Reading To Your Child-Why It Is So Important

Reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do together. There is probably nothing sweeter than cuddling up together to enjoy a story. Reading to your child will also encourage their development in many important ways.

Bonding Between Parent And Child

One of the best ways to help your child’s development is to spend time reading to them consistently.  Sharing a book with your child is a powerful way to demonstrate your feelings of love and attention and a fantastic opportunity to spend quality time with them.  A regular reading routine has wonderful benefits for a child’s growth and development.

Creativity

When children are engaged in a story and listening about people, places and things that are being described. What is actually occurring is that they are forming pictures in their own minds based on what they are hearing. They are visualising the events of the story that they are listening to.

When children listen to stories regularly they will be much more capable of using their imaginations to invent their own stories and incorporate this into their play.

Listening Skills

Reading to children is an excellent way to give them opportunities to improve their listening and comprehension skills. As well as one on one reading with your child, you could also introduce audiobooks as part of your child’s reading routine. Consider using audiobooks in the car or listening to them together.

Expanded Vocabulary And Language Skills

If you read to your child consistently this will help them to expand their vocabulary. Reading helps children to be able to form sentences when they learn to write. It also helps them gain an understanding of how to use words skillfully when speaking as well as writing.

Reading to children gives them the opportunity to absorb solid language skills. They assimilate proper grammar, word pronunciation, and usage. Reading to your child will also help them to become fluent readers because you are exposing them to correct articulation and pronunciation.

Cognitive And Language Development

Reading to your child promotes their all-round cognitive development and equips them with skills necessary for their lives. These skills include the ability to be able to process new information faster, learn and understand important tasks and expand their ability to retain knowledge about fundamental topics

Attention Span

Children need to be still and listen when they are being read to. They can’t focus if they are not doing these two things. If children are consistently read to then they will be able to develop the necessary skills that will extend their concentration. Furthermore, children who have longer attention spans are more likely to accomplish better results in school.

Socal and Emotional Development

Reading to your child is a powerful way of reducing stress as it can help young minds escape. Reading as part of a bedtime routine helps children to relax and unwind. Settling them for a better night’s rest and sleep.

Reading to children will also encourage them to empathize. Books can introduce children to different situations that require them to think about feelings outside of their own experiences.

Reading Teaches Children About The World Around Them

By reading your child an array of books they will learn about other cultures around the world as well as their own.

Suggestions For Reading To Your Child

• Encourage your child to choose the books that they would like to read with you. Children often like to listen to the same old favourites over and over again.
• Try and be as consistent as you can with a regular reading routine. Bedtime is usually an ideal time as it is usually when you are both able to unwind and snuggle up together after a busy day.
• Make the story as interesting as you can by using different tones in your voice and adding lots of expressions. Make it a fun, positive, and memorable experience for your child.
• Encourage your child to participate by referring to the pictures and asking them questions relating to the story. As you read to them you could also give them the opportunity to finish off the sentences in the story especially if it is a fun rhyming book.

Take Your Child To The Local Library

Going to the library with your child is a fun outing with so many important benefits. Children will have the opportunity to learn to love books and reading if you take them to the library regularly. It also means that they can access a variety of different books on a regular basis for free.

Libraries also host storytimes for young children. These sessions sometimes offer craft activities as part of the program. All these fun and positive experiences at the library will foster your children’s love for books.

 Favourite Books For Young Children

Here is a link to some favourite children’s books that you might enjoy sharing with your child.

Reading To Children-A list of Favourite Children’s Books