TV, Ipads and video games have completely replaced the tradition of reading books. Still, with bedtime story reading, parents can hope their children develop a love for books. In fact, apart from developing an interest in books for kids, bedtime stories do more wonders. And here are some of the benefits of reading bedtime stories to your children
Bedtime stories build imagination
Albert Einstein said- “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world.”
Reading books to your kids before they sleep helps develop their cognition. The pictures, the words, the flow makes a child think about what will happen next. We cannot expect the same from videos because the next frame appears before the child can think or start to imagine himself.
Children usually sleep while listening to stories. But reading sparks their imagination as they start imagining the words we read and create pictures in their head.
Reading bedtime stories develop a routine
Children get to know that it’s time to sleep after their bedtime story is over. It develops a routine and marks an end to the day. Creating a regular reading time for bedtime stories helps create a regular sleeping cycle for children. Their minds become conditioned to sleep around the same time they start hearing their stories, once a daily routine is formed.
Bedtime reading helps in bonding with children
Children also go through a lot in a day. Those might be petty things for us but are quite a deal for them because every day they encounter so many new things. A little cuddle and the feeling that his parents are near him incorporates warmth. Here, we say, parents also feel connected with their child when he starts sharing his hard time and reaches you out for help.
When should you stop reading bedtime stories to your kids?
Normally parents stop reading bedtime stories by the time their child grows 6. But, recent research says, parents should continue reading stories until their child is 11. Anyways, we would suggest you must analyze your child’s interest and accordingly continue reading stories. Nevertheless, bedtime stories are a great medium to connect and spend quality time with your child. Thinking to start with which book? Here’s some suggestion.
5 good bedtime story books for kids
- Good Night, Good Knight by Shelley Moore
- Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
- Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- Pass the Celery, Ellery! by Jeffrey Fisher Gaga