Once upon a time...
What do these words remind you of? Maybe your childhood, especially if you were read to before going to sleep... Sharing stories with your children is to awaken their curiosity and their desire to dream. It's a special time that you'll enjoy together and that will also foster their love of reading from an early age. Reading bedtime stories has many benefits.
Reading bedtime stories is good for children
It helps them fall asleep
When it's time to tell the story, it's important to do so in a relaxed and calm atmosphere. The goal is for the bedtime story and the parents' reassuring voice to help the child fall asleep peacefully.
spark their imagination
Stories told by parents first, and then reading, are excellent tools to stimulate children's imagination and creativity.
Stimulate interest in reading
Getting toddlers used to listening to stories and handling books helps stimulate their interest in reading. From kindergarten on, you can also regularly visit your local library to choose new books together. If you involve them in the choice of books, they will feel valued!
Increase their attention span and expand their vocabulary
While you are reading, they are paying attention and retaining the smallest details, which is very important for their cognitive development. Plus, books are one of the best sources of vocabulary. Children will learn new words and naturally incorporate them into their language. This will also help them with their speech development.
Reading time in a soothing environment
To have a good reading time with your child, make yourself comfortable in his or her room, so that this soothing time takes place in the place where he or she will sleep. If you read on the couch in the living room, the transition to the bedroom may be difficult, but if your child has a good time in his or her room, he or she will be less apprehensive about falling asleep. For this, sit in an armchair or in a relaxation area on the floor, or on the child's bed if he is already old enough to have a junior bed. Tipi beds are excellent bases for creating a playful environment, the child can customize them with balloons, garlands, cushions ... They allow them to develop their imagination and become the protagonists of stories. The beds become "cabins" where everything is possible, even magic!
Evening reading is also beneficial for parents
The special time of evening reading is beneficial not only for the children, but also for the parents.
It is an opportunity to transmit values
Explaining certain things to children can be complicated, but stories are your allies. through short and funny stories, you can share learnings and values that will accompany them throughout their lives.
You will learn to communicate better
Following this routine will help you convey messages more clearly to capture your children's attention. They don't always understand what we want to express because we express ourselves with our adult vocabulary. With stories, communication is often easier.
Lots to share
It is in these moments of complicity that we can also say things to each other. Don't just read a book: the best thing to do is to go further and share your feelings, likes, fears and thoughts. Let yourself go!
Go back to your childhood
Reconnect with the child you were! Children's literature is the perfect way to get you dreaming again and to immerse yourself in a playful universe, this time with your children. What if your child's blanket became the main hero of a new story? Don't hesitate to invent your own stories, stories that come entirely from your imagination, that will make the reading moment even more special.
Disconnect from reality
when the story is over and the children have fallen asleep, you will have managed to relax and experience a moment of peace and quiet. Can you think of a better way to end the day?
In today's world, we live connected most of the time, but through these moments of reading with our children, we can see the positive benefits on our minds and a decrease in our stress. This routine repeated every night before bed will prepare the children for a peaceful and restful sleep, while providing you with a moment of calm.
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