Reading Aloud Benefits the Whole Family

MENTAL HEALTH

READING ALOUD

Benefits the Whole Family

WRITTEN BY INGRID LINDQUIST

Do you remember your favorite childhood book? Some of my favorites were The Giving Tree, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Where the Wild Things Are. If being read to as a kid did not make an impact on me, I would not be able to list those titles so effortlessly. However, being read to by my parents is one of the things I remember most fondly from my childhood. I remember the soothing tone of my mom’s voice, the different voices my dad did for each character and the warm glow of our reading lamp blanketing me with feelings of comfort and nostalgia. Even during times of stress and tragedy, such as my parents’ divorce, being read to provided me with a feeling of consistency, security and love.

No matter what your family may or may not be going through, reading is a great way to bring you together, build trust and give your little ones a consistent sense of stability and safety.

Reading a story at bedtime, naptime or mealtime can help your child feel that the day has a predictable schedule, even in unpredictable times. The ritual of reading gives your kiddo something to look forward to each day, while also providing you with a nice activity to give your child undivided attention, making them feel reassured and safe. We all want our children to feel secure, and reading aloud is a tried-and-true way to help your family and little ones experience these comforting feelings. Among other things, reading aloud reduces stress, teaches new words to express emotions, opens the door for conversations, reading about a character experiencing a hardship helps us feel less alone, teaches empathy for those that are suffering, provides an escape and perspective and promotes oral storytelling.

If you are a Gallatin County resident, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is an incredible FREE resource available to all families with children under age 5. The Imagination Library mails registered families a brand-new, age- appropriate, specially-selected book to read to their little one each month. To REGISTER your child to get a free book in the mail each month (totaling 60 books over the course of the program) go to https://imaginationlibrary.com/ usa/affiliate/MTBOZEMAN/. If you enroll this month, you will get your first book in the mail when summer arrives (30-60 days). BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) EIGHT BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP More information & registration NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 montana.edu/getfit 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11) BOBCAT SUMMER YOUTH CAMP NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS AGE & PRICING JUNE 15 - AUGUST 14 Per Week SWIMMING CRAFTS SPORTS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVE EXPLORATION LOCATION Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center Montana State University Camp: Monday - Friday Grades: K - 6 9 AM - 3 PM $135 $145 $15 $30 Pre-Camp Per Week Post Camp Available for additional cost: Pre-Camp: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Post-Camp: 3:30 - 5:30 PM Early Bird Per Week (April 12 and on) (March 1 - April 11)

If you are curious which books the Imagination Library is mailing out in 2021, you can find the USA book list for all six of the age groups at: https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/book-list/.

Some noteworthy titles include: Baby! Talk! (for children born in 2021), Little Poems for Tiny Ears More information & registration (for children born in 2020), Sleep Train (for children born in 2019), Hair Love (for children born in 2018), Llama Llama Loves to Read (for children born in 2017), and Blue Sky White Stars (for children born in 2016). More information & registration montana.edu/getfit More information & registration montana.edu/getfit More information & registration montana.edu/getfit More information & registration montana.edu/getfit More information & registration montana.edu/getfit More information & registration montana.edu/getfit More information & registration montana.edu/getfit montana.edu/getfit More information & registration montana.edu/getfit

Ingrid Lindquist (she-her) is the Early Childhood Education VISTA for Greater Gallatin United Way.