Nov142014
Blogonline study Preschoolers

Story Time For Preschoolers

There are a lot of benefits in reading to preschoolers, but what about reading with them? Using storytime as a passive activity means that you’re missing out on a great opportunity to grow active listening skills, social skills, and a love of learning. Here are some tips and tricks for getting the most out of story time!

 Storytime

  1. Pick a simple theme for the week – colors, foods, and holidays – you name it. Borrow books from your local library that touch upon your theme. Coordinate your theme with other areas of curriculum, such as writing and arts and crafts, to fully explore the theme before moving on to other topics.

  1. Selecting short books with brightly colored illustrations, practicing reading the book a few times beforehand, and using large gestures and silly voices for the characters, will help to engage the children and keep them entertained. Is there a hand game, or a song that fits with your theme? Use this to introduce your book and engage the kids with the story. Try varying your reading pace according to the action in the story for an added dramatic effect.

  1. Foster discussion while you’re reading the book. Read the title aloud and ask the kids to guess what the book is about. If the book has a lot of repetition, use open-ended prompts for the kids to participate (for example, “I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them….”). Ask your audience questions about what’s happening in the story, and if they have any guesses about what will happen next. Once you’ve finished reading, ask the kids about their favorite or least favorite part.

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