Fostering your child’s imagination is key to so many aspects of their development. It gives them a judgment-free zone to practice nurturing, family dynamics, social skills among and with their peers. It lets them practice the act of empathy, it gives them a better understanding of the roles of others they may pretend to be.
One of the very best ways you can foster imagination is reading aloud to your child. The more you read, the more you expand their knowledge base. It opens up new ideas and expands their mental horizon beyond what they learn could learn within the perimeters of their own daily life at home.
When you read aloud to your child, you are planting seeds of imagination. Reading or hearing stories gives us the opportunity to practice imagination – as the words describe an image or place, we build and manipulate a picture in our mind as to what’s been described. This practice stretches and strengthens the mind. Think of it as a muscle; each time you read is like a workout at the gym.
The benefits of imagination are endless! It is imagination that spurs creativity. Creativity in turn spurs innovation. Innovation advances society in every possible industry. Plato said; necessity is the mother of invention. While that’s true, without imagination there would be no inventions!
It is written on the World Literature Foundation’s website; “If imagination and magical thinking connected to reason spur discovery, innovation and new understandings, it can be maintained that literature is a key role in both developing and engaging imaginative and magical thinking.” This shows that reading is a key part of enhancing imaginative thinking, which can lead to innovation and understanding.”*
The World Literally Foundation believes, as I do, that literacy is the very base of lifelong learning, as well as enhancing imagination.