SAEDNEWS: Reading books to children every day helps strengthen their imagination. The amount of reading should depend on each child’s attention span and interests.
Story heroes have always been fascinating to children. Throughout a story, children often imagine themselves in the role of the main character. Through this identification, they believe that, like the hero, they can overcome dangers and achieve success. Storytelling is so important that many psychologists consider it a powerful factor in shaping a child’s personality. They believe that teaching children about kindness, wrongdoing, moral values, and positive behaviors through stories is one of the most effective educational methods.
Story heroes are usually very attractive to children, and many children want to behave, dress, or speak like their favorite characters. The younger the child, the more concrete their thinking is. Young children have more difficulty distinguishing imagination from reality, so they may see story characters as real and strongly believe in them.
The relationship children have with people around them in real life can influence how they connect with fictional characters. Sometimes children accept and follow story heroes more easily because they find comfort and strength in them.
Parents and caregivers usually have more control and power in a child’s real environment. Since children have limited ability to control their surroundings, they often turn to imagination and may seek refuge in their favorite characters. They may project their wishes, dreams, and desires onto these characters and create the relationships they want in an imaginary world where they feel more powerful.
Parents and educators can use this opportunity positively by teaching children through stories. For example, they can express advice, values, and instructions through the words and actions of beloved story characters.
Children under the age of seven, especially preschool children, usually have concrete thinking. They understand things as they see or hear them and may struggle with complex or abstract concepts. Therefore, ideas should be presented in a simple, clear, and understandable way.
At this stage, children often have a tendency to believe that objects have human qualities. They may think that toys, plants, or other objects are alive and capable of feeling or communicating. They also often believe that animals can speak and have human abilities. This is why stories about animals and objects are especially appealing to young children.
Fantasy stories have always attracted children and teenagers. These stories can strengthen imagination and, when selected according to a child’s age and personality, can contribute to creativity and personal growth.
Imagination plays an important developmental role. Since children have limited control over their real environment, they often use fantasy to practice situations they cannot experience in real life. For example, through imagination, a child may defeat enemies, create an ideal machine, solve problems, and develop greater confidence.
To develop and improve children’s imagination, it is beneficial to read to them every day. However, the amount of storytelling depends on each child’s attention span and interests.
Some children, especially those with attention difficulties, hyperactivity, or learning challenges, may show less interest in listening to stories. Today, children’s strong interest in computer games, video games, and television has also reduced their tendency to listen to or read stories.
Digital games and television often provide ready-made characters, plots, and conversations, making children passive receivers rather than active creators. This is considered one of the concerns of modern life because it may weaken the development of active imagination and language skills in children.
Children who are curious, imaginative, and interested in excitement may be more attracted to scary stories. Interestingly, some children who are easily frightened may also enjoy horror books as a way of confronting and overcoming their fears.
Children with stronger emotional understanding, greater empathy, or a deeper sensitivity to others’ feelings are often more interested in emotional stories and themes.
Curious, intelligent, and adventurous children may particularly enjoy fantasy stories. If their imagination helps them explore reality and their knowledge grows at the same time, it can encourage creativity and innovation. However, if fantasy becomes only a way to escape from reality, it may have negative effects.
Cultural differences should be considered when choosing translated books. Sometimes unfamiliar characters from foreign stories may create confusion or conflict for children if they cannot relate them to their own environment and experiences.
However, when stories are selected carefully and the characters have fewer conflicts with the child’s culture and everyday life, they can expand children’s understanding of the wider world and introduce them to different perspectives.
Storytelling can also have a positive impact on the person telling the story. By using characters and heroes, storytellers can create a stronger connection with children and communicate ideas that may be difficult to explain directly.
For parents, storytelling provides an effective way to teach appropriate behaviors, values, and social skills. It can strengthen the relationship between parents and children and make education more enjoyable.
Sometimes storytellers also use stories to express their own hidden emotions. By presenting feelings through fictional events and characters, they can indirectly communicate thoughts that are difficult to say openly. This process can help with emotional release and personal expression.
