SAEDNEWS: To nurture and enhance children's imagination, it is necessary to read to them every day. However, the amount of story reading for each child depends on their attention span and interests.
Why heroes in stories appeal to children
Heroes in stories are always attractive to children, who often imagine themselves in the role of the story’s hero. Through this identification, a child believes that, like the hero, they can overcome dangers and achieve victory. The importance of storytelling is such that many psychologists consider it highly influential in shaping a child’s personality. Presenting moral lessons—what is good, what is bad, and teaching how to do good deeds while avoiding harmful actions—through stories is regarded as one of the most effective methods.
How do story heroes affect children’s minds?
Typically, story heroes captivate children, who are eager to act, dress, or speak like them. Younger children, in particular, think more concretely and have difficulty distinguishing between imagination and reality; as a result, they perceive story heroes as more real and tend to believe in them.
How do positive and negative story heroes encourage identification and teach life lessons?
Depending on the child’s real-world relationships, they may better accept and follow the heroes in their stories. Parents and caregivers, being more capable, often try to control the child, while the child, with less ability to manage their environment, turns to a world of imagination, sometimes seeking refuge in their story heroes. Children may project their wishes and desires onto these characters and engage in any desired interactions with them in the imaginary world, where they feel more empowered. Parents and educators can also use this opportunity for teaching by conveying instructions or advice through the voices of story heroes.
Which topics and characters are appropriate for different age groups?
Children under seven years old, before entering school, think concretely—they understand subjects as they see or hear them and cannot grasp abstract concepts. Therefore, ideas should be presented in a tangible and concrete manner. At this stage, children exhibit animistic thinking, believing that objects are alive, have feelings, and can communicate with them. Children feel that animals can speak and possess human abilities, which is why stories about animals and objects are particularly appealing to them.
What effects do scary stories, monstrous heroes, and invisible beings have on children?
Imaginative stories always attract children and adolescents. When selected according to a child’s age and temperament, these stories foster imagination, which can contribute to their development and future abilities. Imagination is a growth-promoting faculty that empowers children. Since children have limited control over their real-world environment, they turn to imagination to practice actions they cannot perform in reality—for example, defeating enemies or building a desired machine—which helps build confidence.
How much should children be read to?
To nurture and enhance children’s imagination, reading to them daily is recommended. However, the duration and frequency of reading depend on each child’s attention span and interest. Some children—particularly those who are hyperactive, inattentive, or have learning difficulties—may show less interest in listening to stories. Today, the prevalence of computer, video games, and television entertainment also reduces children’s willingness to read or listen to stories. These media provide ready-made characters, stories, and dialogues, creating a passive experience that can hinder active imagination and language development—one of the modern era’s main concerns.
What psychological traits are common in children drawn to scary books?
Curious children with strong imagination and a desire for excitement may be more inclined to read or listen to scary stories. Sometimes, even fearful children are attracted to these stories due to a counter-fear reaction.
What characterizes children who prefer emotional books?
Children with strong emotional understanding or heightened sensitivity to the feelings of others tend to follow emotional topics more closely.
What traits are typical of children who enjoy imaginative stories?
Curious, intelligent, and thrill-seeking children may enjoy imaginative books. If their imagination is used as a tool to explore reality while their knowledge simultaneously grows, it fosters creativity and innovation. However, if it becomes a means of escaping reality, the effect may be counterproductive.
How should cultural differences influence the reading of translated stories?
Sometimes, unfamiliar foreign heroes may conflict with a child’s real-world experiences, preventing them from adopting these characters as role models. Selecting heroes that are more culturally relatable, however, can help broaden a child’s understanding of the wider world.
How does storytelling affect the storyteller?
Storytellers can use story heroes to communicate more effectively with children, conveying topics that may be difficult to express directly. This approach facilitates interaction between the child and storyteller. Parents also play a stronger role in teaching appropriate behaviors and moral lessons through storytelling.
Sometimes, the storyteller uses stories to express their own emotions indirectly. By channeling personal feelings through narrative, they can communicate thoughts they might otherwise find difficult to articulate. This process can also serve as an emotional release for the storyteller.
