According to researches, children who are regularly read to are significantly smarter than those children who haven’t been read to. Reading to kids is a multidimensional activity that benefits both the parent as well as the child who is being read to in numerous ways. However, due to increasingly hectic and busy schedule of parents, this much valued and cherished activity has rapidly been replaced by TVs, mobiles and computers. Hearing a story from a gadget is not the same as when told by a parent.
Reading to kids builds emotional bonds and positive memories for both of you
Reading story books to kids regularly develops a strong emotional bond between the parent and the child. It forms long term memories of moments of closeness, happiness and togetherness in the child’s mind and makes him feel loved, cherished and cared for.
It develops love for reading and books
Reading books to babies develop in them an excitement and understanding for books even though they may not even understand the story or words yet. They begin responding to reading time by displaying emotions of happiness and togetherness. It helps awaken interest in reading and a love for books.
According to research children who are regularly read to pick up reading and writing in school way faster than those children who are not read to.
It develops concentration, longer attention span and comprehension in children
Reading to children develops their listening powers and ability to concentrate. It also promotes longer attention span and ability to sit still for longer periods of time.
A reduction in friskiness and restlessness has also been noticed in children who are regularly read to.
It develops speech, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and overall language structure
Regular reading helps develop children’s speech especially in pronouncing their known words as well as learning new vocabulary with right pronunciation.
You will notice how they try to imitate the exact way and tone in which you read sometimes, even long after you have finished reading to them.
It is a wonderful activity to develop a child’s language and vocabulary. If your child speaks a second or third language then reading is one of the best ways to develop that particular language.
It boosts imagination, analytical powers and helps logical thought process
Reading to kids fires their imagination the way TV serials, films or programs don’t. It is a passive activity that requires a child to sit still and just watch and hear and follow the sequence of events as the program lead him. Whereas reading to kids is an interactive activity rich with personal touch. Children’s stories and interesting illustrations help kids not only to understand better but also to help them think, visualize and analyse the story events.
The compound process of hearing the words, seeing the images, linking them together with their feelings and emotions and comparing the story situations with their own world simultaneously is a fantastic brain booster that every child should experience and every parent should try to provide.
A powerful tool for educating and informing the children
From topic specific themed books that deal with places, things, plants, animals, geographical or scientific topics or plain emotional issues there are children’s books available in all categories and cover all subjects one can possibly think of.
There are also specific books that deal with children’s problems, tricky situations or social factors. You only have to read to them to help them understand learn to deal with issues or discover their world.
It is great for calming children and ensures good sleep
It is not known to many that reading to kids is a hugely calming and relaxing activity when they are emotionally upset, in difficult mood, restless or overstimulated.
Nothing works for a wailing whining child than to cuddle him together and read him an interesting book or his favorite one to calm him down in minutes.
According to researches children who are read to or read before going to sleep, sleep better than those who don’t.
It awakens interest in reading
It awakens children’s interest in reading themselves.
According to researches, the children who were regularly read to, as a rule had greater interest in reading themselves. They also loved books and had already developed reading as a hobby.
It raises IQ
A study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science in January 2013 concluded that “reading to a child in an interactive style raises his or her IQ by over 6 points. Isn’t that impressive?
Bonus Point: You both fall in love with it
Once you start reading to your child you realize it is a great parenting tool. You actually fall in love with it yourself as much as your child and you look forward to your little reading sessions almost as excited and happy as your little one.
It gets you a warm soothing comforting thought in your mind that you were able to give your child something that you both wanted : The gift of love and togetherness !
Thank you for reading.
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