Tag: #randburg

Articles, Literacy, Reading

The Secret Power of the Children’s Picture Book

Lianne Bantjes
A young child is reading a story with his mom about a fox.

“Even infants get profound cognitive and behavioral benefits from sharing a vivid story,” says Ms. Gurdon of the Wall Street Journal (18 January 2019).

If you are a parent you simply must read this article I came across in The Wall Street Journal. It is written by Ms. Gurdon who writes the WSJ’s “Children’s Books” column. The magic and power that lie behind the picture book have been expressed so well by her that I cannot help but publish the link here so that you can read the original article.

This is an essay adapted from Ms. Gurdon’s book “The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction“. Within 5 minutes of reading the article, I had ordered her book online.

To find out more and to read the full essay, please click the link below:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-secret-power-of-the-childrens-picture-book-11547824940

Further reading

To explore working with Lianne in Randburg / Sandton and other areas in Johannesburg, contact her for a consultation to discuss how she can assist you.

Articles, Literacy, Reading

What are the PROS and CONS of reading to your child daily?

Lianne Bantjes
A Grandmother reads to her two grandchildren.

I covered “Why you CAN’T skip reading to your child for 20 minutes per day” in a previous post. Today I want to focus on the pros and cons of reading to your child daily.

The PROS of reading to your child daily are that it...

  • fosters parent-child bonding
  • will help him/her to associate reading with emotional comfort and enjoyment
  • prepares him/her for sleep if part of a bedtime routine
  • improves motor skills when opening the book, turning pages and gripping with thumb and forefinger
  • boosts brain development
  • helps him/her to master language
  • builds vocabulary and understanding
  • develops sound recognition
  • acts as a stepping stone for conversation
  • develops the skill of logic when reading a story repeatedly
  • teaches him/her about prediction
  • develops the imagination
  • develops and improves attention span and concentration
  • is the start of understanding sequences, which is important for math, science and writing
  • encourages a love of reading which is invaluable
  • promotes discussion (which can contribute to dinner time conversation)
  • promotes the development of healthy habits
  • is relaxing and soothing and is good for stress reduction
  • improves emotional and social development
  • will become an activity that YOU can’t do without
  • promotes cuddling, snuggling and sharing

This list is not exhaustive.

The CONS of reading to your child daily are that…

  • you have to find time in your already busy schedule
  • you have to be disciplined no matter how you feel on the day
  • you have to manage your feelings of boredom due to monotony
  • you have to get your child to bed before they are too tired for story time

It’s a no brainer. Are you convinced yet?

Further reading:

To explore working with Lianne (online or face-to-face) in Randburg / Sandton and other areas in Johannesburg, contact her for a consultation to discuss how she can assist you.