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24.01.2022 Ahoy me hearties, and welcome to another Reading Time. Next Saturday 19th September is Talk Like a Pirate Day. Begun in 1995 as a joke between two friends in the United States, it is now an internationally recognised ‘day’. In Australia, it is nationally recognised as the major fundraiser for Childhood Cancer Support, an opportunity to polish ye hook and say AHOY there, me hearties to all ye mateys, school crew and work mates and raise funds. You can find out more at htt...ps://www.talklikeapirateday.com.au. In honour of Talk like a pirate Day, my recommendation this week is ‘I wish I had a pirate suit’ by Pamela Alllen. You probably already know her work through the Mr McGee series and many other titles. When Peter wears his pirate suit, his little brother had better beware--because Peter is the captain and his little brother is the crew, being bossed around by big brother. But there's one thing for little brother to look forward to, and that's the day Peter outgrows his pirate suit! A story all younger siblings will relate to, with delightful, high-contrast illustrations, a lovely sense of humour and a sweet twist at the end, with a text featuring rhythm and repetition. One to read in your best pirate voice. Aaaargh! Susan

20.01.2022 Did you know every one of our BestPlay Boxes contains ten expert developed activity cards which will help you to play and engage with your child in a way that supports them in meeting their physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive developmental milestones? We know that, just like us, babies are individuals so you'll always find the perfect mix of games, songs, exercises and sensory activities to suit you and your baby’s interests! Our activities also focus on making life easy for you, so they are all based on using things you already have at home (we’re officially an elaborate craft activity free zone !)

20.01.2022 Hello, and welcome back to another Reading Time. This week's selection is Tiddalick, the frog who caused a flood, a legend from Australian Aboriginal mythology. Originating from South Gippsland, the story has spread worldwide since first being published, and Tiddalick is commemorated in a statue in Warwick, Queensland. This edition has been compiled and illustrated by Robert Roennfeldt, originally published in 1980. In the telling of the legend, Tiddalick wakes one morni...ng with an unquenchable thirst and drinks all the water, leaving none for the other animals. They decide the best way to get the water back is to make Tiddalick laugh. But what will work? Not kookaburra laughing at his own jokes, not emu and kangaroo leapfrogging, not frilled necked lizard parading. but eel twisting himself into knots works a treat. The illustrations are a little dated, but it's a fun story, with lots of potential for conversation. For an added twist, read the story with a balloon as Tiddalick, blowing it up as Tiddalick drinks all the water, then letting it go as he starts to laugh. Do you have a favourite Aborginal legend for preschoolers?

15.01.2022 It’s Day 2 of our Twelve Days of Christmas fun. Appropriately, my first Christmas Reading Time recommendation is The 12 Days of Christmas. A quick Booktopia search revealed more than 30 different titles for children Australian versions, classic versions, even a Sesame Street Elmo version! In my own collection of Christmas books, I have five, including The 12 Bugs of Christmas and A Bellbird in a Flame Tree. My favourite is A pop-up celebration by Robert Sabuda, original...ly published in 1996, and then again in 2006. Robert Sabuda is a critically acclaimed American pop-up book artist and paper engineer. Why do I like it? Like Christmas, this is special. The pop-ups pop-up a long way from the page, all created in white, on plain coloured backgrounds. They are works of art, with lots of intricate details. This is one to read, carefully, with your little one, while singing, or saying, the song. There’s the added benefit of the counting, building vocabulary with the relationship between ‘second’ and ‘two’, etc. Do you love pop-up books? Susan

15.01.2022 It’s Reading Time. I hope everyone has enjoyed the long weekend. Today 5 October, is World Teachers Day, a UNESCO day to celebrate teachers. The theme this year is Teachers: leading in crisis, reimagining the future, and how we have seen that in the extraordinary circumstances teachers and students have found themselves facing in 2020. Take My Hand sends a big shout out to all the teachers out there. My choice of book this week is ‘A nice walk in the jungle’ by Australi...an children’s author Nan Bodsworth. As Miss Jellaby takes her class on a nice Nature Walk through a most extraordinary jungle, Tim tries to tell her that they are being followed by a very hungry boa constrictor. But Miss Jellaby, a nature lover, doesn't listen, until it is almost too late, and then saves the day with a good deal of humour. The illustrations are incredibly detailed, occupying the full double page, and brightly coloured with lots of jungle animals to spot. Miss Jellaby is so focussed on her nature walk, looking at the small things, that she makes no mention of all the large things, like tigers, toucans, and hippos! There’s some great vocabulary, like herbivores and carnivores, and some basic environmental themes as well. Have a great week everyone, whether it’s back to school, or still enjoying the last of the school holidays. Susan

