If on the occasion of the Youth Book Day we told you what they are the preferences of the adolescent public when it comes to their reading, today I would like to focus on babies and very young children (up to 6 years old); but I will not only talk about what attracts them, but I will add the characteristics that we expect in the literature for these ages.
I already said it yesterday: nowadays we find a lot of books of all kinds aimed at childhood, perhaps too much; although we might think that the more diversity and quantity, the more decision-making capacity we will have, many times we find readings that do not meet the minimum requirements that make them suitable. Keep reading because I think you will be interested.
First of all I would like to grant a vote of confidence to moms and dads who each week choose books from the library, or buy them, to read to your children. You don't need to know about evolutionary psychology, or know all the children's publishers, or what are the most fashionable authors in the publishing market. It is common sense that tells you that the five-month-old baby likes that soft cloth book that barely has four pages and is carried with a small handle.
It is the same "sense" that realizes that the four-year-old child falls short of the stories about daily and family stories of the protagonists ... he needs more content and more dynamic images. Let yourself be carried away by your "know-how" as parents, and keep in mind that from a very young age, you know what you want. But since I have mentioned evolutionary psychology, I tell you that Piaget already took it into account, and applied it to reading maturation, making a distinction by periods (and I know that this is very flexible, because maturity is individual and is not governed by external criteria):
At this time, the book not only transmits with its language, but it also becomes an object that becomes very familiar to them, and they can also put it in their mouths.
The book recovers the purpose for which it was designed: to allow exploration and immerse yourself in the story
Read to them and let them read… from what age?
I do not join the most widespread recommendations (and maybe even consensual), because I think that every father and every mother can begin to "read" to the baby at the age they want: at 3, 4, 6 months a toy is recognized in a book, but above all the presence of the adult is valued while playing (in this case it is reading) with oneself, and taking advantage of the resources of the object itself, such as tabs, soft reliefs, etc.
And for the child to read alone, there is also no age “from which”: it is clear that once the literacy stage is finished, they will be more fluent in deciphering the marvelous code of stories, and before they can practice the spelling, or recognizing syllables, and associating words with pictures. Up to 5/6 years they are small to read alone (although for some it is not an effort), but little by little, and especially from the age of 4, they can follow simple sequenced stories.
Books for the little ones in the house.
I have proposed to make recommendations aimed at mothers and fathers of girls and boys up to 6 years old: it is not easy, since in this period many physical, psychological, intellectual and social changes occur, which will condition both play and reading (Although the latter also has a very clear playful aspect, and important for children). Always keep in mind that the orientation that appears on the front or back of the books is that (an orientation) because you are the ones who know best what your sons and daughters taste like.
Readings for babies up to 3 years.
Mental development is extraordinary and they also discover their environment (after doing the same with his body). The children listen to the adults tell, and have fun with their carantoñas, they also follow the drawings of the story, and around 2 years they can already recognize familiar characters such as grandparents, friends, the pet, etc. You should try to choose books with images that accompany the text well, and that are attractive. From 24 months they can follow and remember very short sequences, and later they will improve this ability.
In these early years, the active involvement of the adult in the story is very important, which, if possible, should be accompanied by body language and changing tones of voice. Counting is an art, but you don't need any qualifications, you are parents and this is enough. After the first months, you can go from the lines to mini stories about "daily life", incorporating knowledge of the environment (the market, the park, the uncles' house, the farm animals ...).
The language is usually rhythmic, and it would be required that the characters were pleasant, and the illustrations were not grotesque
The materials must be resistant so that the book withstands being thrown, sucked or handled. In addition, there must be a guarantee regarding the use of non-toxic paint; When buying in trusted stores, and especially products from recognized publishers, there is no problem.
Readings for children up to 6 years.
Sometimes it happens before, but from 36 months, our children are able to construct sentences, and elaborate sentences using a language not supported in the most everyday objects or situations. Magical thinking is present and it is a very beautiful stage, because in his mind “everything is possible”. They can receive stories with large doses of fantasy, but have a light and agile reading.
They may start to like riddles and jokes, too enjoy folk fairy tales, folk songs, personified animals, and they continue to ask (even more than in the previous stage) for stories starring the people best known to them. Family and friendship relationships, with a strong presence of values, stand out in children's literature for these agess.
Finally, I tell you that Marcy Axness, editor of Mothering, he told us a few years ago in this post, that in these first years of life, children should listen to books that are beautiful in the illustrations (without cartoons) and wonderful in the subject (free of irony or sarcasm) because the little ones are pure goodness, and everything that is read to them before going to sleep will influence their dreams.
Image - (Second) Jon mick