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In this day and age, everything is just too fast-paced, and the old ways are becoming quickly forgotten. When was the last time you heard a parent tell stories to their children before sleep? When was the last time you had a parent wrack their heads trying to find the best lullaby book for children?
Nowadays, it’s all television screens, computer monitors, and touch screens. Where have the books gone? Do children even feel paper before they go to school? The art of bedtime storytelling is slowly going the way of the dodo, and with it, it has many, many benefits.
While most parents acknowledge the value of storytelling, they only do so superficially. Most parents–indeed, most people–believe that the merit in storybooks and lullabies is that they ease an unruly child’s mind or that it keeps them entertained, which is to say that stories are only a means to an end.
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Why Tell Stories Before Sleep?
Bedtime stories aren’t just rituals or a way to keep children distracted while a parent, a guardian, or a teacher does their work. Telling bedtime stories is pivotal in the early development of newborns. The seemingly simple act of reading out loud has far-reaching impacts on a child’s growth. By way of bedtime stories, children have a better handle on growing cognitively, emotionally, and socially.
The mind of a newborn child is exceptionally adaptive and absorbent–like a sponge. Information, experiences, and sensations are all soaked by the brain. A constant stream of this provides a rich and nurturing environment for a child to learn more about itself and the world.
Also, telling bedtime stories for newborns is simply just a great way to bond.
The Cognitive Benefits of Nighttime Stories
Stories before sleep help expose children to a wide range of words and sounds that they might not normally encounter in casual conversation. The way that sentences are made can also be of great benefit to a child’s language acquisition. Remember that a strong foundation in language means a strong potential way down the line.
A parent reading the story out loud, not only helps with sparking cognitive engagement, it’s also a naturalistic way for children to get a grasp on pronunciation and speech development.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Starting early with storytelling trains the mind’s ability to visualize scenes, too, encouraging critical and creative thinking. Repetitions of stories until familiarity strengthens memory and the mind’s ability to recall information.
Overall, stories before sleep can enhance cognitive function.
The Emotional Enjoyment of Bedtime Stories
Stories are great for making sense of emotions. This is especially the case with narratives that heavily evoke emotions. By seeing similar emotions expressed in stories and the characters inhabiting them, children have the opportunity to better understand what they are feeling and find ways to productively channel them.
Making a routine out of reading at night creates a sense of consistency and structure for a child. This is also helpful for parents because it conditions the child’s biological clock when the most optimal time for sleep should be. With this, comes reduced anxiety and stress, making for a more peaceful and secure environment.
The Social Aspects of Storytelling at Night
Because newborns are not yet equipped to deal with social interactions, nor do they even have a base interest in them, stories make for good and interactive ground. Almost every storybook depicts some sort of relationship, whether it be with parents, friends, other members of the family, or with the community at large. These portrayals can be really helpful in giving a glimpse of the proper dynamics of these relationships.
While stories, by their very nature and especially with stories within books, are static–that is only when it is confined within the pages. The greatest value of a storybook is not in the story that it tells but in the imagination and creativity that it can engender in its readers. Through contact with creative work that operates at their level, children are better suited in the future to deal with creative obstacles.
So, let the nights of your newborn be filled with stories, and watch their minds and hearts blossom fully.
Looking for a great place to start your child in a better developmental journey? Jensen’s Lullaby is available in all major online bookstores, but if you are looking to order a copy now, this link will take you to the correct page!
- Stories Before Sleep: Telling Bedtime Stories for Newborns - December 2, 2024
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