There is no substitute for books in the life of a child. - Mary Ellen Chase
Books play a key role in language development by exposing children to the various aspects of speech, language and communication, introducing them to concepts, topics and places to which they would not otherwise be exposed, helping them to relax and wind down, and motivating them to move and groove. Just as importantly, story time presents an opportunity for parents to bond with their children. That being said, however, I have found that many parents do not read to their children, the most frequent explanation being that their children will not sit for books. If this sounds all too familiar to you, then read on.
For very young children, or those who are always too busy to sit for story time, I find that the best types of books to begin with fall into four categories:
- Song books
- Books with moving parts (turn wheel, pop-up and flap books)
- Sensory/touch and feel books
- Books which include a child’s favorite character.
Having fun is a child’s job, as that is how they learn. If your child does not enjoy books, however, getting him to a point where he considers books to be fun may be a challenging task and will likely require persistence on our part. One tip that I generally pass on to parents is this: the adult holds the book. This is essential, not only because it establishes that the adult is in charge of the activity, but it allows the adult to set the pace and prevents the child from ripping pages and flipping through the book without attending to the words.
Interested is some additional tips? I'd be glad to share. Please comment.
1 comment:
Thanks Vicky for providing a site for parents. I work in early intervention also . . . I use books as a tool for so many of the wonderful outcomes you mentioned in your article. I'd like to have your site listed as a resource link on my site, if you don't mind. It think your blog is a nice tool for all, interventionists and parents - who are really one in the same! -ali
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