Many of us cherish childhood memories of reading with a parent or teacher. Reading with children not only contributes to their development in many different ways, it provides important opportunities for parents and caregivers to bond with children. Life is hectic, and in our efforts to provide for children, we tend to forget that it’s our time and attention that they need the most. Taking a moment to read to a child demonstrates that you care and models a number of healthy habits that children can benefit from their entire lives. In honor of National Reading Month let’s look at all the benefits of reading
Benefits of Reading
- Language development: Reading to children exposes them to new words, sentence structures, and language patterns. This can help children build their vocabulary, develop their grammar skills, and improve how they communicate with peers and adults.Cognitive development: Reading helps children to develop cognitive skills by encouraging them to think, reason, and analyze. It can also improve memory and concentration. Encourage children to analyze and discuss the story after reading it.
- Emotional development: Books that deal with feelings, such as anger, fear, happiness, and sadness, can help children understand and express their emotions better.
- Social development: Reading to children can help them develop social skills by promoting empathy. It can also encourage them to interact with others and consider them from a moral perspective.
- Imagination and creativity: Storytelling stimulates a child’s imagination, helping them to visualize and imagine new worlds, characters, and situations. Creative thinking and problem solving go hand in hand.
- Increases knowledge: Reading exposes children to new ideas and concepts, expanding their understanding of the world around them. It can also spark curiosity and encourage children to explore what truly interests them.
- Academic performance: Reading to a child can help them perform better academically throughout childhood and adolescence.
- Lifelong literacy: Children who read with a parent or caregiver are more likely to maintain an interest in reading across their lives.
Start Reading Today
Reading to a child isn’t only fun and rewarding, but provides many benefits during critical periods of a child’s development. Take a moment, take a seat on the couch, and read a book with a child you love. Such small acts of care might seem trivial, but they create positive childhood experiences that promote resiliency and act as a buffer against the inevitable stressors of life. Happy National Reading Month!
“There are many little ways to enlarge your world. Love of books is the best of all.” – Jacqueline Kennedy
To learn more about National Reading Month click here.