How is your child falling asleep? Do you read fairytales to your child? Despite the fact, that we live in the age of visual technology, let’s not forget the classical book and magic of bedtime stories. These are important moments of quality time spent with your child. It’s a special time that helps strengthen your relationship, while at the same time you are enriching the children’s vocabulary and imagination. Some studies confirm that reading to a child at the bedtime sets the foundation for better learning abilities later in life.

1. Bedtime stories – the time devoted to the child only

In today’s fast pace of life, we already spend a bit of time with a child in a week, and then we must admit that even though we are with him, we are not always fully committed to it. Therefore, reading to your child at bedtime should be the time reserved for the child only. That’s the time when everything else is postponed and a parent’s focus is on the child.

2. Physical contact between the reader and the listener – the time for mindfulness

Bedtime reading is a great opportunity for the precious moments of bonding, which we both still need from children and parents. (As children grow they are less likely to snuggle with us, so do take the time to snuggle while they are still small, it will not last forever.) Squeeze under the blanket with your child choose your favorite corner in home, perhaps in a company of child’s plush toys, and let the child choose the fairy tale. (Even if it’s the same fairytale repeatedly.) Reading that way will be more fun and kind of an adventure for both of you.

3. Bedtime and the body – the time for calming down

Today in the modern pace of life, children are exposed to stress as well. The bedtime ritual of reading fairytales makes children feel safe and warm, while snuggling beside you or in sitting your lap. It’s also a perfect activity for calming down which prepares the child’s body for falling asleep and helps children to sleep deeper as well. So basically reading fairytales is a great choice for calming down. My book “The Fairy Tale of Luna” is magical, sensual and with wonderful messages.

4. The magical world of fairy-tale characters – the time for imagination

When children listen to the fairytales, they create an image of the stories with their imagination. Later on this will help children become independent readers, as children who listen to stories develop the part of the brain that helps “see” what is happening in the story. The books promote creative thinking, since the child has to create the image of the story itself, unlike cartoons and other visual entertainments where the image is already in front of the observer (Pediatrics, August 2015). In addition, it is very pleasant for the children when the bedtime reading takes them into the world of imagination and they fall asleep.

5. Books with messages – the time for intimate conversation with a child

When a child feels comfortable and safe, it is very likely to be confident about it’s worries. The child might open to you if something unpleasant happened during the day. The conversations can also be stimulated by the content or messages of the books. Therefore, bedtime routine with reading is an excellent opportunity for open conversations, either on the child’s initiative or your own. Experts recommend that the reading ritual is continued as long as possible, even in the teenage years of the child, simply because by bedtime reading we build a bridge into child’s intimate word and we may talk on more sensitive subjects that bother the child.

In addition to spending pleasant moments together, preparing for sleeping, and strengthening your relationship with your child, bedtime reading has an extremely positive effect on the development of the child’s brain, speech development and it enriches child’s vocabulary.

MINI POLIGLOTINI books are the perfect choice for your child’s bedtime reading. Aside from all other reading benefits my books are multilingual, so your child will be spontaneously learning foreign language as well. In addition, MINI POLIGLOTINI books always have a hidden message and a touch of magic, so that children are even more easily falling in their world of dreams. Good night and sweet dreams 😀