Why You Should Read to Your Children

dad reading to son on couch

Instilling a love of reading early in your child will help them to become lifelong bookworms. But how do you do that? One way is to read to your children while they’re young. Here are just a few of the many reasons why you should always read to your children:

Reading to your child helps them build reading skills themselves

Reading bedtime stories to preschoolers is fundamental to childhood literacy development. Simply sitting down for 20 minutes every night will make a world of difference in a child’s intellect and learning ability. The more you read to your child, the easier it will be for them to read to themselves later on. By making reading easier, they’ll be more likely to pick up a book on their own.

It will enhance their vocabulary and general interest

However, it may take more than nightly reading to foster a child’s future reading success, research is now suggesting. Advances in studies indicate those who read to children must not only read to, but also engage young children with lively, enthusiastic recitations. The goal with this is to bring characters and plot to life and put a face on the otherwise faceless.

Reading methods such as these are proven to ultimately spark children’s comprehension, vocabulary and interest. This interest is exactly what determines the difference between children who easily pick up reading and those who struggle a little harder, especially between the ages 4 and 5.

It can help poorer children develop reading skills

This is especially important for poorer children, whereas only 20% of impoverished 4-year-olds can recognize all 26 letters. This compares with 37% of children at or above the poverty level who recognize all the letters. Numerous studies over the last decade show that such strategies are vital for boosting low-income children’s vocabularies, language development, sound awareness and letter recognition abilities.

At Steadfast Academy, we read regularly to the kids under our care. To learn more about our program, contact us today to schedule a tour!