There may never be a better way to encourage your child to read than by snuggling up with a big, colorful board book for a nighttime story. Yet the new millennium has brought technology into every aspect of our lives. While we may hope that nothing will ever take the place of fuzzy slippers, warm blankets, and Hop On Pop, wise parents will harness technology to further encouraging a love of the written, if digital, word.
An Oldie But A Goodie
Few like to admit it, but it’s a rare frazzled parent who hasn’t set their children in front of the television for an hour in order to get dinner on the table. PBS isn’t always an option, but cartoons abound. Ease your guilt for this minor transgression by turning on the closed-caption option during the shows. Many preschoolers will recognize patterns of words long before they can spell or sound them out.
Not All Books Are Made Of Paper
Digital book sales in the U.S. are estimated to be about 20% of the entire market, a percentage that is likely to increase. Digital children’s books have the advantage of being interactive in educational ways, allowing kids to tap the screen to hear a word again, or summon a definition. Offering good children’s literature (without too many games) is a fine way for kids to use their limited screen time.
Apps Abound
Smartphones are the new pacifiers. While you’re standing at the check-out line with a fussy child, it’s easy to tap a few keys and live-stream a cartoon just long enough to get her home to an overdue lunch. But by packing your smartphone with a few educational apps, you avoid the cartoon candy and instead stimulate their minds.
Gaming Isn’t Just For Geeks
If you have older children in the house, it’s likely that you own an XBox, Playstation, or Nintendo Wii gaming platform, probably hidden in a basement somewhere. These gaming platforms can actually be used for more than explosive, shoot-em-up, multiplayer enjoyment. There are a number of educational video games available on all these platforms, as well as PCs, Macs, and handheld Nintendo devices. Not only will your preschooler be strengthening her reading skills, she’ll also get a rare chance to feel like a Big Kid.
Note that the National Sleep Foundation recommends avoiding using screen technology before bedtime in order to promote quick and restful sleep. Just more proof that in the end, no technology is better than a parent, a snuggled child, and an old-fashioned hardcover.
