Reading and storytelling are essential tools for a child’s development, especially between the ages of three and six when brain functions and physical growth rapidly occur. During this critical period, parents often prioritize education and opt for reading books or having conversations with their children before bedtime. While both methods are beneficial, they offer distinct advantages.
What are the benefits of reading books to children before sleep for their development?
Reading to children before bedtime can effectively stimulate their nervous system, leading to improved comprehension and language skills. By immersing themselves in language, parents can stimulate their children’s brains, promoting rapid and healthy brain development.
Bedtime reading helps children focus and find peace of mind, creating positive impressions of literature, vocabulary, and language structure. As a result, they can easily absorb, remember, and apply this knowledge in their future learning and communication.
Reading to children at bedtime can effectively stimulate their nervous system.
Children’s ideas are often unpredictable due to their rich imaginations and remarkable creativity. They unconsciously create their own interpretations of the stories they hear. Parents may not realize that as they read, vivid images are forming in their children’s minds. Children often spontaneously modify plots, characters, and events, crafting unique worlds in their thoughts.
Children who enjoy reading books or comics before bed tend to be more creative and imaginative. They learn to focus, listen, make connections within the stories, and develop their creative abilities.
Forming a habit of reading every night helps children in the long run, greatly benefiting their learning and growth. Early readers tend to have a rich vocabulary and well-developed logical and creative thinking skills.
What are the unique benefits of having conversations with children before sleep?
Young children often face challenges and difficulties, especially issues like bullying or mistreatment at school. Without proper guidance and timely intervention from their family, children tend to internalize these issues, leading to severe mental health consequences.
Therefore, taking the time to talk, listen, and share with your child each night before bed is crucial. During these warm and intimate moments, children feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and experiences. This is a golden opportunity for parents to gain a deeper understanding of their child’s emotions, worries, and challenges.
Taking the time to talk, listen and share with your child each night is crucial.
Moreover, parents can use this time to review what their children have learned during the day, helping them retain and solidify their knowledge. Asking questions, listening, and sharing will not only make children feel loved and safe but also stimulate their expression, thinking, and language skills, contributing to their overall development.
For instance, a parent can ask, “What did you learn at school today?” or “Did you have fun playing with friend A today?” Most children will happily share their daily experiences with their parents.
By spending quality time with your child each night before bed, you build a close, trusting, and intimate relationship. As a result, children feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and being heard, leading to a happier and healthier upbringing, both mentally and physically.
How can we effectively combine these two methods?
When children are around one year old, they are predominantly auditory learners. At this stage, parents can tell them more stories, effectively stimulating their auditory and brain nerves.
Parents should use simple, gentle language and repeat it often. Short stories with fun sounds and captivating rhythms will attract their attention and stimulate the development of their language system.
Parents should use simple and gentle language when talking to their children.
After children turn two, parents can engage in more conversations, even if the children don’t respond much. This practice will expand their vocabulary and help them understand what was said earlier.
Parents can also ask their children to name familiar objects or pictures, encouraging them to speak and enhancing their language skills. At this stage, children will start using more words and participating in short conversations.