Why do we do storytime? Besides offering entertainment to your infant or toddler, storytime is a critical part of their early childhood development.
At our Vancouver daycare, storytime is a regular, cherished ritual. Reading aloud to our little ones is an essential part of our curriculum at our Vancouver child care centres, laying the foundation for important skills and growth.
Here’s why making time for storytime is so important.
1. Enhances language development
Toddlers are soaking in language at a rapid rate, and storytime provides a rich environment for them to expand their vocabulary and comprehension skills. Hearing new words in context helps toddlers understand their meanings and use them in everyday speech. Research shows that regular exposure to books encourages the development of listening and speaking skills, which are essential for communication and language development.
2. Boosts cognitive skills
As you read to your toddler, you improve their cognitive skills. You introduce them to concepts like colors, numbers, shapes, and animals while developing their memory, attention span, and ability to follow instructions. Moreover, as toddlers become familiar with the structure of stories, they begin to understand how narratives unfold, which is a critical thinking skill that supports learning in other areas like math and science.
3. Fosters emotional development and resilience
Storytime helps kids develop healthy emotional growth. Stories often contain characters experiencing a wide range of emotions, like joy, sadness, fear, and excitement. These characters give toddlers an opportunity to identify with others’ feelings, helping them understand and express their own emotions.
Tip: asking them questions throughout the reading is an excellent way to support their emotional growth. Ask questions like, “How would you feel in this situation?” and “What would you do if you felt this way?” to encourage the processing and understanding of emotions.
4. Strengthens parent-child bonding
Studies show that storytime brings parents and children closer together, strengthening their relationship. The shared moment of reading together fosters connection and emotional closeness. This bonding time can improve a child’s sense of security, making them feel more loved and supported.
Don’t skip out on storytime! It’s not only for their intellectual growth, but also for your closeness and bonding.
5. Encourages a love for books and learning
Introducing toddlers to stories early on helps nurture a love for reading that can last a lifetime. The more books they are exposed to, the more likely they are to develop a passion for reading as they grow. This early exposure sets the stage for academic success later in life, as children who enjoy reading are more likely to excel in school.
Storytime is an essential part of a toddler’s development. By making time for stories and reading together, you provide your little one with a wealth of opportunities to grow emotionally, cognitively, and socially.
At our Vancouver preschool near you, reading is a cherished part of our everyday curriculum. We choose stories that teach important lessons along the way, so our little readers can go that much further in their learning.
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Rainforest Learning Centre Vancouver child care centres are located in North Vancouver, Langley and Coquitlam and serve the surrounding areas of Upper Lonsdale, Central Lonsdale, Metro Vancouver, Burnaby, North Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey and White Rock. We offer Vancouver group daycare, all-day preschool for ages 2 1/2 to 5, infant and toddler care for ages 1 to 3, half-day preschool for ages 3 to 5, and before- and after-school care for ages 5 to 12. Learn more here.