The first five years of your child’s life are the most crucial for their cognitive development. These ‘foundation years’ are the perfect time to introduce them to fundamental skills that they will build upon for the rest of their lives. For example, developing a love for reading at an early age is invaluable not only from an educational standpoint, but also integral for sparking your child’s imagination. As adults, a lot of us enjoy getting lost in a page-turning novel, but that same engagement is stimulated in our little ones when we read with them. In this blog, we’ll discuss the importance of storytime, as well as 10 of the must-read books for your child.
The Importance of Storytime
Key benefits of reading with your child include:
- Emotional development: reading helps children to express empathy as they come to understand and identify with characters in stories.
- Cognitive development: routine exposure to books will support your child’s understanding of phonetics, widen their vocabulary and improve their attention span – useful skills for when school rolls around.
- Relationship building: making storytime a part of your daily routine creates a shared activity during which parents and children can bond, fostering a stronger relationship and affirming your love and affection for your little one.
10 Books To Read With Your Child
- ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, Eric Carle: this timeless classic features interactive illustrations. As they follow what the hungry caterpillar eats, children are introduced to counting in an accessible way.
- ‘Peace At Last’, Jill Murphy: the beautiful illustrations, familiar noises and repetition make Peace At Last a widely beloved bedtime story.
- ‘The Gruffalo’, Julia Donaldson: a modern classic for a reason, this rhyming tale of a monster and a mouse serves as a heart-warming tale for young readers.
- ‘Lulu’s First Day’, Anna McQuinn: children will find themselves relating to Lulu as she navigates her first day at preschool.
- ‘Mr Wolf’s Pancakes’, Jan Fearnley: this funny, modern twist on fairy tale classics is bound to get your little ones laughing.
- ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’, Judith Kerr: a moving story combined with expressive illustrations that’s perfect for reading aloud.
- ‘How Do You Make a Rainbow?’Caroline Crow: this incredibly sweet story celebrates love, positivity and finding colour in everyday life.
- ‘Aliens Love Underpants’, Claire Freedman: funny and creatively illustrated, the rhyming tone of this story is great for getting your little one involved.
- ‘The Girl and the Dinosaur’, Hollie Hughes: this rhythmic fable explores the power of dreams and the magic of a child’s imagination.
- ‘Daddy Lions Tea Party’, Mark Sperring: featuring a bunch of delightful zoo animals, this picture book is full of noise and amusement.
Need More Advice on Parent-Child Bonding?
If you’re looking for ways to help you and your child bond in a safe, supportive environment, why not come along to Little Acorns’ Kids Club? Hosted on the first Saturday morning of each month at our sites in Eastleigh and Hedge End, our children’s club offers parents the opportunity to spend quality time with their children by joining them at the nursery for a few hours. For more information about how you can get involved, please contact us.