Are you one of those parents who lets your child fall asleep while watching a video? It’s easy to think that kids can be on their own by taking to technology and that they can sleep off with a smartphone or a tab in hand. Think just how different it is from telling your child bedtime stories. Storytelling has to offer your little one multiple benefits. Be it a classic or simply telling a story from your childhood or anything funny, it promotes the overall development of your child.
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A 2018 study published by the Fukushima Journal of Medicine discusses the effects of storytelling on the childhood brain. The study suggests that many educational and psychological benefits come through storytelling which includes improved imagination, vocabulary, visualization, and better communication among children.
By conducting near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), researches evaluated the brains of children and found that there was a remarkable decrease in the blood flow in the bilateral prefrontal areas in a picture-book reading group wherein the participants were already familiarized when compared to a control group who had no familiarization of the book. At the same time, there was a difference in the blood flow between familiarized and unfamiliarized storytelling groups. The study suggested that storytelling had a profound activation of the brain when compared to reading a book.
Let’s take a look at how your child benefits from storytelling:
1. Triggers imagination:
This is probably the first thing that will happen with storytelling. As you tell a story, your child starts to imagine the entire scheme right from the characters to the setting. It’s exactly like they make a mental movie of the story that you tell them. They can imagine whatever they want and therefore it helps them get creative with their thought process.
2. Boosts memory:
Interestingly, children remember the details of the story even after you have long told them one. Narrate a story and quiz them to see how much they remember. You will be surprised at the amount of detail that they have imbibed. Story-telling can foster memory. It helps children to retain a whole lot of information. The skill can be helpful when it comes to their academics as well.
3. Fosters values:
The values that children learn early on remain with them throughout their lifetime. Most stories have a message or a moral to convey. Kids can learn to be virtuous easily through stories than when told them as a life lesson. They like to mimic their heroes. So it is a good idea that when it comes to cultivating virtues, you pick stories that are motivating enough to learn to be honest, wise, kind, empathetic among other values.
4. Develop listening skills:
Children can have a low attention period. They don’t like to focus on a subject for too long. When you tell a story, they develop a good amount of focus through a prolonged period. It is because your child becomes a good listener as you narrate a story. They get used to paying attention to what is being said. The skill is of great help when they grow up and must listen in their classroom.
5. Developing communication skills:
You might notice that as you tell your child a story, they might ask many questions or add their adjectives or events from their imagination. Telling a story therefore enhances your child’s communication skills. They learn to convey their ideas and thoughts and express their ideas better. Also, they learn new words each time you tell a new story.
6. Understanding different cultures:
When you narrate stories from various cultures, children also learn about cultures and traditions from different places. Just one example could be Tales from Arabian Nights (Thousand and One Nights) which is quite a departure from the Panchatantra stories. On one hand, they learn about different landscapes and portrayal, on the other hand, their minds become open to new cultures. That way they also learn to develop empathy for people from various backgrounds.
7. Helpful as learning tools:
Stories make a great medium of education for children. By learning stories, children also develop the ability to learn new things and facts about the world around them. That way it prepares them for formal education and learning at school better. Learning becomes a natural thing for kids.
Storytelling has multifield benefits that teach your child many things about life. As parents, take time out for your children and put them away from technology for a while. You will be surprised at how children respond to your art of storytelling!
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