Storytime with Rik: Library lion

What you need

Your listening ears.

Benefits

Reading books aloud to children stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word. Even after children learn to read by themselves, it's still important for you to read aloud together.

The experience

Sit back and listen to the story of a lion that visits the library! When the lion visits the library, no one knows what to do: there are no rules about lions in the library. But soon, he's indispensable - "What a helpful lion," people say. "How did we ever get along without him?" But one day, the head librarian falls and breaks her arm, and the only way the lion can get help is to roar. And that is breaking the rules. The next day, the lion doesn't come to the library, nor the next day, nor the day after that - until Mr McBee finds him and tells him that sometimes there is a very good reason to break the rules - even in the library! Extend the learning:

For under 2s:

A lion can roar very loudly within our story, why not think about what other noises animals would make if they were visiting the library? A little mouse, an Elephant, a dog, a cow, a dinosaur!

For over 2s:

Why not try and re-organise an area within your home to create your own little library. Where will your books live? Who will be visiting your library and what rules would you put in place for anyone visiting the library?