A story primarily has the following elements: characters, setting, plot and timeline. As children listen to stories being read aloud, they make associations with the story elements and relive them through play. They make up stories in free play, during conversations or during pretend play. Interestingly, they not only retain the cognitive memory of the events in the story, but also remember the emotions in the story, and those of the adults as well who read the story out loud. This is the absorbent mind of the child that is open to all inputs and takes in everything presented to it in its immediate environment. Hence the prepared environment, appropriate materials and the emotional state of the adult play a vital role in educating the child.
Research shows how even technical subjects like mathematics and sciences can also be assimilated better by older children if they can create story associations with the concepts. Further, the story framework is now recognised as a memory-enhancing tool for all ages. Hence, carefully curated books and a playful association with a toy, read aloud by a caring adult are a recipe for exceptional child development. The adult can later witness how beautifully the child recreates the knowledge and emotions that he has absorbed. The child could express his learning through a playful engagement with the toys that are associated with the book and the entire experience of read-aloud.
