Parents are being given the oppurtunity to interact with their children by enjoying two free online story books. With the summer period nearly over this comes as a timely reminder for parents to start their children back in the school routine.

The online books are a partnership arrangement between top children's author Peter Corey and Learndirect. Peter has also put forward his top 10 tips for making reading more enjoyable for children of all ages.

Top 10 tips:

• Read little and often – 10 - 15 minutes every day is great. For younger children, use bedtime or bath time if finding a moment isn’t easy during the day.
• Reading should always be fun so try not to pressure your child if they feel too tired or lose interest. Laugh together at the funny stuff and enjoy the rhyming words – you’d be surprised how rewarding it feels.
• Relish the story – talk about it and encourage your child to ask questions. You’ll be able to see how well they have understood what they have read.
• Enjoying the pictures in a book is as important as the text. They can make the words easier to understand and help bring the story to life.
• Be brave in your choice of books. Always search around, even if you think you’ve already found you and your child’s favourite author.
• Use a library to borrow books. Libraries give us lots of choice and are like a dating agency – helping match the right person with the right book!
• Don’t be scared of long words – they can be broken down into smaller parts which will make them far easier. Some English spellings just don’t make sense at first, so don’t worry if you or your child stumbles, it might be the word’s fault!
• Don’t be afraid to judge a book by its cover and check what’s written on the back. This should help you decide if you and your child will enjoy the book.
• Don’t worry if your child wants to read the same book again and again. Kids enjoy repetition as it helps them understand the story.
• Always praise your child for trying hard at their reading and let them know it’s okay to make mistakes. After all, we all get words wrong – even parents! Practice makes perfect and solving reading problems together is part of what makes story time fun.

Further information:
Parentline Plus news article
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