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As parents, we want to give our children every advantage possible in everything they do.
And everything they do has an affiliation with words. I don't know if you've ever thought about it, but there are a lot of words floating around out there.
Vast vocabulary
According to Merriam-Webster, there are an estimated one million words in the English language vocabulary (give or take a few hundred thousand, depending on which linguist you're chatting with).
Vocabulary is the backbone of language and helps us communicate our thoughts, ideas, and emotions effectively and with clarity.
Vocabulary is the backbone of language and helps us communicate our thoughts, ideas, and emotions effectively and with clarity.
So, one million words? That's a lot. And that's approximately how many words your child can hear and be introduced to if you read them five books a day during their first five years of life.
And, we're not talking about lengthy, page-bending chronicles, here. Just your run-of-the-mill, age-appropriate books for your little ones.
Complex concepts
No matter the page-count, books are magnificent. They give you the opportunity to use your imagination, expand your mind, and broaden your vocabulary.
Children's books introduce complex concepts and bigger, more difficult words than likely come up in general conversation at home. Having a chance to see and hear these sorts of words and ideas on a daily basis could play a role in your children's vocabulary and reading development as they grow.
Research from a study done by an Ohio State University, in collaboration with the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, showed that children whose parents or caregivers read them five books a day will have heard approximately 1.4 million more words by the time they enter Kindergarten than children who aren't read to.
Those who have even just one book a day read to them (say, as part of a bedtime routine) will hear nearly 300,000 more words by the time they turn five than those who don't have any books read to them (you can read the full story by Ohio State News, here).
Foster flourishment
So, snuggle up with your twins and embrace all kinds of books and all kinds of stories, whether they're from your personal library or your public library. This time together will enhance your bond, create lasting memories, and encourage your little ones' minds to flourish.
Beyond simply reading the text in the story, you can sound out words together, point out the colors on the page, or explain the objects included in the illustrations. Plus, having them help flip the pages gives them a chance to work on their hand-eye coordination and further develop their fine motor skills.
Storytime staples
In our home, we have shelves stacked with boatfuls of books. When our twins grow up, there will be no shortage of reading material.
There's also no shortage when it comes to their own personal bookshelves. We rotate publications between our shelves upstairs and downstairs to keep things interesting, but there are a few staples that are among our most-treasured.
It makes me ecstatic that our twins look forward to story time every day.
Here's a list of our Top 20 Favorite Books for Storytime
It was hard to pick just 20 favorites, as each separate story is engaging and animating in its own special way. Check out the boxes below for more details on each publication.
Are You a Cow?
This is Are You a Cow by Sandra Boynton. It reminds readers that no matter who you are, it's great to be yourself.
Corduroy
This is Corduroy by Don Freeman. It's a heartwarming classic about a teddy bear and a child finding the friend they've longed for in one another.
Dinosaur Dance
This is Dinosaur Dance by Sandra Boynton. It encourages readers to groove along to the beat with dancing dinosaurs.
Franklin in the Dark
This is Franklin in the Dark by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark. It teaches children that although they may be afraid of something, they can seek help and overcome their fears.
Goodnight Moon
This is Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd. It follows a bunny's bedtime routine as it winds down for the day by saying goodnight to all of the familiar sights in its bedroom.
Just Go to Bed
This is Just Go to Bed by Mercer Mayer. It follows Little Critter's silly antics as he uses his imagination to wiggle his way out of bedtime.
Little Blue Truck
This is Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry. Filled with truck sounds and animal noises, this story takes readers on a ride as they learn about kindness, respect, and the importance of coming together to help each other out.
Mortimer
This is Mortimer by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko. It tells the story of a little boy who won't go to sleep and keeps his family up by singing his noisy (yet catchy) tune.
Never Touch a Dinosaur!
This is Never Touch a Dinosaur! by Rosie Greening and Stuart Lynch. It takes readers on a sensory journey, featuring different dinosaurs with silicone patterns and colors worked into the design and artwork of each page. You can read more about why we love the "Never Touch a" books, here.
On the Night You Were Born
This is On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman. It celebrates each reader's individuality and all of the special and unique things that make them who they are.
One Elephant Went Out to Play
This is One Elephant Went Out to Play by Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillienstein, Bram Morrison, and Qin Leng. It takes readers on a musical journey featuring a classic counting song and celebrates diversity and friendship.
The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor
This is The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor by Stan and Jan Berenstain. It helps introduce readers to the idea of going to the doctor by teaching them about what happens when they visit the doctor's office for a check-up.
The Jolly Postman and Other People's Letters
This is The Jolly Postman or Other People's Letters by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. This beloved classic depicts letters written by characters from fairytales. Readers can interact with the book by removing the letters from the envelopes on each page to see what they say in their correspondence.
The Night Before Christmas
This is The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore and Barbara Reid. Moore's classic poem celebrates steadfast holiday traditions, while Reid's intricate plasticine artwork brings the illustrations to life.
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig
This is The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas and Helen Oxenbury. This funny and delightful story offers a skewed version of the traditional tale. It follows the three, little wolves as they try to solve their frustrating encounters with the big, bad pig.
The Very Cranky Bear
This is The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland. It follows four friends who decide to share what they have in order to try to cheer up someone who's been misunderstood because they are having a bad day and are in a grumpy mood.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This childhood classic follows the food trail of a little caterpillar as it literally eats its way through the pages of the book to teach the reader about the stages of metamorphosis.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly!
This is There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly! by Lucille Colandro and Jared Lee. You may never know why she swallowed that fly, but readers will certainly sing along as they make their way through page after page of catchy rhymes and silly illustrations.
Where's Spot?
This is Where's Spot? by Eric Hill. This classic lift-the-flap board book follows Sally the Dog as she searches around the house for her loveable son, Spot.
Where's the Snowman?
This is Where's the Snowman? by Ingela P. Arrhenius. This vibrant board book encourages readers to lift the colorful flaps to find out where each character is hiding and includes a fun surprise at the end.
A million words, a million memories
These are just a few of our favorite books that keep us busy reading in our household. If you check any of these out, we hope you like them as much as we do!
No matter which books you read with your children, exploring stories with your little ones is a wonderful way to make memories together, one word at a time.
Try to make it a special part of every day and see how close you can get to giving your twins the Million Word Advantage.
Do you have a daily reading routine with your kids? Which are your favorite stories to read together? Let us know in the Comments section below.
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