How to Turn Storytime Into a Language-Rich, Sensory-Filled Adventure

You’ve probably heard this advice a hundred times:
“Just read to your child every day.”

And it’s true that reading is one of the best things you can do to support your child’s language development.

But what if your toddler won’t sit still?

Or your preschooler is more interested in acting out the story than listening to it?

Or maybe you’re just craving something more playful.  Something that feels like connection, not just another item on your to-do list.

🎉 The good news?
You can go beyond traditional storytime and turn everyday books into language-rich, sensory-filled adventures your child will love.  This doesn’t have to be hard.  Or perfect.  And if you want a little help, I have a resource that can help.

Here’s the secret formula:

📘 A great story
🍌 A silly themed snack
👣 A hands-on activity that gets them moving

Let’s break it down and show you exactly how this combo supports speech, play, connection  and regulation too.

📚 Books Build the Foundation for Language

Books naturally expose kids to new words, sentence structures, and the rhythm of communication. But when you tie those stories to real experiences, like movement, food, and sensory play, something magical happens.

Your child begins to:

• Engage with the story more deeply
  

• Remember and use new words
  

• Build stronger language connections between what they hear and what they do
  

That’s when books become more than books they become launchpads for learning.  Which is really what they are meant to be!

🍌 Snacks Engage the Senses (and Attention!)

Themed snacks aren’t just cute, they’re a powerful tool for building communication.

When a child helps you slice bananas, squish sunflower butter (or peanut butter or yogurt), or add silly candy eyes, they’re:

• Following directions
  

• Taking turns
  

• Hearing rich language in context (“sticky,” “crunchy,” “eye,” “yum!”)
  

Plus, snacks invite interaction, which means more chances to connect and model language.

👣 Play Brings the Story to Life

Whether it’s building a goofy monster out of cutouts, dancing across the room with monster moves, or acting out parts of the story, play is where your child takes the lead.

Through play, children:

• Use words creatively and meaningfully
  

• Show comprehension (even if they’re not talking yet!)
  

• Regulate their bodies and emotions through sensory input
  

• Build confidence by doing, not just listening
  

Even nonspeaking kids may surprise you here through gestures, pretend play, or body language. That’s communication, too.

🎃 Try This: Spooky & Silly!

Want to see this in action?

I created a free October activity kit that brings all of this together in a playful, monster-themed way:

🎁 Spooky & Silly: Books, Bites, and Beyond
✔️ Read-aloud: Go Away, Big Green Monster
✔️ Silly monster banana pops (kid-friendly visual recipe!)
✔️ Build-a-monster craft with printable parts
✔️ Monster Moves game for gross motor fun
✔️ Language tips + Quick-Prep Checklist

Designed by a pediatric speech-language pathologist to support connection, sensory regulation, and language through fun, screen-free play.

❤️ This Is Bigger Than Language

Yes, these activities boost vocabulary, speech, and comprehension.

But they also:

• Foster emotional connection
  

• Support sensory regulation
  

• Build joyful routines grounded in real life
  

When your child feels seen, safe, and engaged, well that’s when language grows.

And you don’t need fancy materials, a perfect routine, or hours of prep. Let me also be clear, you don’t need ANY of this either. Our Books, Bites, and Beyond Kits are just meant to be a fun way to help you and your child use a story and carve out some time with some simple activities to help create a love for story time and some connection. I know when my kids were little, sometimes I was grateful to find simple activities that helped me be a little more intentional with them.

However, here is also what teaching children to love books can look like: sorting through a stack of books and talking about the pictures on the cover (not even opening them), flipping through the pages and pointing to single picture (not reading them or spending a lot of time, just flipping and pointing), letting your child hold the book and do the “reading”.

Learning to use a book, a related snack, and a little space to play can be fun, intentional, and so connecting. Time together is what it’s all about. It’s what your child craves and it’s where language happens.

Take a breath. Go play. You’ve got this. 💛👁️👁️