Observe whether the child: handles books and printed material with interest.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
Shows brief interest: reaches for a book/leaflet, pats it, or mouths it, but attention is short and handling is mostly sensory exploration without sustained looking.
What you might see
When a book is placed within reach, does not reach for it and instead turns away or chooses a different object.
Pushes printed material away or drops it immediately without looking at it.
Grabs a book briefly and mouths or bangs it, then discards it within a few seconds.
Pats or rubs a leaflet/poster but does not attempt to open or look at pages.
Expected
On track
Handles books/printed materials with interest in supported routines: opens/close covers, flips pages with help, and looks at pictures for short periods. Returns to printed materials when offered and may bring them to an adult.
What you might see
Opens the cover with help and looks at a picture for several seconds before turning away.
With an adult holding the book, attempts to lift and flip a page using fingers.
Exceeding
Going further
Independently seeks out books/printed materials and explores them purposefully: opens to pages, attempts page turning, points/looks closely at pictures, and sustains attention longer. Shows clear enjoyment (smiles, vocalises) while handling.
What you might see
Picks up a board book, opens it, and flips several pages while looking at pictures.
Points to a picture while vocalising or smiling, showing sustained interest during handling.
Carries a book to a familiar adult and offers it up to start shared looking.
Turns directly to a favourite page/picture and points or taps it to show preference.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
During floor play, place a sturdy board book within reach and watch for 30 seconds: does your child reach for it and explore pages/pictures with interest?
At nappy change or after bath, offer a small book or magazine page and notice whether your child handles it (patting, opening, looking) rather than dropping it immediately.
During a calm moment, sit together with a book and pause. Notice whether your child points, taps pictures, or turns pages to keep the interaction going.
On an outing, show a simple printed item (menu, leaflet) and notice whether your child reaches, holds, and looks with curiosity.
Leave a small basket of 2–3 books accessible. Notice whether your child repeatedly selects books over other toys across the day.
Where this comes from
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (Development Matters 2012 / DM2012), Literacy: Reading, 8-20 months.
The construct is DM2012's observable describing early engagement with books and print through interest-led exploration.
Developmental research
Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The Role of Tutoring in Problem Solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17(2), 89–100.
Supported routines (adult positioning, pacing, and help with page turning) provide a scaffold for infants/toddlers to sustain interest and engage more purposefully with print materials.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
Shows little interest in books or printed materials and rarely reaches for, looks at, or explores them. May push materials away or engage for only a moment before moving on.
When a book is placed within reach, does not reach for it and instead turns away or chooses a different object.
Pushes printed material away or drops it immediately without looking at it.
Emerging
Shows brief interest: reaches for a book/leaflet, pats it, or mouths it, but attention is short and handling is mostly sensory exploration without sustained looking.
Grabs a book briefly and mouths or bangs it, then discards it within a few seconds.
Pats or rubs a leaflet/poster but does not attempt to open or look at pages.
Developing
Handles books/printed materials with interest in supported routines: opens/close covers, flips pages with help, and looks at pictures for short periods. Returns to printed materials when offered and may bring them to an adult.
Opens the cover with help and looks at a picture for several seconds before turning away.
With an adult holding the book, attempts to lift and flip a page using fingers.
Secure
Independently seeks out books/printed materials and explores them purposefully: opens to pages, attempts page turning, points/looks closely at pictures, and sustains attention longer. Shows clear enjoyment (smiles, vocalises) while handling.
Picks up a board book, opens it, and flips several pages while looking at pictures.
Points to a picture while vocalising or smiling, showing sustained interest during handling.
Reflexive
Initiates shared engagement: brings books/printed materials to a familiar adult, signals "again" or selects favourites, and uses handling to communicate interests (pointing, offering, turning to a preferred page) across settings.
Carries a book to a familiar adult and offers it up to start shared looking.
Turns directly to a favourite page/picture and points or taps it to show preference.
