Reading to a preschooler may not seem beneficial at first glance. However, if you are looking to raise a reader, starting them early is one of the best decisions that you can make for their progress. Even reading to your babies as early as while they are still baking in the womb can help to greatly boost their vocabulary skills and give them a nice head start.
Reading stories to your children also stimulates their imagination while introducing them to various real-world topics and issues. For instance, reading a book from another culture can teach your child openness and respect for other people. Furthermore, reading to your preschooler is also one of the best ways to bond with them.
It can be easy to underestimate just how impactful it can be to read to a toddler’s intellectual, social, and emotional wellbeing. But when you read to your child, they absorb every little thing that you say whether that the language, the vocabulary, your intonation, and so on. So imagine when you make it a habit that they can look forward to daily?
Need more reasons to read to your preschooler? Here are 5 reasons you should make reading a habit:
Learning takes place when you read to your kids
A considerable portion of learning takes place when you read to your kids. When you read to your preschooler, it aids their development in remarkable ways. Reading gets your child familiar with not only language but also words and sounds.
When you make it a regular and healthy habit, your child will eventually look forward to reading with you thus further fostering their love of books. All this goes a long way in building a great foundation for their literacy skills including the capacity to listen well and focus.
It’s a wonderful way to spend time together
Reading with your preschooler is one of the best ways to connect with them. It doesn’t matter whether you are reading a fairy tale or a book about dinosaurs. The point is to spend time together with your preschooler so that you can strengthen your bond even further.
When you read to your child, it is also an opportunity for you to share with them your reactions, thoughts, and opinions regarding various subjects or whatever the theme of the book you are reading is. This will ultimately help your child develop their own opinions and communicate them effectively. Plus, reading is an excellent way to have fun with your preschooler.
You just have to remember to respect your preschooler’s tastes and choices. Just as he or she may not necessarily like to eat broccoli, he or she may not like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as much as you did as a kid. You may be excited about princesses and castle but your child may not be. So it is your responsibility to encourage your child to express what they like so that you can introduce more of those books to them.
It’s a great way to practice
As your preschooler’s reading skills advance, you will start being able to take turns reading the various passages in a book. Reading out loud is a great skill to develop that will come in handy when they start attending school. Allowing your child to read out loud will boost their confidence, which should definitely make class participation a breeze.
Reading out loud is also an excellent way to improve vocabulary and pronunciation. It also presents parents with opportunities to explain the meanings of different stories so that their child can learn how to express and articulate him or herself.
It’s incredible for brain growth
Reading is just like brain exercise; the more you do it, the better your preschooler’s brain becomes. When you read to your child often, it goes a long way in helping to boost their memory. That’s because to fully understand a story and what’s it is about, characters, backgrounds, settings, and other factors must be remembered.
Being able to focus on a story also aids their focus and concentration skills. When you give them basic instructions such as small chores around the home, they will be able to execute them to the best of their ability.
And it’s not just the brain that’s impacted; the senses are too. Reading is an activity that involves all the senses; the feel of the book’s pages, the smell of a newly purchased book, the colors and the graphical illustrations, as well as your voice all go into building your kid’s senses. If you can find textured books or ones that your preschooler can interact with, the better.
There is a wide array of books to read
Make it a habit to read out loud to your preschooler, daily. It can be any book; your favorite cookbook, last week’s newspaper, your favorite preschool book, a manual, a romantic novel. The content doesn’t really matter. The point is to expose your preschooler to a wide range of vocabulary, which will have a direct effect on their language development, as well as literacy.
Of course, children’s books are a great starting point but don’t feel confined to that one genre. You may want to turn to your kindle or audiobook. However, it’s best to read directly and in-person to your preschooler.
Final thoughts
The benefits of reading to your preschooler cannot be underestimated. Sure, they may only want to read with you for a short time before they lose interest. However, making it a daily habit and reading routine will help them appreciate the love of reading as they grow older.
Plus, is there any better way to start or end your day than by bonding with your baby with a good book? When you raise your preschooler with the love of reading, they will be more likely to become great readers as they grow up. And ultimately, it’s great for their development. So make reading to your preschooler a habit; you’re not going to regret it.
