To read or not to read? Nope, that’s Not the question. The question could be–To read a book or to tell a story? Stories do not need exotic ideas; they can be about anything. Here’s some possibilities:
-what the sock found at the bottom of the laundry hamper,
-what the plate said to the bowl in the cupboard,
-one day you came home and your house had turned into a ____ ,
-going to the store and having a strange adventure with the cart,
-instead of porridge, the Three Bears came to your house for breakfast,
A little imagination can make a story from anything. Why tell stories? Making up stories helps your child practice the language and the structure that books use. It often involves your child and exercises imagination. You model for your little one how to think on one’s feet and build on resources that are immediately available. These are just a few of the ways that telling stories promotes development and kindergarten readiness. As parent or caregiver you have extensive knowledge of what interests your child. You can start with a level and things that are familiar and expand them. For extra enrichment, your child can draw a story and you print the story line. That way you have a unique book to enjoy over and over.
Speaking of unique, how do you catch a unique rabbit? You ‘neak up on it. How do you catch a tame rabbit? Tame way. Telling stories helps with kindergarten readiness the tame way that reading books does. It works for New Year’s reading resolution just the tame, too. Does it work for you?
