Level Up Storytelling Time with Your Kid

Nothing is more important than reading aloud together with your kid to nurture their linguistic gifts. This is because reading builds the neural connections responsible for language development in your kid’s growing brain. Reading also creates a strong foundation for your kid’s cognitive development.

A study published in 2019 involved MRI scans of pre-school age kids. The MRI images indicated an increase in the organized white matter involved in developing language and their ability to learn. The study found that limiting screen time and reading to kids younger than five years old boosted brain development.

Start young and stick with it

There's no such thing as "too young" to start reading. Ideally, parents should begin reading to their kid as early as possible to reap the full benefits. An infant can already look at pictures, listen to your voice, and point to objects on the pages.

When reading aloud becomes part of their routine, kids learn to love the sound of language before reading printed words. Reading aloud also helps stimulate kid’s imagination while also expanding their understanding of the world. Most important, when the melody and rhythm of language become a part of a kid’s life, reading will be as natural as walking and talking.

Be consistent

As with everything worth gaining in life, consistency plays a huge role in nurturing your kid’s development. Even if you only have five minutes to read with your kid, don't skip it. Those five minutes will count.

Make a small fort or reading corner

Making a special reading nook that your kid loves is one surefire way to encourage them to read. Make it magical by installing string lights or fill the area with throw pillows that feature their favorite characters.

Use finger or sock puppets

One way to keep your kid focused on the story is to use interactive storytelling elements like finger or sock puppets. It's also a great way to help your kid keep track of which character is speaking.

Cook or bake treats mentioned in the book

Allowing your kid to experience eating Dr. Seuss's green eggs and ham or the moist chocolate fudge cake Bruce Bogtrotter ate in Roald Dahl's Matilda doesn't only make reading fun, but it also helps them better understand what certain words mean, especially the adjectives used to describe flavors in the book.

Let your kid choose the book

When your kid knows that they are free to choose what they want to read, reading becomes less of a chore. And when it comes to nurturing your kid’s gifts, they mustn't feel like anything is enforced on them.

Furthermore, allowing your kid to choose the book makes them empowered. They inherently understand that you trust them to make good choices and, in turn, they will trust you to suggest new books, authors, or genres.

Pick books with rhyme and repetition

According to kid experts, rhyme, rhythm, and repetition are essential for the development of language. Repeated exposure helps kids remember patterns, novel words, and connect key concepts.

Another way to nurture your kid’s linguistic gift is to give them a daily glass of PROMIL® FOUR.

PROMIL® FOUR has the NutriGift System® with clinically proven DHA and MOS+ to help double up brain development. It also has the highest ever DHA* and AA plus Carotenes, Selenium, and Zinc, along with other brain and immunity nutrients.

Pair it with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle to support your kid’s proper growth and mental development to help nurture the gift.

PROMIL® FOUR is a powdered milk drink for kids over three years old and is not intended for use as a breastmilk substitute.

MOS+ = Milk Oligosaccharides
*vs. previous PROMIL® FOUR formulations
**Study conducted among infants

Reference

- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/apa.15124