09 Feb Repetition and Early Literacy
It’s Good To Reread Your Child’s Favorite Book
Sometimes children want to hear the same story over and over again. That’s normal and developmentally appropriate. Children are taking in something new each time they hear it, according to research and articles such as “The Benefits of Rereading Books Over (and Over) for Kids” and “Why Toddlers Want to Read the Same Book Over and Over Again.”
Ways to Mix It Up
Despite the benefits of rereading, you may still want to break it up for yourself a little. Rather than fully reading the book, take the opportunity to talk about the pictures together. Ask questions such as:
“If you were the Very Hungry Caterpillar, what would you eat every day?”
“Can you chant Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? without even looking at the book?”
“I wonder how the illustrator made the pictures. What do you think?”
Learning how to retell a story helps children gain a sense of narrative and story structure, which are helpful pre-reading skills.
If you do want to introduce your child to a new book, look for a similar book by the same author, or a story with a similar subject or theme. They will be more familiar with the vocabulary and concepts and may even start to recognize a word or two. You can also try engaging your child in choosing a new book, by visiting one of the Little Free Libraries around Plainfield, trading books with someone, or looking up a new book together on the library catalog.
We all enjoy familiar, soothing things like favorite books, music, and tv shows. That might be why your child loves to snuggle up with you and their favorite book. Embrace the repetition and build a family ritual that will help establish your child’s love of reading.
