Last weekend The Vancouver Sun newspaper published an interesting article entitled “What do kids love most? Their parents reading to them.” Nick Vinocur reported on the results from a recent study that surveyed 500 children aged three to eight in Britain and found that half of the children said story time was their favorite pastime with their parents! Almost two-thirds of the children polled said they wanted their parents to spend more time reading to them before bed and 82% said reading a story with their parents helped them to sleep better. Storytelling ranked higher than television or video game amongst pastimes for kids and the best storytellers, according to the children surveyed, were mothers who used funny voices to illustrate different characters or made their own special sound effects to keep the story moving.
Child psychologist Richard Woolfson led the study and says:
The results of our research confirm the traditional activity of storytelling continues to be a powerful learning and emotional resource in children’s lives. It can be very difficult for parents to find the time to read with their children, but these moments can help build strong bond and play a vital part in their child’s development.
Click here to read the entire article.
I had to include the photo of my husband reading to our son Evan as it is one of my favorites and I still find it hard to believe that my first-born is now 12 years old. How time flies! Such fond memories…
Speaking of photos, don’t forget to submit a photo of your child’s bookshelf for our Around the World in 100 Bookshelves project. You will be automatically entered in a drawing to win a selection of 5 age-appropriate books to add to your little one’s bookshelf! See the sidebar for more details.
The 5th Annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature showcases the work of more than 160 international writers from across the globe in conversations, readings, performances, and panels together with their American counterparts for an exciting cross-cultural celebration of the written word. The following events, with a focus on children’s and young adult’s literature, are free and open to the public:
The Voyage of the Reader: Using Children’s Books to Create a Love of Reading ~ Wed, April 29
Participants: Mary Ann Hoberman, Francine Prose, and Vera B. Williams. Moderated by President and Publisher of Razorbill books, Benjamin D.Schrank.
How do authors create and hold on to young readers in the electronic world? Three distinguished panelists-Vera B. Williams, an award-winning author and illustrator; Mary Ann Hoberman, the U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate; and Francine Prose, the award-winning author of picture books, children’s, young adult, and adult novels-offer their expertise.
Leaps and Bounds, Fits and Starts: The Evolution of a Children’s Book Writer ~ Thurs, April 30
Participants: Neil Gaiman, Mariken Jongman, Shaun Tan, and Andrea Davis Pinkney as the participating moderator.
Join children’s book authors Neil Gaiman, Mariken Jongman, and Shaun Tan for a discussion about the ever-evolving landscape of children’s and young adult literature with Scholastic Vice President, Executive Editor Andrea Davis Pinkney.
Evolution for Children: The Fight Goes On ~ Sun, May 3
Participants: Vicki Cobb, Tijs Goldschmidt, Deborah Heiligman, and Mary Ann Hoberman. Moderated by Ellen Loughran.
Teachers, librarians, scientists, and children’s book writers have fought in the courts and classrooms for the right to teach Darwin’s theory, and the authors on this panel have many ways of winning it.
Last weekend The Vancouver Sun newspaper published an interesting article entitled “What do kids love most? Their parents reading to them.” Nick Vinocur reported on the results from a recent study that surveyed 500 children aged three to eight in Britain and found that half of the children said story time was their favorite pastime with their parents! Almost two-thirds of the children polled said they wanted their parents to spend more time reading to them before bed and 82% said reading a story with their parents helped them to sleep better. Storytelling ranked higher than television or video game amongst pastimes for kids and the best storytellers, according to the children surveyed, were mothers who used funny voices to illustrate different characters or made their own special sound effects to keep the story moving.