Bedtime Stories
We all know that a bedtime story is recommended as part of the bedtime routine, that it will help your child know it is time to go to sleep and that (fingers crossed!) it might even help them to wind down after a busy day and make for a much calmer, quieter bedtime. But the benefits go much deeper than this and will last a lifetime.
At the end of a busy day, it is easy to rush through bedtime with the thought of a comfy sofa and Netflix waiting for you downstairs. However, taking a moment together, without any distractions is so important for your little one. There are very few times during the day where your child will have your complete attention, and this is so important for building strong family bonds and helping them feel safe and secure. A bedtime story provides a comfort blanket for a child. Reading aloud can help reduce stress levels, it helps you child to feel special and loved and they love having your undivided attention! The benefits of this are that a child who feels secure at bedtime will sleep much better and, as they begin to look forward to their favourite stories, they will enjoy bedtime; no more tears and tantrums.
Snuggling with your child and going together on a magical reading adventure is certainly reason enough to include bedtime stories in your evening routine however, your child is getting much than a wonderful memory. Reading aloud allows your child the space to follow a story without having to read the words themselves. As young children they will look carefully at the pictures and surprise you with the things they spot that you haven't noticed. As your children get older and can read independently, the reduced effort in not having to read themselves allows their imagination to really kick in as they create their own visual images for the story. The more you read together, the more you will find your child asking questions about the story but also beginning to make links between events and characters in the book and events and people in their life. This is a safe environment for them to learn about the world and talk about things that might be worrying them.
Books use a much greater diversity of language than any of us do in our everyday lives. Stories will expose your child to more sophisticated and precise language. Children need to hear a word used in context between 11 and 20 times before they remember it and you will find that, particularly at bedtime, younger children will love the repetition of reading the same stories (and often in the same order!) every night. For older children, as you read aloud to them, they are able to access language and stories that are beyond their independent ability. Many parents stop reading a bedtime with their children once they reach 6 or 7 but there is much for older children to gain from being read to.
A love for reading is absolutely fundamental to your child's future reading success. A bedtime story is the perfect way for them to experience the wonders of a fantastic story.
