Your heart sinks into your slippers as your child requests the SAME book for the millionth time. By now you can read it with your eyes closed. Is this normal? …
Yes! Repetitive reading happens in households E-VE-RY day, all around the world.
Here is the good news – not only is it normal, but also a GOOD THING!
The next time you pick up that very familiar book, keep in mind:
- Besides enjoying the story, your child is learning something new through the illustrations, the words, the sounds, or the way you are reading together. In fact, according to research, this is the most effective way for children to learn more vocabulary.
- Children love repetition and there is comfort in familiarity. It gives them more time to understand what they hear and to break down information. It also gives them a sense of control – they know what is going to happen.
- Repetitive reading is an essential part of your child’s learning journey.
Happy reading!
Three tips to make it a bit more bearable:
- Focus on something different each time, eg. Pictures, text, sounds
- Relate the story to real events in your child’s life and ask questions
- Offer to read another book with the same topic or from the same author/illustrator
