Here is one of many articles that The Creativity
Institute has reviewed and reprinted on nurturing creativity in
children and on educational toys. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers
and school age children can all benefit from the right educational
toys at the right ages, to help them learn that creative choices
are good choices.
If You'd Like to Know Why Reading Matters
by Barbara Freedman-De Vito
Here Are Some of the Reasons Why Reading Is
So Important for Children
Why Do We Tell Children to Read ?
We're always telling children that books and
reading are good for them, but have we ever really thought about
why that's true ? Exactly what do older children get out of reading
novels ? What do younger kids get from reading children's stories
and being read to ? Does reading matter ?
The purpose of this article is to say that,
yes, it's true, reading really is important, and that there are
some solid reasons why that is so. Let's begin with the practical
benefits and then move on to the less tangible rewards of a life
filled with reading.
Books Help Children Develop Vital Language
Skills
Reading is an important skill that needs to
be developed in children. Not only is it necessary for survival
in the world of schools and (later on) universities, but in adult
life as well. The ability to learn about new subjects and find
helpful information on anything from health problems and consumer
protection to more academic research into science or the arts
depends on the ability to read.
Futurologists used to predict the death of
the printed word but, ironically, Internet has made reading more
and more a part of people's daily lives. The paperless society
is a myth. The computer's ability to process and analyze data
means that endless variations on reports and other types of documents
can be and are generated. Internet, itself an enormous new source
of information and recreation, is based on the humble written
word. To effectively utilize the web and judge the authenticity
and value of what is found there, both reading and critical thinking
skills are of prime importance.
The more children read, the better they become
at reading. It's as simple as that. The more enjoyable the things
they read are, the more they'll stick with them and develop the
reading skills that they'll need for full access to information
in their adult lives. Reading should be viewed as a pleasurable
activity - as a source of entertaining tales and useful and interesting
factual information.
The more young children read stories and are
read to, the greater their interest in mastering reading. Reading
out loud exposes children to proper grammar and phrasing. It enhances
the development of their spoken language skills, their ability
to express themselves verbally.
Reading, by way of books, children's stories,
magazines or websites, exposes kids to new vocabulary. Even when
they don't understand every new word, they absorb something from
the context that may deepen their understanding of it the next
time the word is encountered. When parents read aloud to children,
the children also hear correct pronunciation as they see the words
on the page, even if they can't yet read the words on their own.
Reading Can Open Up New Worlds and Enrich Children's
Lives
As mentioned above, reading opens doors - doors
to factual information about any subject on earth, practical or
theoretical. Given the wealth of available resources such as Internet,
libraries, schools and bookstores, if children can read well and
if they see reading as a source of information, then for the rest
of their lives they will have access to all of the accumulated
knowledge of mankind, access to all of the great minds and ideas
of the past and present. It truly is magic !
Through books and stories, children can also
learn about people and places from other parts of the world, improving
their understanding of and concern for all of humanity. This,
in turn, contributes towards our sense that we truly live in a
"global village" and may help us bring about a more
peaceful future for everyone. This can happen through nonfiction
but, perhaps even more importantly, reading stories that are set
in other places and time periods can give children a deeper understanding
of others through identification with individual characters and
their plights.
Through stories and novels children can vicariously
try out new experiences and test new ideas, with no negative consequences
in their real lives. They can meet characters who they'll enjoy
returning to for comforting and satisfying visits when they reread
a cherished book or discover a sequel. Books also give kids the
opportunity to flex their critical thinking skills in such areas
as problem solving, the concepts of cause and effect, conflict
resolution, and acceptance of responsibility for one's actions.
Mysteries allow children to follow clues to their logical conclusions
and to try to outguess the author. Even for very young children,
a simple story with a repetitive refrain or a simple mystery to
solve gives a confidence boost. Children can predict the patterns
and successfully solve the riddles.
Children are influenced by and imitate the
world around them. While a steady diet of violent cartoons may
have a detrimental effect on children's development, carefully
chosen stories and books can have a positive influence on children,
sensitizing them to the needs of others. For example, books can
encourage children to be more cooperative, to share with others,
to be kind to animals, or to respect the natural environment.
