Share A Story

May is National Share-A-Story Month; an annual celebration of the power of storytelling and story sharing. Sharing stories with your child:

Strengthens your relationship – Reading together lets you slow down and creates some quiet time in a busy day. Enjoying a book together brings you closer.

Boosts academic achievements – Many scientific studies have shown that children exposed to reading early in life are more likely to do well in all areas of education.

Improves basic speech skills – While you’re reading The Gruffalo for the gazillionth time, your child is reinforcing the basic sounds that form language.

Helps with learning to read – Children aren’t born knowing that text is read from left to right, or that the words on a page are separate from the images. Essential pre-reading skills like these are among the major benefits of reading with your child.

Improves mastery of language – Toddlers who shared books with their parents and siblings, develop a better grasp of the fundamentals of language as they approach school age.

Enhances concentration and discipline – Toddlers may initially squirm and become distracted during story time, but gradually they learn to listen. They develop self-discipline, longer attention span, and better memory retention, which are all valuable skills in school.

Teaches kids that reading is fun! Reading with children helps them see books as an indulgence, not a chore. Children exposed to reading are more likely to choose books over video games, television, and other forms of entertainment as they grow older.

By Sarah Davey

Here are a few to choose from:
Bedtime Stories (Children’s favourite tales)
Sleepytime Stories (Usborne Baby Bedtime Books)
Seabean: Book 1 of the Seabean Trilogy (Seabean Trilogy 1)
SeaWAR: Book 2 of the SeaBEAN Trilogy