This post has been sponsored by Sonlight®.
No matter how old you get, a great illustrated book is so satisfying and is sure to bring a smile to your face! There’s just something about photos and drawings that help aid in driving home storytelling and sharing important information.
In fact, research has actually proven that teaching with visuals helps enhance hand-eye-mind connections while improving the ability to recall facts and retain important information. So there’s your proof! Visuals are the perfect stepping stones for long-lasting, permanent, learning experiences!
Permeating the mind with art, color, and ideas is the perfect way to introduce new concepts or even slip in what your kids may consider “boring” subjects. Picture books can be so much fun, they may not even realize you’re sneaking some learning in there!
Benefits of Using Picture Books in Your Homeschool
1. Visuals Encourage Reading Comprehension
What better way to encourage reading comprehension than with added visual illustrations? This is where picture books in your homeschool can help, and be interesting for both little kids and big kids alike. When we can make an observation to connect the written words with a formatted illustration, we can better understand and comprehend what is being read and intended.
While most children have a short attention span, visual portrayals play a key role in helping to stay focused and connected with the information being presented. Whether it is fiction, or non-fiction, having an identifiable object to focus on can help anyone better conceptualize!
2. Engaging for Multiple Ages
One of the best things about picture books is that one book can appeal to multiple people across different age groups, which is great for homeschool families! From families with only one child, where the parents can get involved, to families with multiple children, books provide an escape where learning becomes easy and fun.
When we take the picture book approach, families both young and old, big and little, can connect over literature, learning, and information that makes for good, clean, entertainment that is also educational!
3. Good for Multiple Learning Styles
We’ve already talked about how picture books can be great for the whole family; now we take it a little deeper and share how picture books can be great for multiple learning styles, especially visual and auditory learners! Let’s dive in a little further.
Picture books are great for visual learners because they provide an illustrated demonstration of written words. Books that include photos help bridge the gaps and allow you to grasp and remember information.
Being involved by reading books aloud to your children, or having them read aloud to others, is great for auditory learners because they are able to understand by hearing or reading the words aloud while other learning types and ages enjoy the photos.
4. Supplemental Education
If you’re using a set curriculum, picture books can be a great way to enforce what you’re teaching or provide an additional source of study. Because these types of books provide literature and visuals, they can be memorable, adaptable, and structured to help fortify your teaching in a fun and enjoyable way.
Photos and pictures are a great way to break up the mundane tasks of everyday homeschool and provide a well-rounded approach to developmental knowledge.
5. Unit Study Potential
When we craft material around what interests our children it becomes easier to teach because they are more willing to learn. Because kids love picture books, we can then take that material and make it into unit studies or study guides to ensure that they are retaining all of that information.
Opportunities are endless when it comes to literature and children are like little sponges, soaking it all up. Unit studies are great for making sure that they are retaining that information and not just leaking it all over your countertops. Er, I mean, forgetting it.
If you’re looking to add some great educational and relevant supplemental information into your homeschool routine, Sonlight has some great options. Their whole educational philosophy is based upon the idea that access to great literature is the best way to learn!
Personally, for our large family, illustrated books are a must! By using picture books in our homeschool, I’m able to teach multiple children, who all learn differently, with singular texts because they appeal to a wide audience.
I live in Kenya and I am a homeschool mom. Why isn’t the give away limited to some areas?
I would love to have use the give aways in my homeschool.
You would have to contact Sonlight directly and ask, but I’d imagine it’s due to shipping expenses.