I found this article from the Center of Early Literacy. I think it does a nice job explaining why children love to have the same story read to them over and over again. Although it can be difficult for parents to read the same book over and over again it is beneficial to the child being read to.
http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/cellpract_parent/preschool/PG_1_P_ReadAgain.pdf
Especially for parents of preschoolers!
Read It Again!
Reading and Storytelling
Young children love to hear their favorite books read aloud again and again. Repeated readings help preschoolers master the story lines, ideas, and language of well-loved stories.
What is the practice?
Repeated reading lets children learn the words, story structure, and use of language in a story. Parents can read a story many times so their preschool child can talk about and be part of the story. Many young children, especially those with speech and language delays, are not able to grasp an entire story on the first reading. So hearing books read several times helps them learn and notice new things.
What does the practice look like?
When hearing a story several times, a child can figure out what a new word means by the rest of the words he hears. Sharing a book again and again lets your child notice repeated sound patterns. If you point out some letters and words each time you read a book, he can begin to match letters to sounds.
How do you do the practice?
Here are some ideas that will help you make repeated readings interesting and fun for your young child.
• Encourage your child to be part of the fun as you share favorite books. Welcome her comments and questions. Ask her what happens next.
• Preschool children are most likely to enjoy repeated reading when the books are about things they find familiar and interesting. A great place to start is by reading the child’s favorite book.
• Let the child choose the story. Preschool children will often choose the same book again and again on their own.
• Be excited about the story, even when you’re reading it for the umpteenth time. Read-aloud sessions are much more than saying words and turning pages. When you express your own excitement about the pictures, story, setting, and characters, the child will be excited too.
• Let your child “read” the story to you. Children get to know the words and plots of stories that have been read to them many times. They enjoy saying the words and turning the pages, just as if they were reading the book.
• Involve your child in repeated reading when you are both relaxed and unhurried. Perfect times? How about when you snuggle together at bedtime or when you’re passing time in a waiting room.
How do you know
the practice worked?
• Does the child bring you the same book to be read over and over?
• Does she seem to have “picked up” new vocabulary words or an understanding of the story?
• Does the child make comments about the story or tell what’s go- ing to happen next?
CELLp r a c t i c e s
Children prepare for literacy and learning to read long before school starts. In fact learning literacy begins even in babies. It is important to provide the best environment possible for your child to develop the early literacy skills necessary to facilitate reading when the time comes. There are many easy ways to incorporate literacy development into your home environment and routine that will set your child up for success in literacy. Successful literacy development often leads to increased academic success as children go through their academic careers.
Take the time to read the five easy steps to incorporate literacy into your every day life and then begin to put them into practice and set your child up for success!
Make sure you have plenty of age-appropriate books available in your home. Keep a bin of board books or preschool books in your living room beside your couch. Encourage your child to look at the books whenever possible, during any routines where waiting is necessary, at quite time, after dinner etc.
Keeping letter magnets on the fridge, labeling bins of toys, labeling your child's belongings with their name etc all influence literacy development. The more your child is exposed to letters and words the easier it is for them to learn to recognize them. The more a child sees their name written the easier it is for them to identify the letters that "belong to them" and the faster they will learn to write their name when ready.
Alphabet magnets are a great way for your child to experiment with letters and words. Not to mention a great pass time for them while you get dinner ready. Enrich your home with as much literacy as you can!
Drawing is a very important element in literacy development. Drawing helps children learn to hold a pencil, marker or crayon properly, and helps them practice making it write. They develop skills in making shapes and lines which will eventually help them make letters. Drawing also encourages creativity, imagination and stories, all important elements of literacy.
A huge part of literacy involves understanding the process of a story. Learning the concept of beginning, middle, and end and trying to predict what might come next. By telling short stories and encouraging them to play pretend, children learn important elements of stories that will help them in literacy development later in life.
Try something as simple as telling them what happened in your day from beginning to end. Ask them what happened in their day and help them tell the story of their day by asking specific questions like "Did you make a craft today?", "What craft did you make?" etc. Although younger preschoolers may not be able to tell the details of their day, these questions will help them remember what happened and prompt them to form the story about what happened in their day.
A child that sees their parents and siblings reading on a regular basis is more likely to become an avid reader themselves. It is a behaviour that is common to them and they are familiar with it, therefore it seems normal for them to begin to do it also. As you are reading a book on the couch regularly, you will see your child also take one of their books and curl up beside your to read (or look at the pictures) also!
Puppy Pals
Cub Cadets
Lucky Ducks
Some of the Friendly Frogs.
We also had the opportunity to feed the goats and sheep.
We had apple cider donuts for snack. Plus a little snack from home.
We had a great time at the Parlee Farm.
