STORIES BUILD MEMORIES | When reading stories, it is more than just a single reading. Most often children like repetition and want to hear their favorite books thousands of times during their childhood years. Reading stories also creates fond memories between families and their children. Children will often make connections with
how they felt during those special reading times to other events that they experience. Storytime,
whether it is during the day, at night, a rainy day, bath time, outside, or just a time carved out to read, is
special no matter what. Children are paying attention to the adults that read to them, seeing how engaged they are, excited about reading, and the facial expressions that are made while reading.
One of my son’s favorite stories is “Llama Llama Red Pajama.” We have read that story more times than
I can count! My son makes the connection with the characters in the book to his times with me reading
to him and tucking him in bed at night. He has modeled some of the facial expressions from the story
that little Llama makes and enjoys acting out certain parts. This story has led to specific discussions
about how mommy has other things to do after getting him to sleep at night. He is reassured that I am
still here in the house and feels safe though he must go to sleep. Even in other environments such as the
Greensboro Science Center, he has seen an Alpaca animal and made the connection that it looked like the animal
from “Llama Llama Red Pajama.” These discussions, connections, and memories are strengthened
through the different types of books as you Read and Discuss Stories. The next time you read a book to a child,
remember that the experience is more than just reading!
–By Airreia Pierce, Basics Blogger