6 reasons to read to your child everyday
April 6th, 2010
We all know that reading to our children is important, but it’s good to remind ourselves exactly why. Here are six reasons why that bedtime story is a can’t-miss event.
1. Children who are read to learn to love reading. When kids love reading, they read by choice and they read a lot. Reading has been shown to drastically improve SAT scores, comprehension and writing skills all essential for success in school.
2. By reading to your kids, the TV and computer are no longer doing babysitting duty. Children’s growing minds need interaction and conversation to progress, which television and the internet can’t provide. Studies link watching too much TV and video game playing to learning disabilities, attention deficiency, and speech defects.
3. For the short time you read to your children, they will stay clean and quiet! Isn’t that reason enough?
4. Improve your child’s listening skills and attention span. Television is full of distractions; even home-life is full of things that pull attention in many directions. But when a child is read to, they have to listen and focus – skills that will serve them well in class.
5. The majority of the brain is developed by the time a child enrolls in first grade. The University of Chicago did research on the effects of reading to children and found that thousands of cells are formed, activated and strengthened in the brain when they are read to.
6. If your kids see you read, they will think reading is important. Making literacy a part of your life will help your kids choose to make it a priority in theirs. It’s a way to pass on your values.
Taking 15 minutes a day to read to your children is time well spent and an excellent investment in your child’s future. It is a relaxing, loving endeavor that you will both enjoy!