If you've ever gotten lost in a good book, you know that reading is a delightful and inexpensive way to spend time. But did you know that reading is one of the most important things you and your child can do together? Why? Let me count the ways.
1. Enjoying a book with a parent is fun for children. Children love being close to a special adult while they discover the magic of books.
2. Reading a children's book can be fun for adults. It's a way to rediscover the world throught a child's eyes, to laugh, share a mystery, and/or talk about feelings.
3. Reading shows children that parents value books and learning. Children who have been read to develop a positive attitude toward books and are more likely to enjoy reading throughout life.
4. Listening to stories helps children become better readers. Studies show that children whose parents read to them score 10% better on standardized tests. Children who are read to have a larger vocabulary, better listening skills, and a greater ability to form and use complex sentences.
5. Reading helps with writing skills. Children who enjoy books from an early age have a "feel" for language and oftne have better writing skills later on.
6. Reading gives parents and children something to discuss and learn about. Is your child interested in outer space? Reading gives you both a chance to learn about the solar system. Does your child like sports? Perhaps you and your child will enjoy reading about an important sports hero.
7. Reading is the first step to teaching a child about the library. Most children love going to the library to choose their own reading material.
8. Reading allows parents to pass on their values. After you read a book such as The Ugly Duckling or Little Red Riding Hood, you and your child can talk about the point, or theme, of the story.
9. Reading is a way of entering another world. Fairies, wizards, giants, and space aliens are some fo the wonderful creatures you and your child will meet. A book can take you to an African savannah, or let you swim with the whales, or climb Mt. Everest.
10. Children feel loved when someone reads to them. Reading a book to a child is a way of sayin, "You are important to me, and I want to spend time with you."