Books or E Readers for Children What Do You Think Is Best?
Fads are a funny beast. Clothing styles return every other decade or so, therefore we can hold on to those flared jeans and save them for ourselves a few years down the road or save a pair for our daughter so she can sport a vintage pair one day.
Hairstyles are the same, the bob comes back every three years or so and long straight hair even more often. Bangs they come and bangs they go but the Bee Hive is hit or miss.
The one thing that worries this, well, vintage type momma is books. Books came and stayed. Their first clay then paper goodness have been amusing, educating and comforting many, many generations for more than 5,000 years. Holding them, turning their pages, exploring their spines and pictures are part of what I enjoyed most about my childhood. But things are changing and I feel for little ones this is not so good.
The young child learns through all senses. Therefore holding a book and turning the pages is a better bet than swishes with their finger across a screen. Yes, the Ipad, the Kindle and the Nook are all great tools. And I use several for many things in my life, especially reading.
But for children I really feel they need to sit down in a comfy chair, or perch in their favorite tree, or settle down in their papa’s lap and turn the pages of dreams, wishes, ideas, memories, science, history and imagination in an honest to goodness real paper back. Would you let your six year old shimmy up a tree with a 6oo dollar Ipad? Or your four year old dance around the room mimicking the story in a book that says “ I can swing like a monkey. Can You? Can You?” I would say probably not.
What do you think? Do you think the Ipad or Kindle Fire are the answers for all things related to reading? Or do you think our good paper-spined friends still have a place in our children’s lives?
Simple Daily Challenge: Spend 10 minutes reading, exploring or just browsing a book with your children or if you are an empty nester just yourself. Afterwards, spend 5 minutes tidying your book collection or other shelves in your home.
I don’t see it as an either/or. I see both playing a role. My kids have ton of paper books. They prefer them over reading from a Kindle, and that’s fine. But they also have books on the Kindle – perfect for times when we can’t lug a bunch of books with us, or when we’re unprepared.
My kids love it when I read to them from the Kindle. When they were younger, they liked the interactive electronic books as a mommy/son activity. It brought a new dimension to story time that captured them and helped them fall in love with books. They love it when I play a soothing audio book when they are sick, sometimes following along with the “printed” words on the Kindle and sometimes closing their eyes.
Fortunately, we don’t have to choose one or the other. Even as an adult, I use both. Some books just still have to be paper. Others are great on a screen. Helping our kids navigate when to use technology and when NOT to is a great life lesson.
I love many of your points. I guess when I think of E-Readers and children I think of very young children because that is the age I taught for so long.