Experts state that books make significant contributions to a child's development process and emphasize that books should be chosen according to the child's age. Reminding that rich stimuli and favorable conditions are important for unleashing a child's potential and supporting all developmental areas, experts suggest establishing the bond between a child and books around 1 year of age. Experts also state that stories and fairy tales are known to have a therapeutic, healing, and curative aspect, saying, “For the brain, stories/fairy tales prepare defense responses against vital threats; they provide cognitive flexibility.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Child Development Department Lecturer Elif Konar Özkan made an assessment, highlighting the importance of selecting books appropriate for a child's developmental stage.
Books support a child's development
Lecturer Elif Konar Özkan stated that the main purpose of children's publications is to foster a love for language, books, and reading habits, and it is obvious that these are acquired through quality children's books. She added, “Children begin discovering the world with wonder. Therefore, while their discoveries about the world continue through observation and trial and error, books assist children in these discovery exercises. This expands their experiences, develops their sensitivity to language, increases their vocabulary, enriches their repertoire, and broadens their perspective and horizon. Along with all developmental areas, their aesthetic and artistic development is also supported and reinforced. In this context, children's books must be high-quality, carefully prepared, and selected to suit their age and developmental characteristics, interests, and needs.”
What should be considered when choosing books?
Özkan noted that when it comes to early childhood, the first things that come to mind are toy books and picture books. She pointed out the things to consider when choosing books appropriate for a child's developmental stage:
“Books called bath books or toy books are among the first books children encounter. Care should be taken to ensure these books are made of materials harmless to the child's health, as, as we all experience, children also love to taste books. Later, they get acquainted with cardboard books. These types of products are important for both fine motor skills and for the child to gain familiarity with books through their relationship with play and toys.
Picture books establish communication between child and adult
In the next stage, picture books, called ABC books, come into play. These types of books, where the story is told by showing pictures to the child, enable communication between the adult and the child and support the child's cognitive development, especially in terms of concept and language development, allowing them to get to know the world.
Between 2-4 years of age; single-event, cheerful, and realistic stories consisting of interrelated pictures and sentences are engaging. At this age, the child is not just a listener; they also begin to tell stories. They love to retell the stories they heard by looking at the pictures again and again and to ask questions about every detail in the book. In this way, children who get used to listening, asking, and telling attentively find it easier to adapt to their environment. The development of children's oral expression skills will also help in the development of their written expression skills later on.
Between 4-6 years of age; children learn and love to listen to books being read, ask and answer questions about the books they hear, and derive different stories from the main narrative.
5-6 year old children; are interested in the details of the pictures in books, and this is important for their imagination and aesthetic development. For books to be loved, listened to, and read by children, they must be carefully prepared in terms of form (materials used, size, weight, cover and binding, font size, layout, and illustration) and content (theme, subject, characters, language, and style), suitable for the child and child's reality. At this point, books from well-known publishers in the field that value the child and quality should be preferred.”
There is no lower age limit for meeting books
Lecturer Elif Konar Özkan stated that there is no specific age limit for a child to encounter books, saying, “For a long time, experts in child development, education, and mental health have agreed on the importance of the early years. It is constantly emphasized that rich stimuli and favorable conditions are important for bringing out a child's potential and supporting all developmental areas. Positive interaction between the child and their environment facilitates and accelerates learning and teaching activities. We also know that children are inherently curious and ready to learn but do not like to be taught, and the best way to teach and learn is to be a role model/example. Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that there is no lower age limit for encountering books. If reading could not be started earlier, this bond should be established around the age of one at the latest.”
Is reading a book or telling a story more beneficial?
Elif Konar Özkan stated that reading books to children and telling stories have distinct and important places, and she said the following:
“Telling and listening to stories and fairy tales is an activity that should not be neglected from a young age, as it requires the activation of different pathways, the use of imagination, and develops vocabulary. Many experts frequently state that stories and fairy tales affect the brain and mirror neurons with their alternative reality effect. Stories are important for 'information transfer, imposing norms, and controlling deviant values.' Fairy tales, on the other hand, ensure the transfer of moral values and traditions. Furthermore, body language, voice, and imagination indicators are met with the same reaction in the brain as real-life experiences and imaginary experiences. Therefore, listening skills from an early age will enrich the child's experience repertoire.”
Also contributes to brain development
Elif Konar Özkan stated that stories and fairy tales are also known to have a therapeutic, healing, and curative aspect, saying, “For the brain, stories/fairy tales prepare defense responses against vital threats; they provide cognitive flexibility. These are, in a sense, survival strategies and self-preservation behavior exercises for humankind. Of course, just as in choosing and reading books, there are points to consider in storytelling. Telling a story in a way that activates all senses; using vivid descriptions, portrayals, and suggestive expressions will be effective. If mirror neurons are triggered, the listener enters the story/fairy tale like the narrator; for the listener, the effect of the narrative is important for establishing representative identification. When reading a book, attention should be paid to reading in accordance with language and pronunciation principles. Books listened to with correct pronunciation will contribute to the child's daily life skills and academic success,” she said.
“Families and educators should frequently tell stories, fairy tales, parables, anecdotes, and read audiobooks to children,” said Elif Konar Özkan. “Creating a personal library suitable for children's age, abilities, interests, needs, and developmental characteristics, membership in provincial/district public libraries, will be beneficial for establishing reading habits. Children should be guided to spend a portion of their pocket money on books and magazines. A period of time spent with the child should be allocated to reading. Discussions and conversations should be held about the books read with children,” she added.
Is it more beneficial for a child to watch cartoons or read books?
Underlining that reading books is a higher priority in terms of developmental areas, Elif Konar Özkan offered the following advice:
“Limiting television viewing and screen interaction is one of the important issues to consider, especially for early periods. It is crucial not to use any type of television or screen as a babysitter. Many experts working in child-related fields (psychologists, pedagogues, child development specialists, psychological counselors, etc.) recommend keeping the child away from all types of screens, especially during early childhood. The screen restricts the child's opportunities for movement and play and hinders their use of imagination and language.
By supporting appropriate experiences for children, it is necessary to model being a good television viewer and screen user. Leaving a child alone with a television or screen can lead to negative effects. In watching cartoons, just as in choosing books, it is important to make choices suitable for the child's personality and developmental characteristics. Being with the child in front of the screen and talking, conversing, asking questions about what is being watched, and answering the child's questions would be appropriate. It is essential to be a role model from early childhood to enable the child to develop a conscious and critical perspective. Families and educators should both become aware of media literacy themselves and guide children in this regard.”
It is important to make the child feel the value of the book
Lecturer Elif Konar Özkan stated that it is necessary to first understand the child when it comes to children's publications, saying, “It is important to choose high-quality children's literature and other publications for children; and to implement appropriate and effective methods for children such as reading, narrating, dramatizing, and puppetry. Creating an archive with quality examples, making the child feel that a book is valuable enough to be a gift, supporting the child's development, and raising them as a literate person who can give meaning to their life should be considered.”