The Many Benefits of Reading: Children

Why is reading so important? It’s a question that many parents ask themselves. The answer is simple: reading is good for you! It’s an activity that can have lasting benefits on your child’s development. Children who read do better in school, are more likely to be successful adults and have higher self-esteem than those who don’t. This article will explore the benefits of reading in children’s lives, and some great book recommendations to get them going on their literary journey.

The Great Benefits

One of the first and most important benefits is that reading increases vocabulary. This means children can become more familiar with words like “resilience” or “deplorable.” Children’s books are a great way to nurture this skill because they often start with simpler language, which makes them accessible for readers of all ages, and gradually increase in complexity as the reader’s skills develop.

Another of the many benefits of reading is that it helps develop empathy in kids (and adults!). Empathy can be described as understanding how someone else feels in a particular situation. When kids read about characters who experience difficult times, their emotional intelligence grows in response.

Moreover, reading has been found to impact academic success – particularly among boys positively! That is because reading helps develop a child’s ability to comprehend, something which is crucial for success in school. Therefore, kids who read have a higher chance of scoring better on standardized tests like the SATs or ACTs.

Reading is also a great way to spend time with family. Children who read with their parents report feeling closer, which, in turn, makes them want to spend more time together! In addition, it’s an inexpensive form of entertainment that’s accessible for everyone, and it’s never too early (or late) to start reading!

In some cases, books even help escape from reality when things get too harsh – they provide comfort and enjoyment during difficult times. There are even some studies showing how reading might reduce stress levels.

7 Ways to Get Your Child Interested in Reading

Reading can be a challenge for some children. They may not understand the words or get restless and want to do something else instead of reading. Fortunately, there are many strategies parents (or teachers!) can employ to help their kids enjoy books:

Help kids develop interests – children often become interested in books after seeing them around their house or at school, so adults must make sure they have access to a variety of different types of books!

Level the playing field – children have different levels of comprehension. This means that they’ll also be at different reading levels, so it’s important to offer books on various topics with varying difficulty levels to keep them interested and challenged!

Make it easy – sometimes children need help understanding what an author is trying to say, which can often lead them not wanting to read. However, there are many ways around this: consider breaking paragraphs into smaller chunks or asking the child questions about what they just read.

Give feedback – kids want their parents’ approval more than anything else. Providing feedback after reading will show your kids how much you care about their progress and remind them of facts from the reading.

Also:

Create a reading routine – children need to read often to get better at it. The best way for them to do this is by reading with someone who cares about them every day, so be sure to set aside time each night or morning before school starts.

Be a part of the activity – sharing books is a beloved activity for children and parents alike, and reading isn’t the only way to be involved. Children can provide feedback about how they think characters might behave in certain situations. That allows them to have their opinion heard and offers insight into what type of information they are retaining from the book.

Books with pictures – children enjoy reading books that they can not only read but also interact with in some way, and this is why we recommend having picture books on hand for when you need to keep them occupied while waiting at the doctor’s office or other such places.

Books For Kids – What We Recommend

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

This is an excellent book for children who are beginning to read independently because the words in this story are repeated throughout. It even has an interactive element whereby they can lift different parts of the pages.

Buy by clicking here: The Very Hungry Caterpillar (9780399226908): Carle, Eric: Books

The Cat In The Hat Comes Back! by Dr Seuss

Children will enjoy reading about how Thing One, Thing Two, and Fish get into trouble when they play with Sally’s birthday cake without permission while she sleeps nearby but then helps her clean up before Mom comes home from shopping. It also features characters that kids love, like the Cat In The Hat himself and his sidekick fish!

Buy by clicking here: The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (9780394800028): Dr. Seuss: Books

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Children will love reading about the nimble spider who weaves her web all day and night until she creates a beautiful, colorful creature. Children will also enjoy the interactive element of this book that has the lifting and turning parts of each page to discover new things!

Buy by clicking here: The Very Busy Spider: Read Together Edition (Read Together, Be Together)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Children all over the world are fans of Harry Potter and for a good reason! This fantasy series is a real page-turner that has been loved by readers, young and old alike, since its original publication in 1997. The story begins with an ordinary 11-year-old boy who lives under the stairs at his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon’s house, but everything changes when he learns he is a wizard. He enters Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to do battle against Voldemort, where they learn about love, friendship, kindness, bravery.

Buy by clicking here: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: MinaLima Edition (Harry Potter, Book 1) (Illustrated edition) (1)

The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone

This is an excellent pick for those who are looking for a lighthearted and innocently silly book. It has page-turning suspense that starts from the very beginning when Grover warns readers not to turn pages because it would lead them to him and his scary friends. Kids will love how he begs on each page, asking, “Do you dare?”.

Buy by clicking here: Monster at the End of This Book, The (Sesame Street)

Choose your favorite and start reading!

After Reading This Article…

It’s clear that introducing your child to books is a great way to start on the educational and developmental path. There are many ways you can make a child more interested in reading, including being a part of the activity or making up stories about what they see in the book. There are plenty of options available with books tailored specifically for their age group. Make sure to introduce them to different types of books so they can see what they like best. Stay positive and be patient because if they don’t enjoy reading now, they might never like it. Happy reading!

While your kids are reading their own books we recommend reading at least one parenting book for most parents!