Stories are the transference of ideas from one person to another. Children’s stories usually have a teaching element to them that benefits the children in a number of ways. One of the biggest educational benefits of children’s stories doubles as an emotional benefit as well. Stories can teach children different healthy coping mechanisms by taking adult concepts such as divorce, abuse, or death and presenting them in a way that neutralizes their fear factor.
In much the same way, stories for children can be used to help children deal with irrational fears, which are often figments of the child’s imagination. A commonly addressed theme of children’s stories that highlights this point is the infamous Monster Under the Bed theme. In these children’s stories the authors usually demonstrate to their readers how to confront fears head on—a life lesson that is easily transferable. Meanwhile, the illustrators present the “scary things” in a way that is more approachable. Once the fear factor of a situation is neutralized to a child, he is able to better process the situation and expedite his recovery.
There is a domino effect that exists when a child is read to from a young age. When an adult reads to a child consistently, that child becomes more interested in reading books and stories on his own, improving his literacy. You can also find a tutor for your child to ensure they’re ahead of the game. Not only does reading to children help them to become better readers, it also helps them to become better story tellers. One reason for this phenomenon is the fact that reading helps expand vocabulary.
A child with an enhanced vocabulary can usually express his ideas in a clearer and more concise way than a child with a limited vocabulary. When they are relaying a story, children with extensive vocabularies have the ability to make the story come alive by painting a picture with their words. A second reason why children who read frequently make better story tellers is because reading develops imagination, and imaginative children almost always have the ability to relay the most boring situations in exciting ways.
Another very important theme that children’s stories tend to relay is the idea of morality. Many writers have taken the simple straight-forward concepts presented in Aesop’s Fables, tweaked them slightly, and re-presented them in a form appropriate for children. In this way, the stories are used to showcase principles like integrity and wisdom in a way that’s easy for children to digest.