My boys are 12 now (how did that happen?!…). But I stopped for a moment today in admiration to watch them, engrossed with such concentration, to listen to a story. It was not a Marvel film of avenging superheroes, nor a replay of the last Ashes match (both are repeated countless times in this household, I can assure you). It was a Michael Morpurgo audio book of ‘Listen to the Moon’ (recommended to any of you with children of about 10 or so onwards!) It dragged a bit during the doctor’s accounts and the pace could have brought the whole thing from 8 CDs to 7, we all thought, but when it was good (which was mostly), it was very good.
It reminded me of the hoards of CDs we have travelled with – you’ll have your family favourites no doubt. They’ve got us through rain-swept Portugal, America road-trips, a disastrous holiday in Italy, and many family visits up and down the M1.
Thank heavens for Roald Dahl’s world of books – I salute him for Danny, that fab Champion who converted my boys to raisin poaching; or Matilda and her exceptional powers who made them wish they could also write messages to certain teachers on blackboards; and the Giant whose land was really scary (even for me) but who was essentially just big and friendly!
We’ve discovered the magnificent Waterhorse (thank you Dick King Smith for an unforgettable family search of Loch Lomond), and I guess I extend my thanks to Mr Clive King… for the equally unforgettable ‘dump’ in what was once a flower bed in our charming garden, to which I returned after an excessively long day of work, when my two were befriending Stig of ‘their’ Dump.
Before all that, we could recite Julia Donaldson’s creations from purple spikes and warty noses, to generous witches and totally squashed houses! Bear hunts travelled with us everywhere, along with our versions of ‘Two’ children and It (our doggy!), and magical wardrobes where my son’s Simba became the Lion, his saviour.
And here’s my point. To help children tune in to audio only (no videos, no games), just pure words, is a shrewd thing. You are helping to develop a child who will be able to concentrate throughout life – on your words, on a challenging task, in a school lesson, an exam, a job interview, and on their own child when they are a parent. This child can process information, store it and reason with it.
To listen and concentrate are valuable skills and to use audio books, rather than video, provides the brain with a different process. It focuses solely on words, allows the child to develop their own pictures within their mind and world. The cognitive benefits are wonderful and are extra to the new words and language they may be hearing. They develop abilities of perception and judgement. They have to reason out consequences, to experience suspense or humour, to use memory. What fantastic skills to acquire ahead of school.
So to see my 12 year olds still listening with such concentration to a good old yarn is quite simply wonderful. In the process, we’ve referred to historical facts and events and we’ve discussed emotions. We’ve checked on geographical locations and planned out a future trip. We’ve imagined the sinking of boats and the unjust tragedies of war. And all whilst wrapped in a beautifully written – and spoken – story.