Reading to Children, Every Day

All parents want the very best for their children. For instance, does your dream for your child include high intelligence and being well-prepared to enter the workforce when the time comes? If you’re like most parents, you probably answered “Yes.”

But do you have any control over how intelligence and career preparedness plays out for your child? Absolutely! Reading daily to your child is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your child has a great start in life.

After delving into eight different studies of childhood development, researchers concluded that “reading to a child in an interactive style raises his or her IQ by over 6 points.” These findings were revealed in Perspectives on Psychological Science, in the article, “How to Make a Young Child Smarter: Evidence From the Database of Raising Intelligence.”

So how else does a child benefit from being read to every day?

• Children who are read to develop a love for reading. This positive experience fosters the desire to learn new things.
• It’s a bonding experience—for your child and you. When a child feels loved and receives supportive attention in a nurturing environment, this also fosters a love for learning.
• Reading promotes communication between you and your child, especially when stories are read interactively. This communication exposes your child to critical language skills as well as proper enunciation skills. Children also learn through the characters how to effectively communicate and problem solve. Many stories have a conflict that needs resolution and the characters almost always solve the conflict in a positive way.
• Reading exposes your child to rich vocabulary that they may not experience if stories had not been read. Your language use is extended as you read to your child, exposing them to new and robust words. Give everything a name as you read. For example, “See the roof on the house? Why do houses need roofs?”
• Your child will learn the basics of reading a book: that there is a front cover and a back cover; that words represent sounds and concepts; words are read from left to right, and stories continue as you turn the pages.
• Reading promotes critical thinking skills, a longer attention span, listening skills, and a vivid imagination as your child gets exposed to experiences they may never see unless they see them through the lens of a storybook.
• Children learn right from infancy to enjoy reading. It’s a warm time with cuddling, especially if you enjoy this time as well. It can be a habit the whole family enjoys!

Want to learn more about the benefits of reading to your child every day? Here’s another article:

http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/reading-can-boost-a-childs-iq-by-more-than-six-points/65385