We all have that memory from our childhood; that favourite story that our parents used to read out loud. It was either a completely original, made up story that just you knew, or a real classic such as the Red Riding Hood. Regardless, these moments are what shaped us as kids, and are the reason why we grow up and retell the exact same stories to our children.
Reading stories to children is not only a fun way to bond, but it is also beneficial for kids to listen to stories, whether it is bedtime stories, car journey stories, playtime stories, or just wait in the car stories. Here are some of the benefits of children listening to stories.
- Listening to stories fosters imagination.
When a child listens to a story, as opposed to watching a story on YouTube or another platform, their imagination gets to work to a greater extent. When you ware watching a story unfold on a screen, you are already presented with the look of all of the characters, what the environment feels like, and how they speak. However, when all you do is listen, your imagination is free to explore the details of the story however you want, giving you more creative freedom to explore the details of the story on your own. This can not only make the story more fun, but it also fosters imagination and creativity, which is crucial for childhood development. - Moral Lessons
Many children’s stories also contain moral lessons that are valuable to children. Moral stories are very common in kid’s bedtime stories, and it is a way to, in an engaging and fun way, share lessons that regard friendship, hardship and other important life lessons to children. Take “The old man and his grandson for example; it is a story about treating elders with respect, because we will all grow old one day. - Fun
Children’s stories can also be very fun and entertaining. The aforementioned benefit of better imagination also ties into the fun of audio stories. Since children are free to explore the stories with their own imagination, they can also be more fun and entertaining than they would be in a visual format. Moreover, the content can just be entertaining, just like a good podcast or audio book can be. - Less Screen Time
In a world where screen time increases, audio stories can be a way for kids to entertain themselves, without needing additional screen time. Too much screen time for children can be negative, and listening can therefore be a great alternative. A children’s audio story is the perfect background entertainment while building lego, or something to put your child to sleep without the negative blue light of a screen. - Better Sleep
Not only does the lack of blue light from a screen promote better sleep, but an audio story can also be a great way to wind for sleep after an energetic day. The casual thinking done when listening to a story helps get other thoughts out, and makes it easer to fall asleep afterwards.
These are just some benefits of children’s audio stories and their impact on children. There are several stories on YouTube that can be listened to. WonderSagas also offers an app with hundreds of children’s stories, right at your fingertips. Check it out in the App Store for a two week free trial with unlimited access.