Raising Readers: Cozy Kitchen Reading Nook
What is the best predictor of a child becoming a reader?
Regardless of parents income level or education, the one factor most highly correlated to child literacy and graduation rate is the number of books present in the home. Children become readers when they have abundant opportunities to read, and when it is an ingrained part of their daily life and routine.
So what should you do? Fill your house with books! Put them everywhere: from a book stack on the living room coffee table, a book basket in the bathroom, cookbooks on the kitchen counter to even books in the car seat pocket holders.
We have a book studio in our house where I keep the majority of our books, but I wanted to create a reading nook in our kitchen area where we spend most of our family time: cooking, sharing meals together, and congregating in the wide open space for conversation and play.
I wanted a piece that was functional and served as a book display and storage, while also being inviting to littles, and found the perfect piece at Ten Little: The Nico & Yeye Bench Storage Unit with 3 cubbies. See below how I curated this shelf, and created a cozy reading nook in our kitchen.
This Bench Storage Unit is perfect for creating an inviting spot for littles to come find a book and lounge on the bench seat to read. The bench top is also useful for displaying our bookish stuffies, further creating a cozy effect to this reading nook. The 3 cubby storage also allows for 3 different sections of books, visually pleasing for display, perfect for book rotation, and easily accessible for littles. Displayed are a mix of our favorite interactive board books, an audio storyteller with read-along books, and our favorite early readers and picture book series. Because the shelves are low to the ground, even my 9 month old baby can crawl and access the books!
If you are looking for cubby and kid-friendly furniture essentials, Ten Little is one of my favorite marketplaces that curates products from sustainable, non-toxic brands. I often find myself spiraling down a rabbit hole of hundreds of different sites and stores for kids when searching online for items, but at Ten Little, it’s one marketplace with all of the essentials I need – including everything from wear, play, furniture, and feeding – carefully curated and vetted for quality for kids 0-6+. Plus, if you’re not certain what to get, Ten Little even makes personalized recommendations to support healthy brain and body development at every stage through a simple quiz that builds a unique shop for your child in under 10 seconds.
Here are some of my other Reading Nook Essential Recs that you can find at Ten Little:
These Modern Kids Bookcases provide ample space for storing even the biggest books or bulkiest toys. They are handcrafted with two large shelves features a solid base and durable legs, ensuring it can stand up to the wear and tear of kids play.
This Cubbie Chest is another great way to store stacks of books and toys. Give a sleek home to all of your child’s essentials – toys, art supplies, books, and beyond!
Blast into space with this deck of 36 wordless Storytelling Cards, featuring more than 30 games to build problem-solving and writing skills. The 12 character, 12 object and 12 setting cards invite children to create stories about astronauts, aliens and more.
This Storage Unit with 6 Cubbies is similar to the featured Bench Cubby Unit, except with an additional row of shelving, perfect for displaying a mix of toys and books. Maximize your space with endless organization possibilities.
Throw on a pillow, and this Balance Board Rocker becomes the most coveted reading spot! This Balance Board Rocker is a hybrid between a large rocker and climber, providing versatility for your child’s playtime and reading time.
The Puppy Quiet Book is bursting with interactive activities! The perfect book for enticing the littlest of readers. The puppy has an elasticated button bow tie, and inside there is a cute monkey to feed with a banana, as well as a zipper mouth and stacking ice cream exercise. There is a threadable sun and fishing game and a sweet animal train with finger puppet animals for creative play and simple matching.
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I hope you found inspiration to create some reading nooks of your own. There are so many places throughout your home that you can display and store books. Share in the comments below some of your favorite bookish areas in your homes, or any book display and storage tips!
Here’s to raising a new generation of readers and leaders together.
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*~Also, I’d love to see and hear about your own reading adventures you are having with your little learners, so please share your story times below in the comments ~ Or Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary , FaceBook , find me onTikTok, or contact me via email . I’d love to hear from you!~*~*
Plus, checkout out MaiStoryBook’s Interactive Read Aloud Video Playlist of Diverse Reads here.
*~Until Next Time, Happy Reading~*
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