Importance of Reading With Kids: 10 Great Benefits
The importance of reading cannot be emphasised enough in young children, and as parents, we need to make every day reading a high priority.
Many studies show that toddlers and pre-schoolers who are read to every day have a larger vocabulary than those who aren’t read to at all. It turns out that there are many advantages and benefits of reading.
Not only does reading enhance a child’s vocabulary, and to help them understand how to read and write, but reading aloud to children also helps them to understand different topics about the world and every day life.
The Importance of Reading
Below are some benefits and advantages that highlight the importance of reading with kids.
1. Reading to young children sets them up to succeed
The more you read to your children, the more knowledge they absorb, and knowledge is important in all aspects of life.
There have many studies that show reading to babies and toddles gives them a head start and helps to prepare them for school later down the line. After all, reading with your children gives them the skills needed for when they start to read themselves.
It is important that children learn to follow words across the page from left to right, and turn pages which are pre-reading skills that benefit children and help them to become better readers later on.
Children who enjoy reading not only do better in language and literacy subjects, but in all of the different subjects as well.
For reluctant readers check out our reading games for kids which help them learn to read without realising it!
2. Reading is important to develop language skills
While you may speak with your children every day, the vocabulary you use is often limited and repetitive. Reading books ensures that your child is exposed to vocabulary on different topics, which means they hear words or phrases which they may not hear otherwise in their day to day lives.
The more words they know, the better. For children who speak more than one language, reading is an easy way to help their language skills and is important to develop their fluency. These skills alone show the importance of reading.
3. Exposure to reading exercises your child’s brain
Reading to young children affects their brain activity and may just give them that boost they need to support and promote their early reading skills.
Research on the importance of reading shows that specific areas of the brain are affected when young children have reading exposure at home from an early age. These areas are critical for a child’s language development.
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4. Reading enhances a child’s concentration
While you may think it is useless reading to a toddler who wants to constantly turn pages, swap books, or throw them around altogether, reading with your little one is extremely important at this age.
By consistently reading to your child every day, your child will learn to concentrate and sit still for longer periods of time, which can help later on when they go to school.
5. Reading together encourages a thirst for knowledge
Reading to your children leads to questions about the book and the information within. It gives you a chance to speak about what is happening and use this as a learning experience. It may also develop an interest in different cultures or languages. There is nothing better seeing a child who loves to learn.
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6. A range of books teaches children about different topics
Don’t underestimate the importance of reading diverse books and multicultural books. Providing your child with different types of books on different topics, or even in different languages for bilingual kids, gives them a wide range of information for them to learn.
There are informative books on topics such as different animals, places or objects etc, and there are also different books to help teach children about important life skills such as sharing, being kind, and diversity.
If you can’t afford, or don’t have access to many books, here are some FREE online books for kids.
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7. Reading develops a child’s imagination and creativity
One of the great benefits of reading with children is watching their growing imagination. When we really engage in a book we imagine what the characters are doing. We imagine the setting as reality.
Seeing the excitement on a child’s eyes when they know what is going to be on the next page, or having them guess what is going to happen is one of the most amazing things to experience.
8. Reading books with children helps to develop empathy
The importance of reading can also be shown when children develop empathy. When a child can put himself into the story this can happen. They identify with characters, and they feel what they are feeling. Children begin to understand and relate to emotions.
9. Books are a form of entertainment
With so much technology these days, it is difficult not to get caught up in all the hype of it all. TV, Video games, smart phones and apps are popular among children. However, reading a good book that your child is interested in can be just as entertaining.
With all of the negative affects of screen time, choosing a book that interests your child, and either reading it together, or letting them flick through pages alone, is definitely a better option.
One of the main benefits that highlights the importance of reading with babies and toddlers, is that they are more likely to choose a book to read for pleasure over another activity when they are bored.
10. Reading together helps to create a bond
There’s nothing better than cuddling up to your little one and reading a book or a bedtime story together. Spending time with one another, reading, and talking, can bring parents closer to your children.
For parents who work, or have a busy lifestyle, relaxing with your child and simply enjoying each other’s company while reading can be a great way for you both to wind down, relax, and bond.
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Benefits of Reading
We really do need to highlight the importance of reading. As parents, we need to prioritise reading in a child’s early years to help them to succeed later in life.
After all, as Dr Seuss would say in his famous reading quote “The more that you read, the more you will know, the more that you know, the more places you will go”.
Have you noticed the benefits of reading with your kids?
