No longer is the Indian publishing industry sitting and waiting for manuscripts for young people and adults. With the world getting more aware of the benefits of the print materials, the books for very young children are also now being published with enthusiasm.
The question you may have is – aren’t they too young?
The adage is – Catch them young!
Preschool kids have a different set of skills to master and the books that correspond to their age level and skills are totally different from that of the adults.
How do preschoolers get advantage from books? Here are a few ways in which the books give the young kids a way to get their skills and mental faculties engaged –
- Sensory Appeal
Kids have the benefit of touch and feel books that heighten their sensory relation with the world. Through touch they get the concepts of hard, soft, feathery, textured etc. Board books with musical keys appeal to the hearing of the songs and reading them too. Sight words help understand the basic concepts of sounds and words.
- Learning beyond alphabets and numbers
Kids learn more than alphabets and numbers. Familiarity brings them more adapt and comfortable to learning therefore, the emphasis is on their social connections with the school environment. This helps them adjust faster to school.
- Bonding Time
Parents get to bond with their kids and this gives quality time with play for the children. It gives kids a sense of security and safety that the parents are invested in their learning and new skill formation
- Cognitive Development
Ask your child before you start reading –
- What do you think this story is about?
- Who might be in it?
- What do you think will happen?
This helps kids develop thinking skills and also imagination. They learn to related to the world and think of causative aspects of their environment
- Books as per age and interest
Buy books that your kid can grasp. Also books that would interest them work the best! There are a lot of books that give them the opportunity to indulge in play or hands-on activity and learn. Get the kids involved and you too can join in the fun.
In the preschool years, your child might especially enjoy:
- alphabet, shape, size and counting books
- books that tell simple stories, especially ones with rhythm and repetition
- books about families, friends and going to school
- books with characters who are about the same age as your child and characters who have quirky traits
- books that use humour and have a sense of fun – for example, a character who uses a funny word, or who is silly or even ‘naughty’
- books relating to particular interests – for example, books about dinosaurs, fairies, football or animals. Some preschoolers are very interested in non-fiction books, including books about the stars, the ocean, inventions, food and travels around the world.
(Source: https://raisingchildren.net.au/ )
Some of the Indian book boxes/publications we recommend:
- Tulika – https://www.tulikabooks.com/
- Puffin – https://penguin.co.in/book/puffin-classics/
- Tara – https://tarabooks.com/
- Junior Crate – https://juniorcrate.in/
- Toka Box – https://www.tokabox.com/
- Fubu Box – https://www.fububox.com/
