As a mom of four and educator I can tell you reading aloud is key for your child’s development . Let me explain:
One of my favorite memories is of my then toddler son sitting on the floor of our wooden farmhouse surrounded with dozens and dozens of children’s books. He was so immersed in the imaginative world of his favorite tales that he “pitched a fit” about leaving for trick or treating. I decided the tantrum wasn’t worth the effort of getting him dressed in his furry lion costume and resolved that books were a healthier option than the loads of candy he would have surely received in his Halloween bucket that evening.
We stayed home and read books.
The only con of the night was me not getting to eat my favorite chocolate bars. But I’m glad he recognized that books are sweeter than candy.
There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.
Walt Disney
The treasure of a book is numerous, and there is no better treasure a parent can give a child than pulling them into their laps and cuddling up for a good book.
Reading aloud to our children, even when they are infants, is one of the single best ways we can spend time with our children.
Why?
1). Connection. Having a shared reading experience, coupled with time spent together, is a recipe for positive familial connections. It’s trust building. Relationship building. And just the sweetest time ever with our littles. Skin to skin contact is a must with our newborns, but that type of contact doesn’t stop being needed. In fact, babies who are regularly held and touched gain weight faster, develop stronger immune systems, crawl and walk sooner, sleep more soundly and cry less than babies deprived of close physical contact. God, as the master of science, designed our children to need us to hold them for their growth. Isn’t that beautiful? Reading together is a bonding activity that provides so much more than story time. It also helps with stress reduction (for both parent and child) and shows love in a tangible manner. Turns out that snuggle up and read time is great for the physical and mental health of us all plus it provides pivotal growth for child development!
2). Literacy. Oh, how can I count the benefits of reading aloud as it relates to literacy? A study in Early Childhood Education “confirm that parents and caregivers reading aloud to infants is necessary in developing literacy skills that are paramount to book awareness, print awareness, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension, all of which are stepping stones to learning to read and write.” (Holland, 2008). In short, by reading aloud you are setting up your child to be a successful reader! This skill is important in all areas of life. Just think, you are taking a few precious minutes a day reading with our child—not creating flashcards or worksheets- and they build literacy skills. It’s a fun time for you and your child that helps make brain connections for reading development! All you need is your child and a book. There is nothing special about the how instead just read to your child!
3). Ritual & Rhythm. You can build healthy relationships, build literacy, and build healthy sleep all at the same time with read-alouds! Having rhythms around nap and bedtime can help children more easily drift off to dreamland. Sleep experts say that anchoring reading and rest together can help signal the brain that it’s time for night-night or nap-nap with the repetitive behavior of the two activities together. Beware, you as a parent might fall asleep many a night from reading aloud.
4). Sustained Attention. It’s no secret that our children (& adults) of today are struggling with attention span. One way to help build and develop sustained attention in the brains of our children (and ourselves) is through reading. Watching the print on the page and the illustrations is much better for brain development than screentime. It allows children’s minds to wander, for their imaginations to soar, for them to use the critical thinking skill of making predictions, and children comfort in the familiarity of stories that are repeated. It also helps them learn to focus for a sustained period of time. .
All in all, if you have children, reading together should be a routine you incorporate into your daily life. It shouldn’t be a chore—but cherished time spent together.
Eventually my son learned about the excitement of trick or treating, but I’m thankful that his teenage self still enjoys reading! Long gone are the days of him cuddling up with me to read Where the Wild Things Are. But now, reading is so ingrained in his soul as a bedtime ritual, that he reads to himself every night before bed. He gets to unlock treasures untold in every book he reads!
You may have tangible wealth untold. Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be — I had a mother who read to me.
Strickland Gillilan
Holland, J.W. Reading Aloud with Infants: The Controversy, the Myth, and a Case Study. Early Childhood Educ J 35, 383–385 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-007-0203-6
Sarah Philpott, Ph.D, is the author of Moo, Moo Nap, Nap. This lovely picture book takes readers on the farm for naptime! She’s also the award-winning author of: Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss and The Growing Season: A Year of Down-on-the-Farm Devotions. Sarah lives on a Tennessee farm where she raises her four mischievous children and is farm wife to her high-school sweetheart.
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