The benefits of bedtime stories for children

The benefits of bedtime stories for children

Telling story is not a difficult job. Children usually like listening to their parents stories especially before they are going to bed. It is not an extra activity. Spend a few minutes every day to tell a story to your children. And you will see the good effects on them.

1. Increase language proficiency

Someone communication’s ability is affected by his or her language proficiency in their childhood. By telling stories since they were a child helps them develop their language proficiency. When they are listening to a story, they listen to many words, terms, sentence structures, expressions and proverbs. Some there are some words which are not familiar to them. At that time parents explain the new words to their children. Introducing to these many language elements can increase their language proficiency.

1. Increase listening ability

A research in London found that 2 third of children want to have much more time listening to stories before going to bed. 75 percent of them would like their parents to tell the stories. When parents tell a story, they pay attention to the story. By listening, they learn how words are pronounced. When listening becomes a habit, automatically they also learn how to concentrate and train their logical ability. At the beginning, they may not listen to your story. But, when they listen to it again and again, they start paying attention to style and sequence of the story. When they give comments, questions, it means that they listen to the story well.

1. Increase verbal communication ability

An interesting topic makes children want to discuss about the content of the story. A dialogue between parents while they are telling stories and their children is the experience in verbal communication. Based on it, they will learn how to ask questions, give response, and give opinions. Therefore, while telling stories, it is hoped that there is a two way communication.

1. Increase conceptual ability

Stories introduce some new concepts for children. Some abstract concepts like respect, love, and help can be understood through stories. Those concepts are reflected in their real life. It is better to choose a story with some concepts in line with their development.

1. Increase problem solving ability

Children get problem solving ability from their real life as well as from stories read to them. The more stories they listen, the more knowledge they will get. Stories make them learn some occurrences, some characters, cause and effect. With their wide knowledge and their god logic, children can solve their own problem.

1. Grow imagination and creativity

Stories for children have more imagination space than those for teenagers. When a story read, they will imagine what is happening in the story. These story imaginations stimulate children imagination. Their imagination can grow their adventure; see the world as an exciting place. The development of the imagination is important for their creativity.

1. Increase the Emotional Quotes (EQ)

Characters in the stories provide some emotions to the children. Through the characters, children understand what sad, happy, angry, scared, and confused is and why the people have those feelings.

1. Add moral value

Good stories must have moral values. They have moral values like appreciating friends, respecting parents, helping others, social attitudes etc. By telling stories, parents can teach the moral values in interesting way.

1. Add knoeledge.

By telling stories, information can be delivered well because it is more interesting.

1. Add knowledge about culture

Telling stories is one good media to deliver some different cultures to the children. Children will understand that there are many cultures though some characters in the story. It will be more interesting and understandable. The more they listen to the stories, the more knowledge they will get. It leads to their social interaction.

1. Increase emotional bonding between parents and children

When parents tell stories, they are close to their children. They have physical contacts like hugging, caring etc. That makes children comfortable and very close to their parents. There are also interactions; value transferring, understanding, and agreement which make children feel close emotionally with their parents.

Spend at least 15 minutes telling stories for your children before going to bed. And of course, be selective in choosing good stories for your children.

Key words: bedtime, story, listen, effects, words, sentence, language, proficiency, sequence

Description: Telling story is not a difficult job. Children usually like listening to their parents stories especially before they are going to bed.