The simplest ideas are the best

I read an old interview with Allan Ahlberg yesterday in which he gave his thoughts on encouraging children to read. In it he mentions that his wife Janet discovered that if she put a book in the cot with their daughter, when she woke up she would pick up the book and start turning the pages.

Why have I not thought of this genius idea before? Leo is usually sat up waiting for us when we go in to his room in the morning. Leafing through the pages of a book in his cot has to be far more exciting than sitting with only an inanimate teddy for company. So last night as I put him to bed, I placed a book (Each Peach Pear Plum by the Ahlbergs, naturally!) in the corner of his cot. When I walked in at 7.30 this morning, he was turning the pages and looking at the pictures. As I said, genius!