Reading Can Enhance Children's Social Skills
Although reading is thought of as the quintessential
solitary activity, in certain circumstances reading can be a socializing
activity. For example, a parent or grandparent reading a story
aloud, whether from a traditional printed book or from an ebook,
can be a great opportunity for adult and child to share some quiet,
relaxed quality time together away from the rush and stresses
of the business of daily living. They share a few minutes of precious
time, plus they share the ideas that are contained in the story.
In addition, older children can be encouraged to read aloud to
younger ones as a means of enhancing their relationship.
At school or at a library story hour, books
can bring children together and can be part of a positive shared
experience. For some preschoolers this may be their primary opportunity
to socialize and to learn how to behave around other children
or how to sit quietly for a group activity. Make the most of this
experience by encouraging children to talk about what they've
read or heard.
Reading Can Improve Hand-Eye Coordination
It may sound funny, but ebooks can be a way
for children to improve their fine motor skills and their hand-eye
coordination, as they click around a childfriendly website or
click the backward and forward buttons of online story pages.
They may also be picking up valuable computer skills that they'll
need in school and later in life.
Reading Can Provide Children with Plenty of
Good, Clean Fun
I've saved the most important point for last.
Reading can provide children with endless hours of fun and entertainment.
All of the pragmatic reasons above aren't at all necessary to
justify reading's place in children's lives. Stories can free
up imaginations and open up exciting new worlds of fantasy or
reality. They allow children to dream and may give them a good
start on the road to viewing reading as a lifelong source of pleasure;
so read to your young children every day.
Inspire your older children to read. Give them
access to plenty of reading material that they'll enjoy and discuss
it with them. Sample everything - traditional printed books and
ebooks on Internet, classic children's novels and fairy tales,
as well as more modern stories.
If a child wants to hear the same story over
and over again, don't worry about it. Children take comfort from
the familiarity and predictability of a beloved story that they
know by heart. There's no harm in that. Reread old favorites and,
at the same time, introduce your children to new stories. Your
child's mind and heart have room for both.
So Reading Really Does Matter After All
There are so many ways in which reading continues
to be both a vital skill for children to master, and an important
source of knowledge and pleasure that can last a lifetime. Nurture
it in your children. Make the most of all the resources that are
available and waiting for you: printed books, online stories,
magazines and so forth. Encourage follow-up activities involving
creative writing skills and the arts, as well, so that your children
can reflect upon or expand on what they've absorbed and, at the
same time, develop their own creativity. As you help your kids
appreciate the magic of reading, you'll find that there's a whole
wonderful world full of children's literature out there that YOU
can enjoy too.
About The Author
Barbara Freedman-De Vito © 2005
Barbara Freedman-De Vito, children's librarian,
teacher, professional storyteller, and artist, writes and illustrates
animated children's stories which are available at http://www.babybirdproductions.com
which also has free games and educational activities for children,
teachers and parents. Clothing and gift items decorated with artwork
from the stories are also available.
mail@babybirdproductions.com
MORE ON CHILD CREATIVITY
Make
your child
more creative for life.
Every child has creative
ability just waiting to be tapped. Even infants have budding creative
potential. The right educational toys can bring it out. and let
children enjoy the benefits of creative pursuits at many levels.
Infants,
toddlers,
preschoolers,
early
school age and older
school age children all delight in opportunities for creative
expression through colors, shapes and sounds.
At The Creativity Institute, we handpick each infant educational
toy, every creative plaything, each piece of furniture and every
toy musical instrument based on its potential for developing vital
creative resources in your child.
Toy
pianos, oversized
foam building blocks, puppet
theaters and puppet stages and people
and animal hand puppets, art
supplies and children's
easels, play
tents and more. The scale and durability of many of these
toys make them perfect for classrooms, homeschool,
day care centers and waiting rooms, too. The benefits of nurturing
creativity can be profound, offering children tools for success
in all endeavors athletic, artistic or academic. Let your baby
begin now.