Why Stories Matter for Children’s Learning and Development

Reading books with your kids is not only a fun way to bond and unwind together, but it’s also a tremendous opportunity to teach many skills and instill values. Read on to discover some important reasons why stories matter for children’s learning and development no matter what books you choose.

Why Stories Matter For Children’s Learning and Development

There’s something so special about storytelling for children because, through stories, they discover new worlds and ideas. They also develop their vocabulary making it easier for them to understand complex concepts and convey their own thoughts and ideas. That’s why reading is often so exciting for kids; reading helps them express themselves and learn new things. This is one of the most important reasons why stories matter for children’s learning and development—they need an outlet to cultivate their minds.

Literacy and Understanding

The fundamental benefits of reading are that, initially, children can learn the alphabet and then follow the phonetics behind the letters. Then, when they join these characters into words, they can construct sentences. Finally, when they find the syntax of the combination of words and sentences, they can start to communicate by reading, speaking, and thinking. This forms the perfect trifecta of understanding.

Values and Morals

When your child gets to the point that they’re reading and starting to ask questions about characters and the storyline itself, then you know they’re beginning to understand concepts. This is the point at which you can start to explain why things are unfolding the way they are so that your child can learn specific lessons and values.

For example, take the story of David and Goliath, two influential figures from the Bible; this is a classic tale of an underdog who prevails against all odds as the victor in a battle against evil invaders. David was only a fraction of the size of Goliath, so children can relate to him because they are small in comparison to adults. David was doing good by protecting his family and community; this storyline allows kids to understand bravery and heroism as well as the fact that there is good and evil present in the world.

Beliefs and Social Norms

As kids spend more time reading and learning from what they’ve read, they will begin to act on what they learn. As they have more and more encounters of all levels with the world and their surroundings, they’ll begin to use their morals and ethics to make life choices, no matter how large or small.

There are a plethora of children’s books out there that teach life lessons, focusing on ethical and moral decision-making, among other values. Stories matter for children’s learning and development by giving them an outlet they can relate to, as stories represent their way of communicating and learning.

What are some important lessons your kids have learned from reading books? Share your experiences with us on our Local Anchor Community Facebook page.