Benefits of Reading to Children
The brain is also a muscle, and it needs exercise to make it stronger. This is probably why educators encourage parents to read with their children at a young age. Some even suggest reading to babies while they are in the womb. But what benefits exactly does this offer to the youngsters? We will cover the benefits of reading to children in this piece, so read on.
What Are the Benefits of Reading to Children?
- Cultivates learning – Children’s brains are like sponges. They can easily absorb new information, and you can pour so much more into them without overwhelming them. The early years are also when they learn language or languages.
- Promotes brain development – The manner of presenting words through auditory methods such as reading activates the language regions of the brain, specifically the temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes. It, therefore, allows for earlier formation of sounds and letter patterns that children can even use once they start learning how to read and write.
- Builds a learning habit – This will give them a good foundation for learning and also enable them to develop good learning habits at an early age.
- Promotes a child-parent bond – This is also a great opportunity to bond with one’s child, which then develops the child’s well-being.
- Builds parental respect – It allows the little one to build respect for their parents and see them as teachers. This is important especially when the time comes for a mother or father to actually teach their child how to read.
- Develops imagination and concentration – Stories allow kids to build their imagination and hone their ability to concentrate while expanding their vocabulary and learning life lessons. It is an activity that encompasses a lot of the aspects of a child’s development.
When and How to Start Reading to Your Child
Since you now know the benefits of reading to your child, the next question is when it should happen and how it can be started. The answer to when is immediately. Some parents even read to their child while pregnant as it allows the baby to recognise their voices easily when their daughter or son is finally out in the world.
During the first 3 months, you will want to tell them stories while holding them close. By 3–6 months, you will want to show them pictures while telling stories.
At 6 months or older, they may want to browse through books with pictures independently, but you should continue reading to them until it becomes a habit. At ages 1–2 years, you can start asking them questions about stories to encourage them to think about what they read and increase their curiosity.
Conclusion
Reading is a fun activity, not just for the kids but for adults as well. As a final thought, if you start encouraging your children to develop this interest early, they will grow to love words, like stories, and appreciate you as the person who helped them enjoy reading.