Reading aloud to your child can seem like a tiring way to end the day, especially for parents who work long hours. Though reading the same book to your child for the 10th time this month may not be very exciting to you, there is a long list of benefits to the simple activity that is difficult to replicate with any other activity!
What benefits are there to reading aloud?
- Exposed to words they would never hear in daily conversation. One study estimates that children who are read one book per day are exposed to roughly 290,000 more words than children who are never read to
- A study examining the brains of preschoolers who were read to by a human as opposed to a screen found that the preschoolers’ brains were activated differently. When read to by a human, parts of the brain used for paying attention and decoding emotions was activated. When read to by a screen, it wasn’t. Suggests that the experience of being read aloud to allows children to develop brain networks for empathy and communication
- An observational study done by Cambridge University researchers found that there was a “dramatic and positive link between… reading for pleasure in childhood and better cognition, mental health, and educational attainment in adolescence”
How can I implement reading into my child’s daily routine?
Use print books over e-books: Research suggests that when reading with print books rather than e-books, parent-child interactions happen more often, and those interactions are of higher quality
Ask them questions about the book. Inferential questions (questions that make children guess something based on context clues) are particularly helpful for development, according to experts at Ohio State University. This can include questions like “what do you think happens next?” or “why do you think she did that?”
Let your child pick out some books for themselves at the bookstore or library. Though you should also be choosing some books for your child that would be appropriate for them (e.g. books about learning how to be yourself, books about kindness), involving your child in the selection process is a great way to get them excited about reading!
Develop a reading routine with your child. Creating a consistent timing and environment for reading can help you keep up with your child’s reading habits! Even spending just 10 minutes reading to your child before they sleep can have significant benefits for their vocabulary development and for their love of the activity!
What kind of books should I read to my child?
Start with books you already have in the house! There are likely some unread books that you bought for your child that remain forgotten on your shelves — collect those books into a pile, and let your child choose which book they want to read first!
If you need more recommendations, the internet is always a great place to look. You can start with this list compiled by an expert at Ohio State University, or search for other lists that you think better fit your child’s stage of development!
