The Benefits of Reading to Children: Why It's Important for Their Development

Reading is one of the most important skills a child can learn. Not only does it open up a world of knowledge and imagination, but it also plays a crucial role in their overall development. In fact, reading to infants and children has been shown to have numerous benefits that can impact them for years to come.

First and foremost, reading to your little one helps build their language skills. When reading, your child hears you reading aloud and are exposed to new words, sentence structures, and the rhythm and flow of language. This exposure helps to expand their vocabulary and improves their ability to communicate effectively.

In addition to language development, reading also helps improve cognitive skills. As your young child listens to stories, they engage their imaginations and think critically about what's happening in the plot. They also develop important memory and attention skills as they learn to follow along with the story and remember details from previous readings. A study by the University of Edinburgh found that young children who were read to frequently had higher reading and mathematics scores at age 7 than children who were not read to as often.

But the benefits of reading to children don't stop there. Reading is also an important tool for emotional bonding between parents and children. When you read to your child, you are sharing a special moment that can create positive associations with reading and learning. Children who have positive associations with reading are more likely to continue reading throughout their lives, which can positively impact their academic and professional success.

It's important to note that the benefits of reading to children don't just apply to older children who are learning to read on their own. Even infants can benefit from being read to, as they begin to develop important pre-literacy skills such as recognising sounds, shapes, and colours.

Here are a few things you can do to make the most of reading time with your child.

1. Make reading a regular part of your routine. Whether it's before bed or during snack time, find a time that works for you and stick to it.
2. Choose books that are appropriate for your child's age and interests. If your child loves animals, find books about animals. If they're interested in space, find books about space exploration.  If you're not a bookworm and don't like reading, start with something small and something you'd like to share with your little one.
3. Make reading time interactive by asking your child questions about the story, encouraging them to make predictions, and even letting them take turns reading aloud.

So there you go. Make reading a regular part of your routine and watch your child's love of learning and language grow! As Dr Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”