Palejovo ABC - READING

Studies have shown that reading affects children's brain activity. When listening to a story, the brain centers responsible for memory and understanding the meaning of words are activated, hence there is more brain activity in children who are used to reading books at home. New neural connections are formed in young readers, so by reading books to your kids you help them develop in areas related to learning, as well as social skills. Children who are regularly read to are more efficient at combining words into sentences, communicating and expressing themselves through language.

Reading is worthwhile at any time of the day, although researchers have found that reading to children before bedtime or naptime makes it easier for them to remember new words that appear in the text. So not only is it a wonderful ritual and experience that children will remember fondly years later, but it is also an investment in the development of their passive vocabulary, i.e. increasing the stock of words they understand.

When reading to children, let's choose books in such a way that they are not only interesting and valuable reading for them, but also for adults to enjoy. This is especially important during the period when children want the same book to be read to them again and again. It will be easier to pass through this natural and developmental stage by reading something that we ourselves enjoy.

We must also not forget that reading to children benefits your relationship with each other. Physical proximity, touch and warmth, and the opportunity to cuddle with a loved one is a resource from which child and adult can draw handfuls. Therefore, remember not to treat reading as an unpleasant chore, but as a precious moment that belongs only to you. It is during reading that the child can open up to you and tell you about events that are important to him, what is on his heart, what makes him happy and what worries him. Listen carefully, even if it means interrupting the story.

The stories a child hears in books are not only a stimulus for them to talk about themselves and their experiences, but also show them what norms prevail in society, which behaviors are welcome and which are not. Books inspire them about how to resolve conflicts, what to do when we are sad or angry. Through fairy tales, we can also bring them closer to the behaviors that we ourselves value or don't tolerate at all. And such stories can be a great point for discussion, including about the values we want to share with our child. This is why it is so important to make reading a process in which the child is actively involved. We will benefit most when we ask questions about the characters in the story and the situations they find themselves in. You can also help the child develop his cause-and-effect thinking, concentration and imagination. Questions such as: "What do you think the protagonist should do", "How would you behave in such a situation?", "What would you do differently?", "What do you think will happen next?", "Who from this story would you choose as a friend? Why exactly this character?", "What did you like the most and what did you like less?".

It's a good idea to share your observations about the book you read with your child. Just let it be a dialogue, not an interrogation. Such interactive reading is a real treasure trove of skills. In addition to all the skills mentioned above, the child also trains decision-making, develops empathy and understanding towards the choices and experiences of others, learns that the world is full of diversity, and that people sometimes choose differently from him and have every right to do so.

Literature is one way of learning about the surrounding world and oneself, and a child looks to books for his role models. Thanks to this, he trains skills needed in everyday life. Identifying with the characters of the book, the toddler has the opportunity to process difficult and sometimes scary topics for him in a safe environment. He has a chance to tame fear, anger or feelings of loneliness. A well-chosen reading will also help the child get used to new and disturbing events, such as a move, the birth of a sibling or an upcoming operation. Books can provide children with much more comfort than rational adult explanations. Together with the empathetic support of a caregiver, they can give encouragement and hope and put children's thoughts in order. However, to make sure the book serves the child, talk to the child. If he doesn't feel like talking at the moment, let's ourselves share with him thoughts or stories from our own lives that are similar to those in the fairy tale.

What if your child is playing with blocks, drawing, doing puzzles while listening? Do you get the feeling that you are reading to yourself or the walls in the room? Nothing could be further from the truth. Sometimes it's too much of a challenge for young children to sit still, and it's easier for them to concentrate on listening when they're quietly playing. So don't be discouraged and keep reading. The child is listening. This way - by not forcing your toddler to sit in one place and stare at a book, you increase the chance that he will be more willing to read on his own in the future. And when reading is fun for you as well - you will change voices, intonation, get excited about the adventures of the characters, then the child will come to you sooner than expected and listen to the story with interest, without the need to focus on other activities.

Literature:

- Aram D., Fine Y., Ziv M. (2013), Enhancing parent-child shared book reading interactions: Promoting references to the book's plot and socio-cognitive themes, Early Childhood Research Quarterly
- Hutton J., Horowitz-Kraus T., Mendelsohn A. L., DeWitt T., Holland S. K. (2015), Home Reading Environment and Brain Activation in Preschool Children Listening to Stories, Pediatrics
- Protzko J., Aronson J., Blair C. (2013), How to Make a Young Child Smarter: Evidence From the Database of Raising Intelligence, Perspectives on Psychological Science
- Williams S. E., Horst J. S. (2014), Goodnight book: sleep consolidation improves word learning via storybooks, Frontiers Psychology