Reading for adults is akin to escaping into another world, away from the mundane and out of the real world. Many of us have developed the habit of reading because we started young. Our parents would read to us and that is what made reading fun! It was never thought of has a chore or an obligation, and this sort of carried forward into our adult lives. Reading to children has proven to significantly enhance their development because the areas in their brain supporting comprehension and mental imagery are highly engaged. Here are 4 more reasons why you should be reading to children: Increased Vocabulary & Improved Comprehension Reading to your child can greatly increase their vocabulary, helping them differentiate between the written and spoken language. Books use much more complex sentence structures than the type of communication that is used at home. Eventually, children would be able to make sense of what they are reading, by inferring the meaning of certain unfamiliar words as well; making them independent readers. Strengthen Bonds Cultivating the habit of reading to children is one of the proven ways to improve the bond between the reader (parent, sibling, family member, etc) and the child. It’s the perfect one-on-time time with your child, where you have each other’s undivided attention. Moreover, the more you read together, the less screen-time your child has, which is always a great thing! Enhanced Concentration and Discipline Reading to kids, especially pre-schoolers, will give them a head-start even before they start school. They’ll get used to seeing letters and how these letters make up words, how they sound etc., without knowing the alphabet! At first, kids probably won’t make it till the end of the book without getting distracted. However, eventually, with some patience and love, they’ll sit through the whole book. It’ll teach them a stronger sense of self-discipline, increasing their attention span, and better memory retention which will all help them in school. Imagination is the Key When children watch some form of visual content, the story is spoon-fed to them. However, since most children’s books are illustrated, by using different voices, you can bring the characters to life. As they grow older, and move onto books with less imagery, they’ll have the skill-set to use their imagination to create the world of the characters and they are free to create the experience they want. Children who are read to earlier on life tend to be a step ahead than their peers. Other than being academically advanced, they would also see reading as a fun activity not a chore! Moreover, children that enjoy story-time would be more likely to pick up a book than a tablet (or any other device), which would in turn, reduce screen-time for them. At aomi, you can find a wide collection of children’s book that would be perfect for story-time! Come have a browse, in-store or online at Bengaluru’s favourite kids’ store. Happy reading!
