The Importance of Reading to Children

Why should you read to children?

Oh, my goodness!  There are so many reasons why this is a good thing to do!  Here are a few of my reasons:

• Impart a love for learning to children

• Provide entertainment for both child and adult

• Promote quality bonding time

• It is educational—increases child’s vocabulary, attention span, comprehension

When my son was starting kindergarten, the teachers would quiz the kids to see where they were with their speech and literacy. I waited and waited for my son to finish, fearing he was giving them a hard time.  When they finally brought him out to me, the teacher said they kept giving him words to see how much he understood and couldn’t find one he didn’t already know!  That’s what reading to children will do for them!

At what age should you start reading to children?

At birth!  Children learn to recognize the voice that will become a very important part of their life—be it caregiver, parent, grandparent, etc.  Bonding begins at birth, but it’s never too late to start. Sing it, read it, tell it.  And by that I mean make it come to life! There’s a big difference in reading words on a page and using character voices that make the story jump right off the page!

How often should you read together?

Daily! Create a routine. It becomes a “constant” that children learn to look forward to, plus it can be a good way to wind down before naps or bedtime.  On the other hand, it’s a good way to stir imagination and creativity in children. Just like you choose the type of music you want to listen to, choose the type of book or subject matter to fit the occasion. 

During the preschool years, children will benefit from watching you point to the words you read.  This will stimulate sight recognition—a precursor to learning to read.  At some point in time, your child will let you know when he/she is ready to read on their own. Then watch out! The places they will be able to travel in their imaginations are limitless!

Happy reading!

See more on the importance of reading to children beginning at birth.