can’t make it along to the library there is a youtube channel for online storytime with books being read aloud by the children’s librarians and special guests.
Reading list – some well loved favourites to get you started:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson
- Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd
- Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
- Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen
- Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury