10 Ways to Create the Perfect Reading Corner in Your Setting

We are rapidly approaching the best time of year for sharing some cosy reading with our little ones. You may be looking at ways to create the perfect reading corner in your setting as we enter the Autumn term. In this blog post you will find 10 easy ways to create an inviting reading space, no matter what size of area you are working with. 

Read on to find out why reading corners should be playing a key role within your setting and the best way to create one. Whether you are starting completely from scratch or want to improve a space you already have, these top tips are simple and cost effective. 

Why do you need a reading corner?

First of all, you may be wondering why on earth you even need a reading corner. What value is it going to bring to your setting? What are the advantages of creating this space? What benefits is it going to have for your children and is it worth the time to create one? 

The answer is yes! A reading corner brings so much value to your setting: offers a calming and quiet space and can even help with transitions for new starters. 

You can read our previous blog post for further ideas on ways to support transitions. 

It provides a space where children can enjoy books either individually or as a small group. It should be a calming environment which can also be used for when children need some quiet time or to break up a larger group.

As well as this, it also supports the development of literacy and nurtures a love of reading from a young age. Something that is high up on Ofsted’s agenda following the latest EYFS guidance.

Nurturing a love of reading from a young age, builds the foundations for a child’s development giving them an early start in their learning journey. There are a number of ways in which you canencourage a love of readingand the development of literacy. One being through the use of a reading corner. 

You may also be wondering how you are going to be supporting multilingual children within your setting? Books are a great tool for settling children and also developing language and communication skills. You could use this area of your setting to celebrate multilingual literature with the children.

10 Ways To Create The Perfect Reading Corner: 

Less is more.

When you start to plan out your space for a reading corner, keep in mind that less is more. You don’t need a big space and it needn’t be filled with lots of “stuff”. Keep your reading corner simple and free from clutter. This is good news if your setting is small and you are working on a tight budget. You may even be able to create a lovely reading corner using early years resources already at your disposal. 

Have you got any posters that share characters from favourite books? 

Do you have any big, comfy cushions that the children (and grown ups) can sit on to share their stories?

Is there already a bookcase you use to store your books? 

The less is more rule also applies to the number of books you are putting out for the children. The bookcase or shelves shouldn’t be filled to bursting, or books stacked behind each other. Keep it minimal whilst still offering a variety of picture books. 

Pick a theme.

This is a great way to keep the reading corner feeling fresh and focused. You could pick a different theme for each term which provides an opportunity to switch things around every few months. 

Using a theme to work from, will provide lots of ideas on ways to display your reading corner. For example, “Room on the Broom” could be a theme you use for the autumn term. Find a soft cat, a broomstick and a pot to use as a cauldron and place it in the centre of your reading space. Display the book at the front of your shelf so it is easily accessible. 

Focus on the language used and encourage the children using the reading corner to use the props along with the story. Perhaps you could add a poster or some fairy lights to create the magical theme. 

Make the space cosy and comfortable.

 While you want to keep the space as minimalistic as possible, you still want it to be a cosy space. It needs to be an area where children can comfortably sit or even lie down, to enjoy stories together. 

Cushions and blankets can be added for comfort with a few soft toys. The children will enjoy sharing their stories with teddy bears, making them a nice addition to the reading corner. 

You could add some fabric to create a roof over your reading corner, adding some fairy lights to make it extra cosy. Making sure the whole space isn’t too cluttered and easy to move around in. 

Could you turn the lights off and use torches to read the books? 

Limit how many children are using the space at one time.

The space within your reading corner needs to be calm. Sometimes it may be easier if you limit how many children use the reading corner at one time. Depending on your setting and the number of staff available, a group of four to five children at a time may be a good number to work with. 

Be guided by the child’s interests.

Linking back to the idea of having a theme each term; go off child’s interests when thinking about what books to include in the reading corner. Do you have a group that is particularly interested in dinosaurs? Perhaps they are interested in under the sea stories. 

Keep the children engaged and wanting to use the space by going off what they are interested in. This can also help with planning the themes.

Combine the reading area with storage.

If you are worried about how you are going to make room for a reading corner in your setting, have you thought about using pieces of furniture which can also be used for storage?

For example, a bookcase that has space for boxes or trays of toys would be a great way to save on space. Here is an example of a bookshelf with storage units underneath. 

Keep the area calm – no toys.

Aside from a couple of soft toys as previously mentioned, you should encourage children in your setting, not to bring toys into the reading area. This will help keep the reading corner calmer and free from distractions when reading books together. 

We all know there is only so long young children can sit for, so keep them focused for as long as possible by limiting distractions. 

Introducing story sacks.

Have you used story sacks in your setting before? They are a great way to develop a child’s language and imagination. They work well if using them in small groups, so each child gets a turn looking through the story sack and sharing it with their peers. 

You can buy story sacks online or even make your own. Choose a favourite book that the children in your setting are going to be engaged with. Perhaps there are animals in the story which can be added to the story sack. 

You can either create a story sack and keep it as a surprise for the children, or you could put one together as a group activity. 

Leave the story sacks in the reading corner and explain to the children that they have to stay there. They are easily transported however if you are switching up the reading environment. Eg. reading outside. 

Keep the reading corner away from the main door.

By keeping the reading corner away from the main door in and out of your setting, means there are less distractions. It also keeps the reading area warmer and free from draughts. 

Think about book rotation. 

Rotate the books used in the reading corner every few weeks. You don’t need to have a lot of books out at any one time, however keep children interested by changing which books are available to them. 

Avoid reading the same stories over and over again by keeping a box of books away from the children and introduce new books a few at a time. 

Need some more inspiration? 

 

Polylino in your reading corner.

Polylino has a library of hundreds of picture books, with the option to hear them read allowed in fifty different languages. This is a great way to introduce new stories to your reading corner, as well as keeping the space inclusive for your EAL children. 

So there you have it. Everything you need to know about creating that perfect space for a reading corner in your setting. It really is a wonderful space to create, so have good fun setting up your reading corner and sharing it with your children.