Life can get busy, quickly. From having to juggle work, chores, your kid’s activities, and everything else that you have going on in your life, it can be difficult to find any free time. And the free time you do have often goes to enjoying some quiet time alone. While we understand that you need to enjoy every second of free time you have, you could also put a few minutes of that time to great use simply by reading to your kiddos.
While reading to your children every night may seem like the last thing you want to do, especially when you finally have some time to yourself, there are so many benefits that come from this simple activity. Plus, it only takes a few minutes a night.
At Growing Kids Learning Centers in Northern Indiana, we understand the importance of reading and help our students develop their reading skills, preparing them for kindergarten and the rest of their school years. We have learning centers all over Northern Indiana, allowing you to find the location closest to you. We have locations in Elkhart, Valparaiso, Goshen, Chesterton, Plymouth, Warsaw, and four in South Bend.
In this blog, we wanted to talk about the benefits that reading to your children can provide. Read on to learn more and start making time to read to your kids today!
Builds a Bond
Reading to your children is a great way to spend quality time with them. This is an activity that allows you to bond with your child, and can become a special part of their routine. They will feel closer to you and view this time together as something special. Your child simply wants to spend time with you where they have your full attention. Reading to them every night can be that special time you share together without any distractions. This is something that your kiddos will cherish for the rest of their lives.
Improves Literacy Skills
Reading out loud to your child can help them develop better literacy skills. They will learn that you read from left to right, they will learn the sounds of different letters, begin to understand the meaning of different words, and that words put together have meaning. Even if your child is just learning the alphabet or figuring out how to read, reading to them can help improve these skills and teach them more about language.
Exposure to Language
If you start reading to your child when they are too young to speak, it can help expose them to language and allow them to begin to develop these skills. When you expose your child to language at a young age, they will begin to develop these language skills earlier and have an easier time when learning how to communicate. Reading to them, talking to them, and hearing you talk to others are all great ways to expose your child to language.
Promotes Longer Attention Span
When you read to your children, they are focused on the story and generally will pay attention from start to finish (we know that sometimes nothing will keep your child’s attention). This activity can actually promote a longer attention span and help children learn how to concentrate for longer periods of time. This will become an important skill when your child has to sit through school and other classes.
Stimulates Imagination
Reading stories allows children to start thinking more creatively and helps stimulate their imagination. When hearing stories about different characters, marvelous creatures, far away places, and stuff that can only happen in the imagination, your child will begin to imagine these things as well. Not only does reading help show your child that there is no limit to creativity, but it also helps them create pictures in their heads of the words you are reading, which helps them imagine what everything looks like, how the characters feel, and so much more.
Gives Different Perspectives
There are so many books about so many different topics. Reading to your child allows them to learn more about the world around them, different cultures, places, people, and gives them a different perspective. They will learn that the world is so much bigger than they can imagine and the stories you read will allow them to understand different perspectives. Learning about other people, places, and events gives your child a look at something outside their own experience, which can help them develop empathy.
Exercises The Brain
Reading not only strengthens brain connections, but it also helps build new ones. An article from Raise Smart Kid mentions that children who are exposed to reading at home show significantly more brain activation in an area that involves multisensory integration. When you read to your kids, you can help them build new brain networks that will help them when transitioning to reading themselves.
There are many benefits that come from reading to your children. These are only a few of the main benefits and reasons why you should read to your kiddos regularly. Not only will they excel academically, but you can build a better bond with them by simply reading to them. This is a simple task that takes a few minutes a day and allows them to develop great memories with you and many other skills.
Start reading to your children regularly and be sure to enroll them in a child care center that can help them learn how to read among many other things! Growing Kids Learning Centers in Northern Indiana is a great option, with 10 locations to choose from and a variety of programs. Contact us today to learn more about our learning center!