Teaches the joy of reading One of the first shared activities parents and children enjoy is sitting together to read. Picture books are a great way to introduce a child to the joys of reading, because the action of looking at the pages of the picture book, getting information from the pages, and then turning the pages all combine to allow the child to feel like a real reader; an active participant, not a mere spectator.
Develop cognitive thinking As children recognize objects in the book and say the words aloud, they begin to connect the written word with the spoken word and slowly realize that those small, confusing shapes represent letters and letters make words. They learn that words are read from left to right and from top to bottom. Parents should use a finger to help their child follow the words being read, so that their child sees the object represented by the word, sees the printed word, and hears the spoken word. The combination of visual and auditory learning is powerful. The text in a picture book is often repetitive and often rhythmic.
Stimulates logical learning Some children’s books dispense with the text entirely, relying entirely on pictures of familiar items, people, and activities to tell the story. Even picture books without text can, and should, use the elements of sequence, plot, and characterization! Children should be given time to inspect a picture for as long as they like, to help them notice details. Just because it’s a children’s book, you shouldn’t rush it.
One of the main benefits of picture books is how they encourage parents to engage their children through questions like “What’s that?” “What are you doing?” “What’s going to happen next?” These probing questions stimulate critical thinking and reasoning processes, and promote awareness of consequences as the plot progresses.
Picture books encourage brain development How early is too early to introduce children to the joy of reading through the use of picture books? Babies as young as six months are not too young to be held while their parents point out pictures in a children’s book. Children’s books are often made of cloth, sturdy cardboard, or vinyl, so they can withstand the enthusiastic attention of their young owners.
Children’s picture books should be skillfully drawn using vivid colors, along with an engaging story, to attract and hold the young reader’s attention. Repetition is key to learning, so an uninviting and boring picture book will soon cause a child to lose interest and be relegated to the back of the toy box. Providing a supply of children’s picture books that are visually stimulating and interesting will ensure that reading time is not only a favorite time of day for parent and child, but also an opportunity for early development.