The Benefits of Reading to Children

Whether as a parent or teacher, you are the key to a child's success in learning to read. When you read, talk or play with a child, you are stimulating the growth of the brain and constructing the connections that will become the building blocks for reading. Brain development research shows that reading aloud to your child every day increases his brain's capacity for language and literacy skills and is the most important thing you can do to prepare him for learning to read.

Reading to Children Helps Them Prepare to Read Themselves

Aside from preparing the child’s overall readiness for their formal reading lessons in school, there are also a number of other benefits that reading to children brings about. Children who hear adults read aloud learn the inflections, phrasing and expressions that they will also need to practice in order to effectively communicate their thoughts and ideas with others.

Reading to Children Helps Their Attention Span

When stories are read to children their listening and focusing skills are improved. If a child is able to focus and listen to a story then learning in other arenas like a lecture in class will be less taxing and more information can be absorbed and processed.

Reading to Children Helps Inspire Their Imagination

Another benefit of reading to a child is that his or her imagination is developed. Improved imagination and visualization will not only facilitate learning in language and communication but mathematics, science, problem solving and other facets of learning are advanced.

Reading to Children Helps to Motivate and Challenge Them

Reading books to children can also serve as motivators. If you choose a book that is just a bit higher in reading level than the child, it can encourage him or her to exert more effort on their reading so they will be able to read the book themselves. One should be careful however to choose a book that is not too hard to read and that its reading level is achievable to the child. Choosing a very difficult book to read may frustrate the child and in so doing discourage him from reading.

Reading to Children Helps Them Learn to Communicate

Finally, reading to a child can generate constructive discussions that helps a child progress in his prediction and character analysis skills to name a few.

Read to your children. Not only will you both enjoy it, but your child will get immense benefits from the activity.

Great Read Aloud Books: 

Babies and Toddlers : Who's in the Garden and Hidden Hippo

Preschoolers: The Story Tree and Storytime 
Kindergarten and Early Elementary: The Barefoot Books of Fairy Tales, Emily's Tiger and The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories

Month of the Young Child

April is the "Month of the Young Child".  As Great Books for Children caters to young children and the adults in their lives, I thought it would be fitting to post a few thoughts I like to keep in mind as I raise my young children (ages 1 and 3).

"You know, I think everybody longs to be loved, and longs to know that he or she is lovable.  And, consequently, the greatest thing that we can do is to help somebody know that they're loved and capable of loving" - Fred Rogers (who was definitely an expert on the young child)

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." - Angela Schwindt

"A child seldom needs a good talking to as a good listening to." - Robert Braul

Children Learn What They Live

If children live with hostility, 

they learn to fight.

If children live with ridicule, 

they learn to be shy.

If children live with tolerance,

they learn to be patient.

If children live with encouragement,

they learn confidence.

If children live with praise,

they learn to appreciate.

If children live with fairness,

they learn justice.

If children live with security,

they learn faith.

If children live with approval,

they learn to like themselves.

If children live with acceptance, and friendship,

they learn to find love in the world.

-Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.