The Benefits of Storytelling For Children

Children love stories. Storytelling has major benefits for children, beyond just the fact that children love to hear stories!

Storytelling is quickly becoming a lost art, but it's something you should strive to preserve for your children, at least in simple ways. We're told today that we should read to our children, all the time. That's true. Books are wonderful and there's a joy in reading to your child that you don't want to miss. But there's also a lot of value in telling stories to your children - telling stories with no book in sight.

Childrens Books

Children today often live in a media-soaked environment. There are televisions and computers everywhere. They offer rapidly-changing entertainments and fast-paced games to keep children mindlessly entertained. Even many books today are "dumbed-down" and written at a fast, unintelligent pace to keep children entertained rather than engaged. They contain gimmicky or just plain tacky cartoon characters and gaudy colors to keep kids turning pages.

The Benefits of Storytelling For Children

Storytelling removes all of these negative characteristics and has huge benefits for your child.

Don't be intimidated by the thought of telling stories to your child. It's not hard. If you start when your child is young you can begin with very, very simple stories. These can be stories of a little one who gets up, plays with his toys, and then has breakfast. These simple stories are actually your toddler's day! But your toddler doesn't realize that and loves it.

Simple stories like these help give rhythm and routine to your child's day, and helps them learn about their world. You can add in simple animal stories, making up a short story about a mother dog and her puppies running around in their yard, playing with a toy ball. Young children love simple animal stories. These stories also help them learn.

Storytelling goes beyond this kind of learning, however. You start with short stories when your child is a toddler and gradually move to telling longer stories. As your child grows he or she learns to sit still and quietly, listening to a story being woven around him or her.

Young children need to be in movement. They are active, alive, and vibrant. However, there is also great benefit to learning to be still and quiet. Good storytelling captures your child and pulls him or her in. You child learns to sit and listen, to really get inside the story.

Storytelling allows your child to create images in his or her imagination. Your child can vividly transport himself or herself inside the story, becoming the character - or at least picturing the characters and the scenes how he or she wants to.

Storytelling is a warm, living tradition with nothing between you and your child. Just the warmth of your bodies and the enjoyment of anticipation.

Again, don't be intimidated by stories. As your child grows you can begin telling simple fairy tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs. You can also tell stories from your own childhood. Children love to hear stories from your childhood! You can also share stories from other family members. Children treasure these stories.

As your child gets older you probably will want to tell more complex, involved stories. It's not hard to remember longer fairy tales and stories - read through them a few times, remembering the main points. You don't need to tell them word for word. You can also use prompts, like finger puppets or small objects to remind you of points in the stories.

Telling stories is very enriching to your child and his or her imagination. It teaches them that there are times for quiet stillness, and prepares them for sitting while you read chapter books out loud. It's also a wonderful way to just be with your child, and to pass down stories of your own childhood and family history. It doesn't take much effort and can be a warm, enjoyable time for both you and your child.

The Benefits of Storytelling For Children

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