How we can meet our children’s needs at every stage
Storytime is a cherished family ritual that offers entertainment and developmental benefits for young children. By making Storytime interactive, parents can significantly boost their child’s cognitive, emotional, and linguistic growth. Here’s how to enhance Storytime at different stages of early childhood, supported by research and expert recommendations.
0-1 Years Old: Building Early Connections
For infants, Storytime is about forming early connections between language and the world around them. Pointing to and labelling objects helps infants develop vocabulary, a crucial foundation for later literacy skills. Engaging in back-and-forth “conversations” with your baby during Storytime fosters communication skills, and incorporating simple games like peek-a-boo makes Storytime fun, maintaining your baby’s attention.
1-2 Years Old: Encouraging Interaction
Toddlers become more curious and interactive, so it’s important to encourage this curiosity during Storytime. Smiling and answering their questions, even if repetitive, supports emerging language skills. Letting them point to objects and help turn pages makes them active participants, boosting their interest in books.
2-3 Years Old: Fostering Independence and Expression
At this stage, children begin forming their own ideas about stories. Asking questions like “What do you think will happen next?” encourages critical thinking and enhances comprehension. Allowing children to discuss pictures and choose the book fosters autonomy and engagement, essential for developing early literacy skills.
3-4 Years Old: Deepening Understanding
Preschoolers start to grasp more complex concepts. Pointing out letters and numbers and discussing characters’ motivations and feelings help develop reading skills and empathy. Asking for your child’s opinion on the story promotes critical thinking and a love for reading.
4-5 Years Old: Enhancing Literacy Skills
As children approach school age, Storytime becomes a powerful tool for literacy development. Encourage your child to read parts of the story aloud to build confidence and reading skills. Post-Storytime activities like writing or drawing reinforce comprehension and creativity. Discussing the story’s meaning and exploring new vocabulary further expands their language abilities, preparing them for academic success.
Conclusion
Storytime is more than just reading—it’s an opportunity to bond and support your child’s overall development. By making it interactive, you help your child develop a lifelong love for reading and learning, enriching their language skills, cognitive abilities, and emotional understanding.
References
Schickedanz, J. (1999). Much more than the ABCs: The early stages of reading and writing. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Reading Rockets. (n.d.). How to read with your child. Retrieved from
https://www.readingrockets.org/literacy-home/reading-your-child
International Literacy Association (ILA). (2019). Phonological awareness and early childhood literacy development. Retrieved from
https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/where-we-stand/ila-phonological-awareness-early-childhood-literacy-development.pdf
Harvard Graduate School of Education. (2016, March 1). The importance of reading with your child. Retrieved from
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/16/03/raising-strong-readers#:~:text=Your%20Toddler%20(18%20months%E2%80%933%20years)&text=Children%20become%20%E2%80%9Creaders%E2%80%9D%20before%20they,are%20building%20important%20language%20skills.
