Hive Blog
Why should we read picture books to kids?
26/10/2020
"Picture books stimulate a state of mind in children that words alone can't achieve". - by J. Richard Gentry
Picture books are essential to foster a love for books and reading among children at an early stage where the child cannot read. Reading aloud picture books to young children is the best way to connect and strengthen bonds with your child. And, it also depends on how you're reading it to them.
Reading picture books is crucial because it helps to develop your child's thinking, listening, observing and visualizing abilities. It helps to learn concepts, new words, feelings, emotions. The illustrations in the picture books help students to connect with the text and create a love for the art. Charles Ghigna says "It is the joyous power of picture books that turns young listeners into readers and readers into writers,"
Here are a few tips from Litworld.org you may use for a read-aloud with your child at home.
Use voice modulations. Modulate your voice for each character in the story, read with expressions so kids will enjoy and will be hooked on the narrative.
You can summarize the story if there is a lot of text in the story, especially when you are reading for younger kids, avoid reading the whole book. You can take a story walk and use illustrations to explain happenings in the story.
Make your read-aloud interactive by asking questions. Ask children to make predictions in the story or what do they feel about the characters etc.
After reading a story, ask them to reflect on it. Have a conversation with the child about characters, ask them to make connections. This interaction depends upon what information or story you are reading to them.
Have fun with a few Picture Books from the epic and enjoy reading it to your child.
To know more about Read Aloud visit - https://www.readaloud.org.
Thank you
Sushma Sakpal
PYP Teacher Librarian