Storytelling to kids seems like ancient way of telling a story, especially during this internet era when there are several methods and ways to tell a story, whether it be through books, Tv shows or even podcasts. Some of these methods however are not as good for children as others because screen times have been linked to a number of negative effects such as trouble while falling asleep and even obesity. So, reading a book might be the best method of storytelling available.
But, is storytelling to kids actually beneficial ? Here are 5 Benefits of storytelling to kids to change your mind: –
1. Boosts Listening Skills
Listening is one of the most important skills in one’s life so improving your listening skills becomes important. Especially for kids as it is almost impossible for someone to hold a child’s attention for long. Most of the time a child would either interrupt or start to think of something completely different but storytelling actually helps a child become more attentive and actually listen to what is being said rather than ignoring what is being said and then wandering inside their own wonderland.
2. Cultivates Imagination
Imagination is something that is often left out in the digital era, Tv and movies often leave nothing to the imagination as they try to keep you engaged and on the edge of your seats. So, they often fail to cultivate a child’s imagination and they are left watching in front of the screen mindlessly for hours on end. Storytelling helps to cultivate a child’s imagination as they are forced to imagine the characters and what is happening around them. This time they are forced to think about and imagine what the characters are thinking and going through instead of just watching for hours.
3. Morals
Stories, especially children’s stories often have morals at the end and aren’t just for fun but can also be used to teach children valuable life lessons such as honesty is the best policy and sharing is caring among others. Stories with Morals are an integral part of teaching a child valuable life lessons. We also have learned several life lessons from stories that we read and heard as kids and so have our own parents so it’s only fair that this generation also gets a chance to learn and grow by hearing and reading stories.
4. Communication
Storytelling indirectly also helps in promoting communication because after listening to a story you usually want to discuss the favourite parts of it, Just like you want to discuss the plot of a movie as soon as you get out of the theatres or talk about the artist after you leave the concert. This would in turn lead to an improvement in communication skills as the child would also learn new words and phrases from said stories and how those words and phrases can be used in sentences in the real world.
5. Cultural Understanding
Books and storytelling in general are an immersive experience, when a child listens to a story they don’t just listen, they also imagine these characters and what they’re going through. This helps them in understanding cultures that are different throughout the world while learning about the different rituals that take place and even experience them on some level. This opens up a whole different world to them and helps them grow as a person and develop their personalities as they grow.
If you liked this article about the Benefits of Storytelling to kids or think that we left something out, Let us know in the comments down below. We recommend you read this article next :- Why Reading Books For Kids Is Important? | 3 Book Recommendation For Kids.
