'Can We Read Another One?' – The Importance Of Reading To Your Child

Photo by Angie Walker

It’s been a long day – maybe work was stressful, you had a bad phone call, or you’ve been stuck at home with the kids all day. Toys are strewn all over the house, a pile of dishes awaits you in the kitchen, and you’re looking forward to sending the little ones off to bed so you can have some much needed “me time.” Once the pajamas are on and teeth are brushed, your child comes up to you holding a book, pleading with their eyes. You sigh and invite them into your lap, and in doing so, you do them more favors than you could ever imagine. 

The most important thing children get from being read to is the words themselves. In a study done by Ohio State University, they found that “kids who are reading only one book a day will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5 than those who don’t normally read books with a parent or caregiver.” With this influx of words, children will become better readers as well as better conversationalists.

Reading more often also introduces children to new words and concepts they might have never before heard or considered. A book about lions on the Serengeti will create new ideas in a child’s head that wouldn’t normally arise in everyday conversation. Books can open up avenues that broaden a child’s understanding of the world at large. They might even hear new words or phrases in a book, words that might be important but the child doesn’t hear on an everyday basis. 

Conversation skills will grow in a child who is exposed to more books. Not only will they be learning new words and concepts, most books also contain an element of dialogue which can help a child understand the fundamentals of communicating with others. Your child will hear the inflections in your voice as you ask questions, exclaim things, or whisper them while reading a story. Your child will see characters conversing and slowly start to pick up on what exactly makes up a conversation. These skills will translate to real life when you and your child are talking to one another. 

Children who read more also have improved concentration skills and discipline. Even in infants and toddlers, they begin to learn self-restraint as you slowly read all the text and turn each page at the pace of the story. Their imagination is also sparked – reading helps encourage them to dream big and explore beyond their own experiences! 

Besides the cognitive and language skills that reading can give to our children, nothing beats the strong bond that reading forges between a parent and their child. While reading a book, a parent is forced to set aside all of the things which would otherwise distract you from being fully engaged with your child. Your son or daughter will be filled with joy over spending one-on-one time with you. Whether you hold them in your lap, sit at the table, or lay in their bed, reading to your child fosters a kind of intimacy that children crave from their parents. Being near you and hearing your calm voice as you read will bring them peace and a sense of well-being. 

When your little one asks to read a book at the end of a long day, remember all of the amazing things that reading can do – and pick up another book!