Children are like sponges, often absorbing lessons from the stories that they hear. These stories can take many forms. Typically, the first stories that children learn are nursery rhymes and later, stories from children’s literature, poems and even songs. These stories are not only entertainment, but also have many other benefits.

Primarily, children intuitively learn lessons about language, speech, grammar and pronunciation when listening to a storyteller. This can lead to increased performance in school as they age. Studies show that children who memorize nursery rhymes and other children’s stories are more likely to become readers as adults, which is linked to intelligence and success in school and in other areas of life.

Additionally, children are able to more easily learn life lessons when they are made relevant through storytelling. Remember the fables of the tortoise and the hare or the boy who cried wolf and other children’s classic stories. These are able to impart valuable lessons on children that they are able to relate to, which is a more effective way of teaching than simply relaying the lesson. For example, if you simply told a child that steadfastness and perseverance were the keys to success, this would have little meaning, but in the context of the story of the tortoise and the hare, the child is able to understand why the tortoise triumphed over the more naturally adept hare.

Also, listening to stories, allows children to place themselves in the position of the characters, teaching them empathy and allowing them to grow into compassionate caring adults. It also gives them a tool for expressing their own experiences, which helps them to emotionally and psychologically process events. Expressing these events through a narrative gives children the tools that they need in order to feel as though their thoughts and feelings are important and valid.

An added benefit of storytelling is that it teaches children listening skills. Listening comprehension is invaluable to a child as he or she begins school, where lessons are often presented as lectures. Also, listening requires patience, another great skill that will contribute to future success.

It has long been common knowledge that reading to children is beneficial in the development of language and other skills, but it is also tiresome at the end of a long day, to sit down with your child and read the same children’s stories over and over. Although children’s literature is often delightful on the first read, psychological research has shown that children are comforted by hearing the same stories repeatedly, a mystery to most parents who recoil at the completion of a children’s book only to hear the familiar demand, “Again!”

Fortunately, technology has provided a solution for beleaguered parents who still want the best for their intellectually developing child. Much like audio books for adults, storytelling for children is also available on tapes, CDs and for download. These audio books for children offer the consistency and repetition that children crave and need, while giving a break to the parents.