Reading books to children is oftentimes one of the tips that parents receive from well-meaning friends and family.
Many of them claim that the activity offers a ton of benefits for both kid and parent.
For instance, it gives the opportunity to bond together, reconnecting over something that doesn’t consist of a screen.
This time with each other is undoubtedly important for parents, who frequently find themselves up to their ears in work.
Bonding Time with your Child
Let’s discuss the most obvious benefit first – bonding time with your child. This simple activity fosters a sense of intimacy in your little one, allowing them to feel much closer to you. More importantly, it helps them see you as a person to trust, rather than just an authority figure.
Nowadays, a lot of families are experiencing an over-dependence on technology and electronic devices.
Kids – along with their parents – are constantly hooked on their screens, leading to a lack of communication and understanding. Because of this, conflict within the family unit is becoming increasingly common, affecting each member’s mental and emotional well-being.
This digitalization means that introducing an activity that forces all participants to really concentrate on each other is a must.
In reading to your kid, the only things that both of you focus on are the book and each other. The two of you exist in a sort-of bubble, shutting out everything else in the world. And more often than not, this is exactly what needs to be done to forge deeper and better relationships.
Also Related: Why Should We Read to a Child from Birth?
Establishes a Calming Routine
Many children are restless and fidgety, particularly when you’re trying to put them to bed! As parents, we’ve all experienced the challenges of bedtime, with kids acting up and refusing to quiet down.
Some even resort to endless trips to the kitchen, making up a slew of excuses as to why they’re awake.
This is a reality that a lot of parents experience and it can understandably be annoying at times.
To mitigate this, many recommend introducing a bedtime routine that soothes and calms your child, such as reading to them. This activity would definitely provide them an opportunity to rest their mind from the excitement of the day’s events.
More than that, though, reading to them at night helps them associate this particular activity with bedtime. Before long, they will start becoming quieter once you bring out books, knowing that this indicates that sleep is coming.
Exposure to the Language
Child experts generally agree that exposing children to language from an early age is non-negotiable.
This helps them increase their understanding of the spoken word, widening their vocabulary, and improving their own speech patterns. It also helps develop their communication skills, which is why parents are encouraged to actively speak with their child.
Understandably, though, some parents find it hard to keep on speaking with an individual who never replies. But this situation can be easily resolved by reading to your child, exposing them to the language without you struggling.
Reading books to children also has a lot of long-term benefits. For example, it helps their brain flourish, allowing them to do better in school once they’re older. To add to that, it also builds their literacy and social-emotional skills, which are definitely important in human development.
Ensures Future Academic Success
It goes without saying that this early exposure to language goes hand-in-hand with academic success.
Having a wider vocabulary and better communication skills improves how children handle themselves in an academic environment. They typically find it easier to learn and absorb new things because of their improved reading comprehension, fluency, and phonics.
Preschoolers, in particular, become more adept at identifying speech patterns when read to by their parents from an early age.
This activity also improves a kid’s ability to integrate sound with visual stimulation. Rather than learning this only when in school, they get to cultivate it while still in their home environment. This means that they have an advantage over their classmates, allowing them to take on more advanced topics.
While enjoying a book with your child won’t guarantee admission to college, it certainly sets them up for future success.
Not only will they be ahead of their peers in school, but they’ll also learn how to express themselves better. Without a doubt, these would both help them excel academically, especially during the first few years of their formal schooling.
Also Related: 5 Tips for Creating a Reading Schedule That Works.
Boosts Concentration Levels and Discipline
Children are notorious for being incapable of sitting still – something that has caused a few headaches for us parents! There have definitely been times when we wished that they were more disciplined and less prone to running around.
Some parents may also find it difficult to get their hyperactive kids to focus on a single task. This may seem cute on a two-year-old but it is undoubtedly detrimental for a child heading off to school.
However, reading books to children is largely considered to be an effective way of boosting their concentration levels and discipline. Furthermore, this activity also corresponds to a longer attention span and better memory retention, both of which are incredible advantages.
The first few times you read your child a book, you may notice them squirming and fidgeting. It won’t be long, though, before you find them completely engrossed, barely moving as they devour every word you say.
Cultivates Imagination and Creativity
When reading books to children, a wider imagination and improved creativity are some things that come to mind. Adults know that books transport us to other worlds – and the same goes for kids. Even if they aren’t doing the reading themselves.
Listening to stories will exercise your child’s imagination, allowing them to explore places, times, and events beyond their current circumstances.
It also opens incredible new doors to them, helping them dream bigger and bolder. Now, what kind of parent wouldn’t want that for their kid?
More importantly, reading books to children exposes them to ideas and knowledge that they may have otherwise been ignorant of. Because of this, they become less prejudiced and less biased towards things that they may not comprehend from the get-go.
Rather than be disgusted, they instead feel only the desire to understand – a trait that our world needs more of.
Introduces a Passion for Reading
It can’t be denied that reading is one of the best hobbies out there.
Through books, one can expand their horizons and change the way they experience the world. They allow you to explore different cultures and places without leaving the comfort of your own couch.
There are a ton of incredible benefits to reading, which is why encouraging others to love it is important.
Reading books to children shows them its value, allowing them to see that it is fun, not just a chore. For them, it becomes a pleasurable habit – something that one does because they actually want to.
Besides a pastime, this love for reading also means that your child won’t find it difficult to get through homework. Unfortunately, a lot of kids perceive reading books to be mere drudgery, which is why they end up hating school.
However, introducing them to a passion for reading also cultivates in them a love for learning. With this, school becomes an exciting opportunity for growth and new learning – far from a boring and unnecessary task.
Conclusion
There are plenty of reasons why reading books to children remains to be advice highly recommended to parents everywhere.
Not only does it deepen your bond with them, but it also sets them up for future success. Moreover, it encourages them towards a path of constant learning and growth.
Now that you know all these benefits, it’s time to pick a book and start reading to your child.
Whether it be the first chapter in Harry Potter or a page from one of Rick Riordan’s stories, doing it together will undoubtedly be a moment that you’ll both treasure for the rest of your lives.