14.01.2022 Welcome to another Reading Time. October 11 each year is recognised by the United Nations as the International Day of the Girl Child, focusing attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. This week’s recommendation was published in 2013, and was introduced to me by my granddaughter - Rosie Revere, Engineer, written by Andrea Beatty. Rosie wants to be an engineer, but sometimes her crea...tive projects don’t get the support they deserve. Luckily, she finds a female mentor in her great-great -aunt, Rose. Rosie is obviously intelligent, but more than that, shows persistence and resilience. This lovely story, beautifully illustrated in watercolour and pen and ink, and told in rhyming verse is filled with humour. One for older pre-schoolers. Is Rosie a favourite in your house? Susan

14.01.2022 It's Day 3 of our 12 Days of Christmas fun! Nothing says Christmas like a bit of colour and movement in a cute bottle! Simply fill a clean, dry water bottle with some Christmassy goodness like baubles, tinsel and the all-important jingle bells! ... Seal the top securely, even wrapping the join with some tape. Leave enough space for the items to move around freely and offer it to your little one to hold, shake and roll on the floor! It's a really interesting item for Tummy Time because that colourful, rolling bottle will encourage lots of reaching, stretching and crawling. Enjoy the look of wonder and concentration on their sweet face.

12.01.2022 Jane, our play and development expert chats about another Play Schema - Positioning. Is your little one exploring this?

11.01.2022 Welcome back to another Reading Time. I trust your week is going well. This week's recommendation is Ten in the Bed by Penny Dale, a British author. This edition has sold more than two million copies, and been translated into several languages. Why do I like it? As this is a book about a song, it does provide the opportunity for the reader to 'sing' the story. It's a great story to act out, with an array of plush animals. The text provides a predictable repetition, whic...h can allow your little one to be involved in the 'reading' of the story. When you get to the line 'And the little one said', pass it to your own little one to fill in the line, 'Roll over'. This edition also introduces some wonderful noisy vocabulary - bump, slam, crash, thump, thud and bonk. The illustrations are lovely, with a very English feel to them with genuine humour in the antics of the animals who are out of the bed, so be sure to look closely at the illustrations. Plus, counting. Have a great week. You can find some great activities for your little one on our website www.takemyhand.com.au See more

11.01.2022 Have never felt the need for a holiday more

11.01.2022 Hello and welcome back to Reading Time. This week’s selection is Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins. Originally published in 1967, this one has been a favourite for more than 50 years. Rosie the hen is blithely enjoying a leisurely walk around the farm, oblivious to the fox stalking her. The stroll isn't nearly as pleasant for the fox who is trying -- unsuccessfully -- to navigate the obstacle course Rosie is unknowingly leading him through. This is a simple story with a total ...of a mere 32 words, and the story is told through this simple language and the illustrations from where we learn everything about the fox. The illustrations are slightly retro, being 50 years old, and offers a different kind of illustration from more recent publications. While the vocabulary is simple, lots of positional words, like over, under and through are introduced. There is humour in this story which will be appreciated by young children. For those of us old enough to have seen it, it is reminiscent of the Roadrunner and Wylie Coyote. And I always had a soft spot for that poor coyote! For more hints and tips, visit our website www.takemyhand.com.au Have a great week Susan

11.01.2022 Jane, our play and development expert introduces us to 5 in 5 this week!

10.01.2022 Singing. We all do it in some form or another. Some of us are worth hearing and many of us just aren’t! I put myself in the latter. Your baby however, thinks you’re the best thing they’ve ever heard. And what opportunities Christmas presents for singing! It’s only November, but the Christmas carols and songs are now on a non-stop repeat loop in all the shops. Jingle bells, Here comes Santa Claus, and Ten White Boomers are just the beginning. When you sing to your littl...e one, or even just chant along in a sing-songy voice, the benefits to your baby are enormous. They’re learning their language through songs. You’re teaching them about communication and words themselves. You’re introducing them to new vocabulary. What is ‘dashing’, what is a ‘sleigh’, and what is ‘jingle’? When you hold up the Christmas tinsel and sing about it, they’re beginning to make associations between the words and the gorgeous sparkly stuff in front of them. Music and songs are made up of lots of rhythms and rhymes, which are all part of our language. As they grow, your little one will begin to hear and recognise these. They’re also building their listening skills which helpS them understand language and the fact that we can express ourselves really well through the language found in songs. A simple musical instrument for your little one is a few bells in a plastic bottle. Make sure you seal the top well. Safety first. As you sing, your baby can join in with a beautiful jingly accompaniment. Such Christmas fun. I’ve put making my Christmas play list on the to-do list. There’s no such thing as too much Michael Buble is there? Susan

