Many modern parents themselves grew up on books, so they want to encourage their children to read literature. But it is important not only to find the right fairy tales and stories, but also to choose the right approach to familiarize your child with them. Let’s talk about the benefits of reading books for children, and the nuances that should be taken into account by parents.
WHY READ TO CHILDREN
A person gets acquainted with the very first literary works in early childhood. Until the kids have not yet mastered literacy, they listen to how their parents read to them. This is how they learn about the adventures of the characters, analyze their decisions and actions.
On the example of book heroes, children learn to distinguish between good and evil, try to become honest, brave, fair too. Therefore, the most important function of reading fairy tales and short stories to children is education, because it is books that allow you to explain complex things to your child in simple language.
Also listening to books has a special cognitive and developing role. Even fairy tales for the youngest children gradually increase their vocabulary and broaden their horizons. This has a positive impact on the oral speech of babies – makes it more accurate and rich.
The older the child becomes, the more complex the works he will get acquainted with. But do not load your child with serious literature too early, because it should be suitable for his age. So how to choose the right fairy tales and stories for your child of preschool age?
WE CHOOSE FAIRY TALES FOR CHILDREN 5-6 YEARS OLD AND UNDER.
Each baby is individual and evolves at his own pace, so the list of literature for a certain age is more of a recommendatory character. It is compiled on the basis of age characteristics of children – their interests, skills, opportunities:
- up to 3 years. At this age it is better to read rhythmic works – poems and fairy tales in verse. They are better perceived and remembered than prose.
- 3-5 years old. You can gradually introduce small fairy tales. Folk works, which will be simple and understandable even to a small child, will suit perfectly.
- 5-6 years old. For children 5-6 years old you can read not only fairy tales, but also small stories. It is better to choose instructive stories that tell about the adventures of the child’s peers, because such books will cause more emotional response.
In addition to choosing literature, it is also important to properly organize joint reading. Let’s talk about why it is so useful to introduce books to children in the evening.
WHY IS IT BETTER TO READ BEDTIME STORIES?
Listening to fairy tales and stories requires a child to concentrate. He should think about the plot and listen carefully to how his parents read to him. But it is not always possible to interest the child in the book, because usually he prefers more active games and activities.
This is largely due to the high activity of the child during the day: excess energy prevents him from concentrating on a quiet pastime. Therefore, it is better for both toddlers and children 5-6 years old to read fairy tales at night, when they have already got tired and want to spend the rest of the day in peace.
Evening reading calms the child’s mobile psyche and tune him to a quiet sleep. Fairy tales and stories heard at night are better memorized, as children study them more carefully. If you read to your child regularly, it will gradually prepare him/her for the next important stage – learning to read.
THE BENEFITS OF READING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
At an early age you should try to interest your child with literature. If he will be happy to listen to parents reading to him fairy tales and stories, he will show more enthusiasm in the further study of letters and sounds. And, conversely, if a child has not been read enough, he will not have such a desire to learn to read literature.
And although it is not necessary to be able to read in the first grade, teachers and psychologists strongly recommend to train this skill before school. If a child learns to read and write in advance, it will be easier for him to cope with the learning load and adapt to classes. But learning to read should also be done correctly.
It is necessary to work through each of the important stages: sound, alphabetic, postural and word-by-word. This is the only way to consistently prepare the child so that he would not have to learn to read correctly. It is not always possible to choose a training program on their own, so most parents give their children to special courses where they can gradually learn to read.
When reading training is supervised by an experienced teacher, the child improves his or her text skills more effectively. Thanks to such classes it is possible to quickly pass and consolidate the material that will become the basis for further learning at school.