Reading a book is like unlocking a door to a new world. When you read, you step into the shoes of the characters, witness their journeys, feel their emotions, and rejoice in their happiness. Even for children who don’t know how to read, listening to bedtime stories is a magical experience that stays with them for years to come.
Reading aloud to children is the traditional way of exposing them to the world of books. As American author and astronomer Carl Sagan said, “One of the greatest gifts adults can give—to their offspring and to their society—is to read to children.“ Not only it adds wings to their imagination, it also helps them grow mentally and emotionally.
In a 2015 study on home reading environment and brain activation in pre-school children, it was found that there was greater brain activation in children whose parents read aloud to them. Moreover, a 2016 study published by JAMA Paediatrics concluded that children vocalised less when playing with electronic toys than interacting with traditional toys and books.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of reading aloud to children.
Strengthens cognition
Reading is a workout for the brain. When a child is being read to, they are listening, concentrating, and imagining at the same time. This involves brainwork and in the process, several new synapses or brain connections are constructed that account for a person’s intelligence and cognition. As you read aloud, a child’s power of imagination is fortified. In a 2015 study by the American Academy of Paediatrics, pre-schoolers who were read to showed increased activity in the brain areas that support visual imagery and comprehension. For this reason, when you read to your kids, you set them up for academic success. While being read to, a child learns the connection between spoken and the written word, his phonemic awareness increases, while his fluency, visual, and auditory processes also strengthen.
Enhances language development
The most obvious benefit of reading to children is their language development. According to research, it promotes the development of language and other literacy skills. Children learn a language primarily through listening. It allows them to pick up new words, correct word pronunciation, and learn word usage. Their working vocabulary shoots up and they internalize correct sentence structure. All these skills help them to communicate better, both in conversation and in writing. Andrew Pudewa, President of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, says “The best way to help children grow to be good communicators [is] to read aloud to them as much as possible.”
Introduces to strong emotions and values
Literature encourages children to witness and learn something without experiencing it themselves. According to a joint research conducted by David Comer Kidd of Harvard University and Emanuele Castano of Università degli Studi di Trento in 2013, reading fiction fosters empathy and this is true for children too. Books enhance their ability to step into other’s shoes with ease. It also gives parents an opportunity to discuss strong emotions like courage, sacrifice, and bravery through the story and its characters. As the British writer, CS Lewis writes, “Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let [children] at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” It also facilitates parent-child conversations on sensitive topics that otherwise would be difficult or awkward. Reading with an adult also helps a child to address difficult emotions and speak about them.
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