10.01.2022 Jane’s discussing the play schema of enveloping this week. How can parents support their child’s exploration?

09.01.2022 Hello, and welcome to Reading Time. The team at Take My Hand wish all the dads, and granddads a very happy Fathers Day for next Sunday. This week’s recommendation is a simple celebration of the joys of fatherhood - I Love My Dad, by Anna Walker. In this story, told in simple rhyme, Ollie, the adorable zebra, his dog Fred, and Ollie's Dad love being together. They cook banana bread and cocoa together, ride bikes, play at the park, and enjoy games and jobs around the house.... What Ollie loves best is a piggyback ride to bed. Anna Walker, an Australian author and illustrator, has illustrated this book with simple scenes in coloured ink on a white page. This makes the striped zebras pop, and vivid accent colours, like a red slide, red bicycle and colourful birds in the trees provide excellent contrast. What’s your favourite book about Dads? Our BestPlay boxes are an ideal gift for new parents. Each one contains an expert selected or created toy, book and ten activities just right for the developmental stages. You can find out more at www.takemyhand.com.au Happy Father’s Day.

06.01.2022 Let's kick off our 12 Days of Christmas with some Festive Stickertime Fun! All you need is a large piece of cardboard, a felt pen and some Christmas stickers. Draw some simple, Christmassy shapes on the cardboard (no mad Picasso skills needed!), peel off a sticker and hand it to your little one. ... Show them how to stick the first one onto the shape and then let them take over! If they're more adept, they could try removing the stickers from the backing paper themselves. Instant festive decoration, all their own work, easy to hang on the fridge to admire and no gluey mess to clean up later! Those little fingers will get a workout too!

05.01.2022 Join Jane for another Five in Five session and learn some new songs about animals.

03.01.2022 Welcome back to another Reading Time. This week’s recommendation is Handa’s Surprise, by Eileen Browne. Ms Browne is a former school teacher and her publisher’s bio notes that she wanted to increase the number of female lead characters in children’s books. Set in Kenya, the story is of Handa, who packs a basket of seven pieces of fruit to take as a surprise to her friend Akeyo who lives in the next village. With the basket balanced on her head she sets off down the track.... Along the way a variety of African animals steal the fruit without Handa’s knowledge. By accident, a goat fills the basket again, so the surprise is for both Handa and Akeyo. Why do I like it? It’s a simple story, with a funny twist, which also provides lots of opportunities for discussion. Which fruit will Akeyo like best? Which fruit does your little one like best? There’s lots of descriptive adjectives for the fruit ‘sweet-smelling guava’; ‘spiky-leaved pineapple’; and ‘tangy purple passion fruit’, which will help build your little one’s blossoming vocabulary. The illustrations are bright and colourful, full of life, and reflective of the environment in which the story takes place. This would be a wonderful story to act out with your play food and soft toys. Our Best Play Boxes contain an expert-selected toy and book, as well as ten activities just right for your baby’s age. You can find out more at takemyhand.com.au Have a great week everyone.

03.01.2022 Jane is back this week to help you learn some easy songs to sing with your baby.

02.01.2022 Jane’s back to chat about children’s play. Let’s think about the Schema of Transportation.

02.01.2022 Welcome to this week’s storytime In the Manglemunching Forest there's a Nickle Nackle tree, growing Nickle Nackle berries that are red as red can be. And that's not all that's nestling on the twisty branches of this laden tree. The Nickle Nackle tree is one of my all-time favourite counting books. Written and illustrated by the author of the Hairy Maclary series, it’s full of fantastic birds, rhyme, rhythm, alliteration and great descriptive vocabulary, coupled with funny il...lustrations. Imagine ‘four lurking Yuk birds, the sly and smirking kind’, or ‘eight cheeky Chizzle birds in cheerful chirpy piles’. Nonsense words are great fun, and help to build your child’s knowledge of how language works, as they use predictable letter combinations and patterns. This is one to read with your full gamut of sound effects ‘grouchy Grudge birds’; ‘tiny Tweek birds’, ‘bashful Blush birds’, and ‘squawking Scritchet birds’. And in an added bonus, it counts up to 14. What’s your favourite counting book? Have a great reading week. Susan