The proven benefits of reading to a child

READING TO VERY YOUNG CHILDREN IS NEVER A WASTE OF TIME!

Here are some of the proven benefits of reading to a child:

• ·         It’s the ultimate QUALITY TIME. Reading to children is probably the simplest, least expensive, and most pleasant way to bond with your young child. You get the luxury of cuddling while doing something as worthwhile as reading to a child!
• ·         It builds routine. Young children especially look forward to activities they can count on day to day. Reading for children who are difficult sleepers gets them into a routine that “tells” them when to relax and settle down for sleep.
• ·         It improves language and speech skills. Reading for children naturally makes us slow down and pronounce the words correctly and clearly. We also tend to use intonations to match the characters and story line, which makes young children pay more attention to our speech and words.
• ·         It builds an early love for reading. Reading to a child opens him up early to reading as a pleasurable activity. Especially with young children, who crave the cuddling and nurturing that comes with reading with children, their early love of reading will turn into a lifelong habit.
• ·         It builds early reading skills. Reading for children is optimized by pointing at words as they’re read aloud, which builds letter and word recognition well before even being introduced to a preschool program.
• ·         It has benefits for you as a parent too! Reading to children often gives a parent a much-needed break from what’s otherwise a hectic and sometimes frantic schedule. It can remind you how important it is to spend real time with your children. It even takes you back into the wonder of children’s stories and the simplistic and magical beauty of them. (Reading with children is as much about meeting your needs as theirs.)