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5 Reasons Reading to a Child is so Important

5 Reasons Reading to a Child is so Important.

My mother was a reading teacher who loved books and she read to me and my brother every chance she got. When my five children were young I read to them every night. Many nights I feel asleep in the middle of a story but they always woke me up!

One of my grandchildren just started reading and it brought back all kinds of memories and also reminded me of why it’s important to read to a child….even at night when we are tired!

5. You create memories.

My daughter remembers many of the books she had as a child and wanted copies of them for her own children. My son’s loved books about animals. I think I read “The Digging-Est Dog” a million times. While you are snuggled up with a child and reading a book your time is well spent. One of my favorite times to read to them is right after bath time, right before bed.

5 reasons reading to a child is so important

4. You are planting seeds.

Being read to is the first step in wanting to be a reader. Children learn to love books through adults who take the time to read to them. Plant the seeds of reading early and often.

5 reasons reading to a child is so important

3. Reading is one of the most important skills in life.

60 percent of America’s prison inmates are illiterate and 85% of all juvenile offenders have reading problems. If that doesn’t convince you of the importance of reading to a child, I don’t know what will. For more statistics on the importance of reading click here.

2. It helps your child or grandchild understand the world around them.

When a child starts reading on their own…don’t stop reading to them! You are helping them build their vocabulary and giving their imagination a boost. You are helping them understand how language works and teaching them the importance of “listening.” Knowing how to talk is important, but knowing how to really listen will benefit your child or grandchild throughout their whole life!

5 reasons reading to a child is so important

1. It strengthens the bond of your relationship.

Whether you are reading to your child or someone else’s, reading creates a shared understanding and works as a conduit of love from the reader to the child.

As grandparents we love to give gifts to our grandchildren. Giving the gift of a love of reading is one of the very best gifts we can give!

Do you agree? What is your child’s or grandchild’s favorite book?

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24 Comments

  1. I would recommend finding out what their interests are. Do they like horses? Dogs? Old Yeller by Fred Gipson and Black Beauty by Anna Sewell are two of my favorites for that age. Happy reading!

  2. my grandkids arenow 10 and 12, into xbox, tv and cell phones, what do you reckamend that I read to them? the 10 year old is a girl and the 12 year old is a boy.

  5. This is a great article! It really is so important to read to kids and for them to see you reading just for the joy of it. I love all of your pictures, too, those kids are so cute!

    Have a great week!

  6. My two younger girls were reading before preschool–so I LOVE supporting family reading efforts! We had a “reading chair” though the girls no longer sit in it and read with us…and the dog LOVES storytime–so he is the first to the sofa when he sees a book emerge and is waiting for someone to snuggle up and read with him! (preferably aloud)

  11. I tried to read to all mine but with 5 it was hard. For years I thought some of them were not going to be readers but as they got older, they got more interested. All we can do is plant the seeds and hope they take root! Thanks for stopping by! Your boys are adorable!

  12. My oldest LOVES to read, while my youngest fights it more. Looking back I read to my oldest more. He was in the hospital for a staph infection in his neck. He couldn’t play much, so we read and read. Since I was so busy with the oldest I didn’t read as much to the youngest. We still read, just not as much.

    You are right reading to them is so important. There are so many cool children’s books out there!

  17. Absolutely awesome advice. Reading is so very important. You can never start too early.

  18. Teresa, you have hit the nail on the head, when kids can pay attention even for a few minutes to listen to a story is a good start, and from there it opens an entire world for kids growing up!! I just recently posted “It Has Been Found Reading To Children is Proven Academic Success”, stop by and check it out.

    Thanks for hosting, wishing you a lovely week!
    Karren~

  22. yes, yes and yes to all the points you make. That said, I’m always a little disappointed when my favorite poems and stories [of those I read to my children] aren’t the favorites they’ve passed on to their children. But the fact that they’ve passed on the joy of reading to their children is recompense enough. and now i get a second bite of the apple. surely one of my grandkids will find AAMilne’s poem about the queen, the king and the dairy maid an all-time favorite.

  23. I also agree reading is important for kids rather than texting or playing games on phones 🙂

    Good post and photos 🙂

    Have a paperbacktastic week 🙂

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