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Benefits of books vs screens
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Jurrien Collins
I absolutely love this!! I have a two year old and a one year old and they both love to sit and read books! My two year old is very rambunctious, but when bedtime rolls around he loves to pick out his “two books” and cuddle up on Mama’s lap! It’s my favorite time of the day!
Eileen Benson
Thanks for explaining that reading is better than using technology as entertainment because of the negative effects of screen time. I’ve noticed that my daughter wants to play on the computer every day as soon as she gets home from school. Maybe I’ll look into buying some used children’s books for sale to encourage her to read more!
Roksana Sathy
This is great information for parents.
I think many parents will get right direction for their children.This post valuable for all age and person.
Abdul Salam
It’s pleasure to read this article. I will recommend it every Teacher,Parent and Guardians to read this article and apply the recommendations to enhance reading skills of the children.
Mia Stewart
I like how the article explains that reading can help entertain children. We are looking for new ways to entertain our child other than tv. We will make sure to get them more books.
zee
I like this blog. It definitely is good read for teachers as well as for parents who can encourage their children to read and write. I am proud of my grandniece who is seven years old and has already published one book…’Sleepy and the Hunter’.
reza
you are right. that’s good.
Mary Amelia
Great post, Its very important to develop baby’s brain and Body. Most parents are busy on their duty. So for busy parents there are baby classes Bloomwellbeing available. It helps to develop baby.
Lindsey
Yea, they can learn easier when they’re younger…
ANANTA
Reading book is very important for the benefit of kids, parents always try to read in front of kid.
Rebekah Coover
I am responding to this post as part of a college assignment to write an essay either agreeing or disagreeing with someone else’s article. Of course I agree with this one!!! 🙂 I am trying to be sure to list my references according to detailed APA guidelines. There are specific ways to cite my references, depending on where I am getting them from. I briefly mention Chontelle Bonfiglio’s article and quote her on one line in my essay, and I need to know how to give proper credit. Is this website considered a blog, an online forum, a searchable database, or an internet journal? I hope to hear from you soon, because my first draft of my essay is due Wednesday night. Thanks!
kevin
good luck
Jeromy Pfannerstill
EXCELLENT article! Thank you!!
Deborah
An excellent article. The sooner children are exposed to reading, the better.
Duncan Lance
Reading to your children while they are young is essential to their development and I like that the article agrees. I particularly like that you bring up how it can help with their imagination and creativity. After all, if they can learn what other people imagine through reading books then they’ll understand how to further develop their own.
Moorttimatee Samantaray
I love reading from childhood because of my parents.
ANTO
This is Awesome it gives every children facts….?
manasi
I think this is a fabulous blog. Reading is one of the best exercises for growing kids. They get a lot of exposure to knowledge and they do not always need assistance to gain what they should. Reading out to kids is thus a good start for a child. Thank you for sharing this beautiful post. http://www.jmlschool.org/
INDHU
I LOVE BOOKS VERY MUCH ………………………….
Cresilda Pangilinan
Great article I love it..This blog is benefits to your growing up children..
Seema Mehta
There could not be a better blog to describe the importance of reading. However, today more and more kids are switching to mobile games and other forms of entertainment and few take real interest in reading. Parents are also to blame for this. I hope all such parents read this blog and decide to change their ways.
Kaarle
I love this. I used to be the worst in reading, and I didn’t like it at all. But then I found some like-minded people and we set a reading goal for us and everything changed. It was last year and since then I’ve already read 15 books. This online book club platform was the key in my case: https://onedown.club
Nancy Ekpezu
Reading truly helps you develop empathy. Because I was exposed to books quite early in life, it has helped me appreciate different cultures.
Careem Bond
I was a little kid and had huge vocabulary
sean knight
I started reading war and peace when I was seven years old. Thats because my parents always take me to the library
Schaffer Hale
Shucks, I’d already read it by seven; well, technically, had it read to me. My great-aunt was of the opinion that it didn’t matter what you read to kids, just so you did read aloud to them, and she had always wanted to read “War and Peace,” so she read it aloud to me as an infant. Seriously.
Raeger Wynchester
I truly agree with you when you said that reading helps in improving the child’s imagination because it allows them to imagine what’s going to happen and think of the settings as a reality. My wife has been trying to tell me to read stories to our daughter, but I never actually did it because back then, she was too young to understand anything. Now that she’s already three, I know that I can start stretching her imagination. Thanks! She loves dragons, by the way, so I’ll go buy her a dragon book.