Help
With Your Rule
Rotating Books?
Dear Holly,
When you sort/rotate kids' toys, do you also rotate their books as well? Or do you make them all available at all times? I
initially thought it best to keep all my kids' books available, but am rethinking this now. We are starting to get so many, they are getting overwhelming.
Labels: 4th P Parent
posted by Holly at 1:33 PM
4 Comments:
I usually did not rotate books. I spent my Saturday day-outs combing book stores looking for huge gobs of books for my kids. I used to give them a stack of 20 by their beds from the time they were two and older (as long as they weren't book-rippers!) My kids were surrounded by books, and they were used as bedtime and quiet time interest-grabbers which helped them settle.
I stocked my shelves so full my husband had to build me a library in the attic. I have bought (second hand mostly) and then given away probably a few thousand books! So, there was no need to rotate, and I found the kids always re-read most of them, over and over.
It was only when I looked at my especially 'good' books that I began to think about rotating - well, actually, not rotating, but "keeping in a safe place so they would get the most good out of it!" So, for the "very special & good" saint books I have placed them within a reading list of my curriculum, and they are given much more attention than regular books.
After they have been introduced within a historical period in intermediate and junior high level, they are free to be read over on their own in future years. Which the kids do, probably because they don't know how to go to bed at night without a book!
I think rotating books on the main shelf is a good idea because the kids snatch them up quickly, "I forgot about this one!" The extra special books are up one shelf (above the reach of the toddlers) but always in view. But all the books are available in a coat closet that my husband coverted to a mini-library (we never really used the coat closet by the front door, just the one by the door going out into the garage).
Thanks for the reply! I think my main problem is lack of adequate storage space. My kids are still small toddlers (1 & 2.5), so most of our books are chunky and clunky. I was also concerned that they were gravitating to the same books over and over, and ignoring or refusing some of the (Godlier) ones I want to read to them... but maybe it is just the age and I should be patient???
I'd like to chime in, here. I have kids aged 5, 4, 2 and a baby. I thought it was a great idea to have books available all the time for kids to read as they wanted. I have since changed my mind. Books ended up in piles on the floor, sofa, couch and were getting ruined...even the sturdy board books. They were certainly being "well-loved" but not treated with love. I converted our guest room / office closet to a library. I pick out a "basket" of books from the closet and the library once a week that are applicable to our lessons, the season, holiday, etc. Board books are available on a lower shelf to read anytime and the nicer ones are on mommy's shelf to be read at story time. It's working for our house full of littles.
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