Some of the excuses I hear when I ask parents why they don’t take their children to story time are:
- “I don’t have time.” There are several libraries and bookstores that offer story times that last less than one hour! We make time for what’s important!
- “I don’t know where or what time story time is offered.” A quick search on the internet resolves this dilemma!
- “My child can’t stay still.” Keyword CHILD. That’s normal and expected! Plus, how will he practice if you never give him a chance!
- “We already read at home, we don’t need story time.” Story time and reading at home provide very different experiences.
Honestly I cringe when I hear those excuses because that’s all they are, excuses! Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but I’ve always had a no-nonsense attitude when it comes to children and literacy!
- Continue to instill the love for literacy- Books should be introduced to baby since they are in the womb. Bringing them to story time, should make that love for books stronger.
- Interact with language through play- Whether your child is just a couple months old or 3 years old, they learn best through play. Story time is a perfect time to let them interact.
- Learn how to socialize and interact with other children- what a better place to practice social skills than story time where there’s plenty other children the same age as your babe
- Learn and reinforce developmentally appropriate skills- You can teach your child all day long, but sometimes they need to learn from someone else. Story time is perfect because they can learn from their peers or teacher!
- Guidance for parents- I’m a teacher myself, yet I am always learning new activities I can do at home with my child from story time
- Friendships- This is for both child and parent, whether you are at your local library or a bookstore’s story time, it’s the perfect place to make friends!
- Programs- The programs offered will vary by place, but your little one will be exposed to several fun and hands- on programs! My son’s favorite has got to be the animal encounters where a local park will bring out a couple animals and they can interact with them.
- Family- story time is the perfect place for your little one to spend quality time not only with you but with other family members. My little ones really love when grandma or grandpa get to come along!
- Get out of the house-it is easy to fall into a boring routine, but our babies deserve to be stimulated and given a chance to explore!
- Fun- simple and to the point, story time is fun! Whether the parachute is out or kids are completing a craft, story time is always a good time!
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Final Thoughts
Whether you decide to take your child every week, or once a month, be consistent. Give your child the opportunity to explore and interact with others in an environment that is appropriate for their age. It is imperative to develop early literacy skills!
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