繪本與幼兒的情感探索旅程

文：黃凱祥

在孩子的成長旅程中，圖畫書不僅是視覺上的享受，更是他們探索世界的重要工具。圖畫書帶給孩子的不只是美好的圖像和簡單的故事，而是一個通往認知發展、情感交流和語言學習的多維度途徑。透過陪伴孩子閱讀圖畫書，家長可以讓孩子在舒適的家庭環境中，培養出面對世界的自信與興趣。

選擇合適的圖畫書：開啟孩子的想像大門

選擇適合年齡的圖畫書對於孩子的發展十分重要。年幼的孩子更容易被真實照片所吸引，但這些圖片有時會讓他們分心，而無法將注意力集中在書本的內容上。因此，對於年紀較小的孩子，簡單的插圖或色彩柔和的圖畫書可以提供適合的視覺刺激，幫助他們慢慢理解圖像的象徵意義，而非將其當成真實的物體來探索。

引導孩子理解圖片的象徵意義

幼兒的探索行為，例如拍打或試圖抓取圖片，都是他們理解世界的自然方式。家長可以透過簡單的對話來引導孩子認識圖片的代表性。例如，當孩子看到一張動物圖片時，家長可以說：「這是一隻貓的圖片，我們在書中看到的並不是真正的貓。」這樣的對話能幫助孩子逐漸分清圖片與實物的不同，並學會將圖片作為溝通和學習的工具。

鼓勵指向行為並與孩子互動

當孩子對圖畫書中的圖片表現出興趣時，通常會透過指向來表達好奇心並尋求家長的回應。家長可以積極回應孩子的指向行為，例如描述圖片內容、講解圖像中的事物，讓孩子從互動中學會用語言來表達自己，這不僅加深了親子之間的聯繫，也幫助孩子提升理解與表達能力。

穩定的家庭閱讀習慣：讓閱讀成為生活的一部分

在家中建立穩定的閱讀習慣，讓閱讀成為每日生活的一部分，對於幼兒的語言和圖像理解發展有著深遠的影響。無論每天的閱讀時間長短，定期的親子閱讀時間能讓孩子逐漸熟悉圖畫書的結構，並培養他們對閱讀的興趣。這樣的閱讀習慣不僅有助於孩子的語言發展，也會讓他們在日常生活中更自信地面對新的知識與挑戰。

接納並理解孩子的探索行為

孩子的成長過程中，手動探索是重要且自然的學習方式，這樣的行為不僅幫助他們認識圖像，也讓他們從中發現世界的趣味。家長可以允許孩子拍打或觸摸圖片，並在合適的時機引導他們從觸摸轉向指向或描述行為，幫助孩子從更成熟的角度理解圖像與文字的關聯。

用圖畫書陪伴孩子：家庭閱讀中的成長契機

每一本圖畫書都是一次探索世界的機會。當家長通過圖畫書與孩子一起閱讀、觀察和討論時，孩子逐漸學會用自己的方式去理解和連接世界。透過穩定的家庭閱讀環境、適當的書籍選擇，以及家長積極的引導與支持，孩子能夠在生活中逐步建立對圖像、文字和語言的認知，並培養出對學習的熱情。圖畫書不僅是閱讀的媒介，更是孩子成長的重要陪伴。家長與孩子共同投入的每一本書、每一幅圖畫、每一次對話，都將成為孩子成長旅程中不可或缺的珍貴回憶。

Picture Books and a Child's Journey of Exploration: How Reading Fosters Cognitive and Emotional Development

In a child’s developmental journey, picture books are not only a visual delight but also essential tools for exploring the world. These books provide children with more than just appealing images and simple stories—they open a multifaceted path to cognitive growth, emotional connection, and language learning. By sharing picture books with children, parents can nurture their confidence and curiosity in a comforting family setting, helping them better engage with the world.

Choosing the Right Picture Books: Opening Doors to Imagination

Selecting age-appropriate picture books is crucial for a child's development. Young children are often drawn to realistic photos, but these images can sometimes be distracting, making it hard for them to focus on the story. For younger children, picture books with simple illustrations or soft colors can provide suitable visual stimulation, helping them gradually understand the symbolic meaning of images rather than treating them as real objects to explore.

Guiding Children to Understand Symbolic Representation in Pictures

Exploratory actions such as patting or attempting to grasp images are natural ways for young children to make sense of the world. Parents can guide their children to recognize the symbolic nature of pictures through simple conversations. For example, when a child sees an animal picture, a parent might say, “This is a picture of a cat; it’s not a real cat.” Such exchanges help children learn to distinguish between images and real objects and understand pictures as tools for communication and learning.

Encouraging Pointing and Interaction with Children

When children show interest in picture book images, they often express their curiosity by pointing, seeking a response from their parents. Parents can actively respond to this gesture by describing the picture or explaining the depicted items. These interactions not only deepen the bond between parent and child but also support the child’s understanding and expression skills.

Establishing a Regular Reading Routine: Making Reading Part of Daily Life

Creating a steady reading routine and making it part of daily life positively impacts a young child’s language and understanding of imagery. Regardless of the time spent each day, having a consistent reading period helps children become familiar with the structure of picture books and fosters an interest in reading. This habit supports both language development and confidence in exploring new knowledge and challenges in daily life.

Embracing and Understanding a Child’s Exploratory Behavior

Manual exploration is an important and natural part of learning during childhood, as it helps children understand images and discover the world’s wonder. Parents can allow their children to pat or touch pictures and guide them at the right time to move from touching to pointing or describing. This approach supports a child’s mature understanding of the relationship between images and words.

Sharing Picture Books with Children: Growth Opportunities in Family Reading

Every picture book is an opportunity to explore the world. When parents engage in reading, observing, and discussing picture books with their children, children gradually learn to interpret and connect with the world in their own way. Through a stable family reading environment, thoughtful book choices, and the parent’s active guidance and support, children can steadily build an understanding of images, text, and language in everyday life, developing a passion for learning. Picture books are not merely reading tools but also vital companions in a child’s growth. Each book, image, and conversation shared by parents and children becomes an invaluable part of a child’s journey and precious memories along the way.