When my children were babies, I loved reading bedtime stories to them. It’s a routine that sets a good example for children about the importance of reading. It also creates a time and place far away from televisions, computers, and phones, where families can connect and spend quality time together. This is especially important for fathers who generally spend much less time with children.
It was important to me that we read stories that reflect our values and beliefs. As children grow, they will learn valuable information from books including reasoning skills, language, and lessons about our world. Here are some of my favorites for preschoolers:
1.I’ll See You in the Morning by Mike Jolley and Mique Moriuchi
I like this book because it takes away the fear of nighttime. So many children are plagued by thoughts of monsters under the bed or ghosts in the shadows, but this book talks about nighttime in a positive light.
My favorite line in this book is:
“Don’t be afraid of darkness. Don’t be afraid, my Sweet. The night is just a blanket that helps the earth to sleep.”
2.Oh, the Thinks You Can Think by Dr. Seuss
I like this book because it challenges the imagination. It takes children to fictional lands and challenges their thinking through odd questions, such as, “Think! Think and wonder, wonder and think. How much water could 55 elephants drink?”
3.My Daddy and I by P.K. Hallinan
I like this book because it emphasizes the relationship between father and son. In a society where so many broken homes leave sons and daughters fatherless, I want to be sure that my son is aware of the gift he has in a loving, attentive father.
My favorite line in this book is:
“Then, in the evening, we usually stand alone in the kitchen and talk man-to-man. And I see in his eyes how deeply he cares, and I hear in his voice all the feelings he bears.”
4.Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
I like this book for several different reasons. First, it teaches dozens of practical lessons, such as, the sound each animal makes and what it looks like. For example, a cow says “moo.” Second, the book is written to the tune of do-si-do, so it’s a fun read, adding rhythm and music for the listener. But the best reason I like this book is it shows a variety of animals dancing with each other—dogs with bunnies, horses with pigs. It’s a celebration of the differences in all of us but with a spirit of unity.
My favorite line in this book is:
“With a BAA and a MOO and a COCKADOODLEDOO everybody promenade two by two.”
5.The Bible
In addition to our nightly bedtime story, we also read verses from the Bible. I believe all parents should read the Bible to their children. I don’t mean a children’s Bible; although, there is nothing wrong with children’s Bibles. But I think we should incorporate the Word of God as it is written.
In Deuteronomy 6:6-9, God tells the Israelites to pass down the words that He has spoken to them, and this is how God’s glory is celebrated from generation to generation. In the same way, we should pass down the stories of God’s miracles and goodness to our children.
Although small children can’t understand many of the concepts, reading the Bible teaches them from an early age the importance of the scripture by incorporating it in the daily routine. And not only that, but it’s also good for parents to hear it!
I have many favorite scriptures in this book, but I will leave you with this one:
“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).