10 Simple Tips for Parents to Master Storytime Success

Did you know that the earlier you begin reading with your child, the more beneficial it is to their early language and literacy development? While you may think reading books like The Hungry Caterpillar and Goodnight Moon are just cozy and nostalgic, they can also have a profound and positive impact on your toddler’s developing mind. Kids begin learning language well before they turn one year old and continue to build these skills with the support of their parents, grandparents, or caretakers. 

Storytime with a favorite book is an engaging and magical way for your child to build a strong language foundation and prepare them for school. There are endless benefits to creating an engaging storytime routine that kids can look forward to. Here we cover tips and strategies that will excite your child about reading, and make sure storytime is a valuable experience for everyone. 

Why is Storytime Important?

Spending one-on-one time reading with your child isn’t just warm and fuzzy—it’s great for their overall development and well-being. Getting lost in an adventure together is a fun learning experience for kids and they don’t even realize it! Here are some incredible benefits of stories for kids:

• Creates Bonding Time: Reading a story with your child can provide an amazing bonding experience. Better than toys and material things, storytime creates memories that last a lifetime.

• Sparks Imagination: Story time can fuel your child’s imagination. When listening to a story, they are transported to a different world, where they visualize imagery and embrace their creativity. This activity can encourage critical thinking to come up with unique solutions to problems. 

• Promotes Brain Development: Story time plays a huge role in your child’s brain development. When children listen to stories, their brains work hard to create images and make connections from the text. These mental processes help children develop their cognitive and language skills and improve their memory, focus, and attention span. 

• Builds Language and Literacy Skills: Talking and reading to your child helps build their vocabulary and language skills. Exposing children to a wide range of words during story time and using different tones and expressions can expand their language abilities and improve their communication skills. 

• Enhances Listening Skills: When children listen to a story, they can learn to understand, remember, and retell it in their own words. Good listening skills can help children become good communicators.

Preparation for Storytime

A successful storytime session takes a bit of planning, but is easy to achieve! Here are several ways to prepare for storytime so your little one can get the most out of the experience. 

Start by finding a quiet space. Turn off the TV or radio and put your phone on silent so your child can focus. 

Props are a great way to engage your child with. Gather props, hats, or costumes to make funny stories come alive. Ask age-appropriate questions as you read and give your child time to think and answer or predict what will happen next. Make mistakes on purpose as you read aloud and let your child correct you.

Create a cozy reading space. Make storytime different from your regular read aloud routine by creating a designated space that includes a place for your little reader to sit, like a mat on the floor with cozy pillows and blankets. 

The Importance of Consistency

Reading is a lot like working out. You’ll see results in just a couple of months if you go consistently. But, if you only go once every 6 months, you’ll be sore, miserable, and still out of shape. It’s important for your toddler to consistently flex their reading muscle in order to grow their vocabulary and better prepare them for school.  

Taking time to read every day can make a huge difference in your child’s learning journey. A new study found that young children whose parents read them five books (suitable for their age) a day start kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to. Even kids who are read only one book a day will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5 than those who don’t regularly read books with a parent or caregiver. 

Consistent reading helps kids build bonds, vocabulary, and good habits. When reading is part of a bedtime routine for example, your child will take the lead in making sure this happens every night. Once your routine is established, you’ll find that reading out loud becomes as ingrained in your nightly routine as bath time or brushing teeth.

Tips for Organizing a Great Storytime

Remember, it’s okay if your child cannot sit still to read sometimes. Let them wander around or take breaks while you read the book aloud. The consistent act of reading and establishing this daily activity is beneficial to your child—even when it feels like they’re not paying attention, kids are always listening and soaking up all the information around them. 

Are you struggling to find a book your toddler will love for storytime? Cali’s Books has a growing library of stories kids love.