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Reading to young children is something that parents, carers, and family members have enjoyed for generations.
Whether it’s a staple of your bedtime routine or just a quiet moment during a busy day, there are multiple benefits to reading to little ones right from birth. In this guide, we explore the developmental advantages of storytime and share our top tips to make reading a fun, relaxing experience for everyone.
Life as a little one is action-packed. Reading offers a calm, one-on-one wind-down period. Children look forward to storytime because they have your full, undivided attention, making it a deeply comforting part of their day.
Setting aside time every day to look at books provides a sense of routine. This is especially useful if your child finds change challenging; a familiar story offers consistency even in new environments.
Children’s books often include words you might not use in daily conversation. Learning these new words helps children better express their own feelings and gives them a head start for school.
Following along with a story develops crucial listening, communication, and thinking skills. It also teaches important principles like cause and effect, right and wrong, and logical thinking.
As children begin to understand words and descriptions, reading helps them transform sounds into mental images. Storytime naturally inspires them to:
Learn about diverse characters, new perspectives, and different life experiences.
Re-enact parts of the story or invent their own storylines through play.
Ask questions about what happens after the story ends, deepening their curiosity.
Reading doesn’t come naturally to everyone. If you find it challenging to make storytime an enjoyable experience, try these practical tips:
Ditch the Clock: It doesn’t have to be at bedtime. Make it a regular part of the day at a time that actually works for your family’s schedule.
Process the Pictures: Take time on each page. Look at and talk about the illustrations together, rather than just reading the words.
Ask Questions: Ask your child what they think about the characters or what might happen next, especially if it’s a new topic.
Mix it Up: Keep things interesting by occasionally choosing “wordless” picture books, allowing you and your child to make up the story yourselves.
Follow Their Pace: If you don’t finish a story because they lose interest, that is completely fine! You can always come back to it another time.
If you are a parent with dyslexia, you may not have had the most positive experiences with reading yourself. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy storytime with your little one. Try these gentle strategies:
Prep in Advance: Ask your child to choose the book earlier in the day. This gives you a chance to read it through privately and get comfortable with the flow.
Use Technology: Check any tricky words beforehand using a text-to-speech app on your phone to hear the pronunciation.
Embrace Mistakes: It is perfectly okay to make mistakes or take time working out a sentence. Doing this together actually helps your child learn problem-solving skills!
Focus on Fun: Change your voice for different characters, laugh at silly storylines, and focus on the connection rather than reading perfectly.
Kids Planet is a family-led group of early years settings. We know the value of reading and stories, and we love supporting children to develop these skills during their time with us.
If you’re looking for a nurturing setting for your child to experience the benefits of nursery, we’d love to meet you.
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