Where It All Began: The Reading Garden & JUMPIN!

The Reading Garden began with a simple but powerful belief:

If a child enjoys stories, the rest will follow.

I wasn’t teaching phonics or sight words.

I was offering something else:

• The joy of hearing a story come alive through movement, voice, and imagination.

• The bond of shared reading moments between a child and their trusted adult.

• The chance to explore ideas through crafts and role play, building comprehension through doing, not drilling.

• The warmth of a little community centred around books, laughter, and togetherness.

And every week, they came back for more.

Those sessions reinforced my belief that children engage naturally when we create space for joy, connection, and curiosity. They lean in! They ask questions! They remember! That’s the magic of story-based learning and why I am so passionate about this next chapter. But before we discuss the next chapter, do you want to walk down memory lane?

Take a look back!

*Note: The blog linked above is on the old Reading Garden website...because this new one is in the works!