When Sebastian turned one, I was all about a nightly book routine. This routine caught on quick and was one of our most enjoyed times together. Now that he is coming close to two and a half years, it is important for me as a mother and teacher to incorporate a more independent book routine.
Before age 2, I did not have a vast amount of choice, meaning I only had about 5-8 books for him to choose from. I thought this was appropriate as the repetition for a child to read the same books is crucial in their development. Now that he is over 2, the options of books has drastically changed (20 or more books to choose from). I aspire for my kids to engage in independent choice as much as possible.
Reading to children not only exercises their brain but also improves concentration, vocabulary, language skills, imagination and helps children develop a sense of empathy. Not to mention the books that are out there now a days are FANTASTIC! Plus, what better way to spend these precious moments together.
Okay...now that I got the teacher out of me, lets get to the designing and decorating! I previously had Sebastian's books in an Ikea Kallax Shelf, mixed with other toys. This served its purpose at the time, but as Sebastian got older, I noticed that he started to get bored with this layout and choice.
Ive been browsing and decided to go with a classic and functional way to display his books, using an Ikea picture ledge. Yes, this method of displaying books has been done over COUNTLESS times, but it is a great way to save space! I rather have this on my walls then buy another piece of furniture to take up more space that we clearly don't have. So whatever, I'm doing it to.
I made sure that when installing the shelf (I mean...I made sure that my husband installed the shelves lol), that they were at Sebastian's level so he would be able to choose his books independently. This shelf is great because instead of displaying the books spine forward, you can display them cover forward! Obviously MUCH better for a child to see what they are actually choosing.
If you noticed, I rotated some of the books that talk about autumn/fall (along with a few other favourites)! Its important to frequently rotate your child's books when they are young. This sparks the ability to reignite a child's interest in reading and keeps them up to date on our current events going on in the world.
Now that the shelves have been installed, its time to create a cozy little nook in order to complete our "Book Nook." You don't need to go crazy and over power with clutter, as long as you have some basic essentials you are golden!
First off, I always prefer to have my reading nooks located in a corner of the room, this tends to feel more cozy and secure for the children (myself as well lol). In this nook, I used a Tee-pee tent that I got a while back for Sebastian's first birthday. I purchased this tee pee from a local shop called "Finally Friday Designs." Her work is immaculate! This had to of been one of the best purchases as every year Sebastian just becomes more and more interested in it. I then"cozied"it up with a play matt and a couple blankets and pillows. You can also use a small area rug instead of a play matt if that works better for you. Finally, placed a few of Sebastian's favourite stuffies, some greenery of course (crazy plant lady), and BOOM..book nook is complete!
Now ill let you know where I purchased these particular items but really you can use anything that fits your child's unique taste! Tee-pee from Finally Friday Designs, bear pillow and mustard throw blanket from HM home, Sebastian the Lamb from Cuddle and kind, Panda Toy from Ikea, and Mud cloth pillow from Homesense.