Reading is so important for kids and here are seven reasons why!
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7 Reasons Why Reading Is Important for Children
Reading is invaluable in a variety of ways, many of them related to language. Additionally, there are numerous benefits to reading that can help your kids at school, at home and in their own lives. It's a great way to spend quality time with parents or other family members off-screen and a fun hobby that is perfect for kids of all ages!
There is a lot of emphasis on logical and cognitive development when it comes to reading, but reading is also crucial as it engages the creative side of the brain and helps feed little imaginations for years to come!
Sometimes, getting kids engaged with books can be tricky. But it isn't as hard as you think! Most kids love a good story, and you can nurture their imagination as they learn and grow!
Reading Promotes Better Language Development
The very nature of reading - following along with structured words and sentences - helps with language development in children. From an early age, simple sounds and words will help even babies to have an understanding of language. As they grow, toddlers learn to read while associating sounds and images in picture books.
Of course, not all kids learn in the same way, and just giving a child a book filled with words can be off-putting!
Fortunately, there are various types of books that can help with language development for different groups of kids. Rhyming books help develop better speech patterns and there are also specially written books in larger text on special paper for dyslexic children.
As kids grow and become more familiar with oral language, reading and grammar, tools such as dialogue worksheets, and other reading-based resources are also helpful for learning!
Reading Helps Children With Cognition
Reading engages specific part of the brain that have to do with logical comprehension. Certain parts of the left side of the brain (the logic side) work more when reading.
This can help children learn more effectively at school, and studies have shown (UK) that children who read often have an increased general score of 0.22 points on average. This equates to around 3 months' worth of extra schoolwork for that child!
Cognitive development is vital for children, and early activation of certain parts of the brain can ensure it develops in a healthy way. A healthy cognitive brain ensures children have better memory and focus and can also reduce the chances of certain brain illnesses as an adult.
Research also suggests that a healthy and active brain as a child can help lower the risk of dementia-related conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease as you become an older adult.
Reading Helps with Each Stage of School
As a healthy brain matures, it goes through many changes along the way. At birth, we have 100 billion neurons, all firing to form connections as we begin our journey into the world!
These begin to decrease at around 18 months old, but up until you are around 18 years old, there are far more neurons active in your brain. This is fortunate because this is also the time kids spend in school!
However, reading, and the benefits that come with it, ensure kids have a better understanding of increasingly complex subjects as they grow. This is vital for children because it means they are more likely to achieve important academic benchmarks with their schoolwork.
Even if your kids understand the subjects in the first place, reading will help them move forward at the pace they need without taking away more study time or the time they need for recreation!
Bonding with Your Kids Through Reading
Most people who read for pleasure today do so because they were read to as kids. Whether it was a special storytime at school or the library, or bonding with parents, being read to as a child is a great tradition and you can bond with your kids much in the same way!
You can have a read-aloud with your kids each time you pick up a great book, venture off to the library or before bedtime. Whichever you decide, here are a few simple tips for making reading time special:
Take your time finding just the right book as your kids won't necessarily like the children's books you did!
Select a special day, night, or time to read to your kids so they look forward to it.
Change up what you read with a mix of traditional and modern classics that are popular.
Create a cozy reading space where you can all get comfy and snuggle while reading.
Discuss the story as you read so children can understand the concepts.
Don't be afraid to introduce nonfiction books such as biographies, or a book that focuses on their favorite interest (dinosaurs, princesses, etc.).
Consider using audiobooks with entertaining narration to make things more exciting- they're great for long car rides too!
Visit the library or bookstore and pick out your next books together.
Teach kids that they shouldn't just pick a book by its cover and have them read the summary or open up to the middle to make sure it's a good fit for their reading level and interest.
It can be tricky to find the best books to read because your kids may not like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Harry Potter (for some strange reason!) and instead want something more current.
Enjoying a story outside on a sunny bench or getting comfy with blankets, cushions, and dimmed lights will help set the mood and encourage the perfect setting for a good book!
Some books can be complex, even if they are written for children. Taking the time to discuss the book while reading can also help kids gain a better understanding and make it a more enjoyable experience!
Nurturing Your Child's Imagination
A child's imagination is quite active, and they can even read educational books while still being engaged and entertained.
In addition to classic literature and storybooks, nonfiction reads featuring something your child is interested in (dinosaurs or space perhaps!) will undoubtedly be a hit!
It's easy to assume that kids just want video games and phones these days, but that's not really true. A child just wants to exercise their imagination, and reading is one way that can be accomplished.
From picture books to classic stories and books with more detailed topics, there are plenty of reads available in easily accessible formats for children. If you want to go the tech route, there are all kinds of interactive book apps and audiobooks for kids as well!
Reading is a Healthy Hobby
Hobbies are great for everyone and can be especially important for children! Children with hobbies often have improved mental health and better overall well-being. It also gives them something to look forward to and a fun way to spend time with others!
Outdoor and team games are great for socializing and hobbies keep kids' free time filled with fun and healthy activities. Solitary hobbies like reading can also be used together with activities such as book clubs to add some social fun!
The benefits of reading also help boost other things like writing or even artwork, as kids learn from picture books and educational illustrations.
Your kids might even begin other hobbies related to what they learn, such as crafting or scrapbooking, learning to draw, or photography.
Reading extends beyond the page and has the ability to positively influence all parts of a child's life, while making some great memories along the way!
Reading helps your child both in school and at home! Language and cognitive development not only helps kids do better at school along with their brains be more engaged and actively learning.
Reading together at home also makes for great family memories and can introduce your kids to new interests, hobbies and activities that they can enjoy after finishing the last page!
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Looking for more great tips to help your child enjoy reading? Check out our post: 10 Tips for Helping Kids Become Better Readers and Have Fun Too!
For more posts highlighting favorite books, fun activities and free printables visit the My Kidz Bookshelf blog!
Happy Reading!
April
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