First published: 9 November 2021 @ 6:00 pm
If you think about it, all of our life experiences are possibly learned through storybooks!
From how we grow up, to our values and beliefs, our life experiences are all learned through stories. And as a parent, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children learn these valuable life lessons.
In this article, we will discuss some great ideas on how to get your children to love storybooks. We will also discuss why reading storybooks is important for kids and ways you can encourage your children to read more storybooks.
Why Reading is Important for Babies and Young Children
The following are some important reasons why reading storybooks is important for children:
Achieving Comprehension Skills
Comprehension is the ability to understand and use what you read. Reading storybooks for babies and young children is the best activity to teach them this skill.
By reading, children can be exposed to new vocabulary, learn about different characters and their emotions, practice reading with pictures, learn about concepts such as time and space etc.
Developing Language Skills and Literacy Skills
Storybooks help kids to make associations between the words they read and the pictures they see on the pages.
Children can learn new words through playing with these words in a storybook. They can also practice writing sentences based on what they have read in a storybook.
Instil Good Values
A love of reading is a great way to instil good values in your child. If you have a child who loves to read, then this will help them to have a healthy attitude towards literature and life in general.
In addition, the love of reading will also encourage them to be curious about other things and explore new things.
Developing a Sense of Imagination
When children read storybooks, they can develop a sense of imagination. Through the imagination, children can think about how characters behave and how things work. In add
When to Read, Sing and Tell Stories with Your Child
When they are young, their minds are open to learning new things. They will be able to remember more details from the story if you talk about it later on.
A great way to get your child to enjoy reading is by having fun with them. Make up games, sing songs and tell stories. These activities will help them feel more relaxed while they are reading.
Also, make sure that you always encourage your child when they are reading or listening to a storybook!
This will help them want to read more and also build their confidence as a reader. You can do this by asking questions like:
What do you think will happen next?
What was the author trying to teach us through this particular storybook scene?
Tell me more about this character. What is his/her personality like?
Tell me more about this story!
After your child finishes reading a storybook, ask them what they liked and disliked about the story. Encourage them to talk about what they have learned from the story and share their thoughts with you.
Also, ask them how they feel when they are reading a storybook. You can encourage them to express their feelings by telling them that these feelings are good and helpful for them to remember important things from the story.
How to Introduce Toddlers and Babies to Books
When you first start to introduce your child to books, you should use the story as a way to teach them how to interact with the world around them.
For example, if you are reading a story about singing, sing along with them. If the story is about cleaning, ask your child to help you clean the house.
This way, they will start associating reading with chores and household activities and make a routine out of it. This is also a great way for your child to get used to reading without them even realizing it.
When your child starts getting older, you can start introducing them to more complex books with a less simple story. This is a great way for your child to start learning new words and understand the context of what they are reading.
What Sorts of Books to Read with Your Child
A specific type of book for your child is not necessarily the best way to help them develop a love for reading. As a parent, you should read a variety of books that your child will enjoy and understand.
For example, if your child loves animals, then you should try to read books about animals and not books about subjects that they do not like.
Science and history books are great for teaching your child about the world around them, especially for older children. This is because they will start to associate reading with facts and science.
Another thing to keep in mind is that it is important to ensure that the books you are reading with your child have life skills and values. These life skills can be anything from how to get along with others, dealing with bullies, dealing with money and so on.
The values of the story should also match up with your own values. For example, if you want your child to learn good morals and ethics, then it is important for the story to have those types of morals and ethics in it.
If you want your child to learn honesty and truthfulness, then they can learn about truthfulness in a story about an honest police officer or a truth-telling rat in a children’s book.
The more books that you read with your child that have life skills or values that match up with their own beliefs, the more they will develop a love for reading!
Final Thoughts
As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child learns valuable life lessons through reading. And to do this, you need to read books that they will enjoy and understand.
The best way to do this is by reading books that have values and life skills that match up with your child’s beliefs and what you want them to learn.
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