The Surprising Benefits of Storytime
It’s no secret that reading to your child starting at a very young age is a good thing to do. Storytime is an excellent way to bond, it’ll boost her vocabulary, plus, who doesn’t want to raise a book-lover? But the benefits of reading to your kids actually go far beyond what you might think. Here are three more ways storytime will benefit your girl as she gets ready to start school.
1. Stretch Her Attention Span
Little ones are often all over the place—wanting to color one
minute and then deciding on a dime to play pretend kitchen instead!
But the ability to sit quietly, to pay attention to new information or
directions, and to listen to her teacher will serve your daughter well
as she enters a classroom environment. “As your girl gets closer to
school-age, try reading slightly longer books together,” says Girl
Scouts’ Developmental Psychologist Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald.
“Keeping her engaged in a story that takes a little longer to read
will develop her patience and focus, both of which will come in handy
as a new student.”
2. Boost Her Emotional Intelligence
When your child starts school, she’ll meet all kinds of new
people with diverse personalities, interests, backgrounds and
experiences. One way you can help prepare her to thrive is to read
books with her that focus on making new friends, sharing, and working
together as a group. “Discussing characters’ actions and emotions as
you go through stories together will give your girl a window into the
experiences and perspectives of others, and help her see differences
as positive and exciting,” says Dr. Bastiani Archibald. “Additionally,
it will give you a chance to help her identify and discuss feelings
that she might not have previously had the language to express. All of
this will help her form healthy and productive friendships with her
new classmates.”
3. Flex Her Imagination
Most children’s books have
plenty of drawings or photographs to look at while you read, but
unless you’re watching a full-on video of a story, your daughter will
have to use her imagination to picture every event and action as they
play out. “This kind of abstract thought process will help with what
we like to call ‘possibility thinking,’ which is an expansive specific
kind of problem-solving,” says Dr. Bastiani Archibald. “Kindergarten
is a wonderful time for her creativity to grow and shine, and giving
her a head start in that direction is always a good thing!"
