Getting More Out of Story Time
Most parents know that reading with children supports language development. We hear it from pediatricians, teachers, librarians, and speech-language pathologists. Reading exposes children to new words, helps build early literacy skills, and creates valuable opportunities for connection.
We want the time we spend reading to be educational, many of us naturally fill story time with questions.
"What animal is that?"
"What color is the truck?"
"Where is the baby?"
"What sound does the cow make?"
There's nothing wrong with these questions. In fact, they can help children practice skills they already know. The challenge is that when every page becomes a series of questions, story time can start to feel more like a quiz than a conversation.
Young children learn language best through meaningful interactions. While questions certainly have a place, they aren't the only way to engage with a book. Sometimes a simple comment can provide an even deeper language-learning opportunity.
Imagine you're reading a book with a picture of a little girl planting seeds in a garden. Instead of asking, "What is she doing?" you might say, "She's digging a hole for the seeds." Rather than asking, "What is that?" you could comment, "Those tiny seeds will grow into flowers. I wonder what the garden will look like when they bloom."
Comments expose children to vocabulary, sentence structure, and descriptive language without requiring them to provide a correct answer. They also create a more relaxed interaction where children can participate at their own level.
Many parents are surprised to learn that reading with infants and young toddlers is beneficial and doesn't require reading every word on the page. In fact, some of the richest language-learning opportunities come from simply looking at pictures together and talking about what you see.
If your toddler wants to spend several minutes looking at a picture of a tractor instead of turning the page, that's okay. You might comment, "That tractor is carrying a big load of hay," or "The tractor has huge tires." If your child points and says, "Tractor," you can expand by saying, "Yes, a green tractor."
These moments help children connect words with objects, actions, and experiences. They also teach an important lesson: books are meant to be enjoyed, not rushed through.
This is one reason wordless picture books can be such powerful tools for language development. Without text directing the story, parents and children create the experience together. The focus shifts from reading words to sharing observations, making predictions, and talking about what is happening in the illustrations.
One of my favorite examples is Stellaluna, a beautiful wordless picture book about a bat, by Janell Cannon. Having no written words on the page, every reading experience can be different. One child may notice the bat. Another may focus on the moon, the trees, or the other animals in the illustrations. The adult and child build the story together through conversation.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of this approach is that it removes pressure from both the parent and the child. Parents don't have to worry about asking the "right" questions or reading every word exactly as written. Children don't have to worry about producing the correct answer.
Instead, both can focus on enjoying the story together.
The next time you sit down with a favorite book, try making a few comments before asking a question. Describe what you see. Share an observation. Wonder aloud about what might happen next. Follow your child's interests, even if that means spending extra time on a single page.
You may discover that some of the best conversations happen when story time becomes less about finding answers and more about sharing the experience together.
About the Author
Anissa C. Weimer, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, author, and creator of the Little Voices Big Futures series.