Printed books are quickly being superseded by digital books, but research has shown that the printed book is still valuable – perhaps more so than their digital counterpart.
A study conducted in 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics has found that interaction with printed text was significantly greater when compared to reading / interacting with a digital book. It found that parents who read aloud to their children not only verbalized more than when they were reading or interacting with a digital book but the collaboration was higher. The study recommends that future studies should examine specific aspects of tablet-book design that support parent-child interaction.
Print books elicit a positive verbal and emotional interaction between parent and child and encourages parents to get more involved in the story, allowing them to fully experience the story along with their child.
Australian book stores feeling the pinch this Christmas, with sales plummeting in favor of a less expensive, easier to purchase and simpler to store electronic book.
This Christmas, think about buying a good old fashioned printed book for your child. Not only will you be helping your local bookstore and giving your child the valuable gift of story, but you’ll also be giving your child the opportunity to interact with you in a way that s/he is likely to remember for years to come. The love of reading, the love of storytelling, and the sharing of story is something that you can only create, not buy.
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