Reading a traditional book contributes to the development of the child, opens up a world full of empathy and emotions. Recently, however, parents are increasingly turning to audiobooks, which is undoubtedly convenient when traveling or when mom is working. So what to choose? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both types of text information transmission?
traditional book
Printed publications stimulate all kinds of senses – the baby gets acquainted with the thickness of the pages, structure, color. The voice of a reading parent is soothing, makes you feel safe. These moments of closeness create a strong bond with loved ones. For a child over the age of six, reading is a great way to improve both spoken and written literacy.
The only drawback is that the book is very vulnerable and easily damaged if it falls into small hands. In addition, in low light, reading damages eyesight and can even cause headaches. The solution to this problem is quite simple – just turn on the light, but there are situations when it is not available or the child is simply too lazy to do it, and there is no control from the adult (for example, the parent is at work).
audiobook
The opinion that the audiobook is “for the lazy” is wrong. As already mentioned, it saves in cases where a long journey lies ahead or the child cannot read due to visual impairment. This way of presenting information will undoubtedly help an adult if he is overloaded with work, dreams of rest, and the baby is naughty or noisy. It also allows the child to remember the correct stress in words, learn to expressively read and pronounce foreign words, since the speaker’s pronunciation is always perfect.
Unfortunately, audiobooks are not for everyone. A child who likes to read a paper version will not enjoy listening, which means they will not remember what they hear well. It is also not recommended for children with difficulties in reading, spelling, concentration skills, as they should be developed and supported visually. Thus, we can say that the audiobook is more of an addition to the general leisure, and not the main way to gain knowledge.