It’s National Children’s Book Week and we’re talking about books to help celebrate. I’m sure everyone would agree that reading aloud to a child is good for their educational development. I did a little research today and was surprised by some of the studies. What surprised me the most was that education and income level are directly related to how often parents read aloud to their children.
According to several studies, the higher education and income the more likely the parent is to read aloud to their child. I found this sad because books are free. Anyone with an address can get a library card and check out books for their kids. You don’t have to be a good reader to read aloud to your young child.
If you aren’t convinced you should be reading to your kids, or maybe you are convinced you just need a little encouragement here are five reasons to just do it!
Reading helps them become a better reader.
Reading aloud helps kids increase their vocabulary, learn the pronunciation of words and how to speak correctly. Reading to kids encourages them to read. Studies show that kids who are read to every day from the ages of 2 to 5 are better readers in the 4th grade than kids who were not read to regularly.
Reading introduces them to different places and cultures.
My kids had never seen snow the first time we read The Snowy Day, but they got to experience it through the story. Books tell stories of faraway places and people who are different that them. Reading to your child exposes them to how different people live and interact. Your child may never leave your town, but reading can broaden their horizons through the pages of a book.
Reading teaches them how to sit still.
Even my wiggliest of children will sit still during their favorite books. It might take some time to find the right book, but I’ve seen some of the wildest kids sit still for 20 or 30 minutes while being read a book. My kids know that reading time means sitting quietly with me on the couch. Those who wiggle too much don’t get to hear the end of the story. It only takes one missed ending for them to sit still.
While I definitely think kids should be able to wiggle, there is a time to be still and listening to stories helps them learn this behavior.
Reading encourages their imagination.
I cannot count the number of times my children wanted to discuss the hows and whys of a simple children’s book. I can remember having a long conversation with one of my children about why our favorite Dr. Seuss character wouldn’t try green eggs and ham. We brainstormed and discussed all the possible reasons for the reluctant eater in this book.
Not only does it encourage imagination it is free entertainment! Books from the library are free, video games, movies and toys are not.
Reading aloud means spending time with your kids.
A few years ago I made read aloud time part of our daily schedule that was posted on the fridge. My little kids looked forward to reading time every single day. They would ask if it was time yet, and remind me if I got busy doing something else because that time was important to them. While some days I dreaded reading the same stories over and over again, eventually I grew to love our read aloud time. I loved having my kids snuggled next to me, hanging on my every word, and begging for just one more book. Looking back, that was one of our best school years ever and I know much of it had to do with our daily read aloud time.
No matter what type of education you chose for your child, homeschool, public school, or private school you can give them a head start at home by reading to them for 30 minutes a day. It is so simple and free!
Thank you for posting this! As the daughter of a librarian, I was always read to and developed a love of reading. I have no doubt what a powerful impact this had in my life. I recently read “The Read-Aloud Handbook” by Jim Trelease and it opened up my eyes so much to the power of reading aloud to our children. Great post!!
My favorite early childhood memory is of my mom reading to me every afternoon. Even though I was only 2 or 3 at the time, I can remember how much I loved to snuggle on the couch with my mom while she read me my favorite books (usually some from the “Happy Ending” series). And what a coincidence that the only “longer” book that my very wiggly 1-1/2 year-old boy has ever sat still through is “Hoppity’s Good Deed” from that same series!
I love this post – such a good reminder that reading to our children has a million blessings attached to it.
Some of my best, most beloved memories of my mother are those where she read to me as a child. She made every book seem like such an adventure.
-Lauren
Great thoughts! I would add, though – read to them even if they don’t sit still! The bouncing, too busy to sit still through the story pre-schooler is still listening and concentrating. Keep reading. Also, read to them even when they can read themselves.
Theresa- I agree. When I said wiggling I meant things like cartwheels and throwing books, not the typical wiggles.
I totally agree!! Reading to your kids will also help them love to read. My mom read to me for many, many years; even up into my teenage years. Before we had a dishwasher, one of my daily chores was to wash the lunch dishes. She would read to me while I washed dishes. My favorites were always Little House on the Prairie. If it was a particularly interesting chapter, I would be really, really slow about washing up just so I could hear more! Hahaha!! Good times, good times.
I loved reading to my children from the time they were about 1 1/2 years old through about 5th grade. After that, they really preferred reading alone since it was faster. We still would read the same books, chapter books by then, but separately, then discuss them, still sharing adventures.
Younger kids love the sound of mom’s (or dad’s) voice and being close, sharing exciting times, going places and meeting new people, together through a good book. Honey for a Child’s Heart has excellent suggestions of what to read at the appropriate ages. Lots of good memories with favorite books, some of which I have saved for them for when THEY have children. I’m smiling, just thinking about those precious times, now that my sons are 16 and 21.
This is a great list! Thank you.
I also enjoyed your book list from yesterday. 3 I agreed totally with and 2 I am eager to check out!
I always laughed when I saw the recommendation that you read to your child 20 minutes a day. We would joke that we have to cut back….
I am a huge book lover and have been a big reader since I was a child. I would come home from the library with stacks of books. Little man and I make a weekly library trip and we read to him every night. It’s part of our bedtime routine. He gets to pick the book from his basket and mommy or daddy reads it to him. He loves it and is really disappointed when we don’t or can’t do story time. I think I have The Pokey Little Puppy almost memorized….sometimes I have to ask for a new book because I just can not read it again.
I really like the tradition my mom had, and now I do the same. Before my kids go down for naps/rests in the afternoon, we read stories. That way it happens nearly every day. They all love to have books read to them, including my youngest, who is 19 months.