Young children are like sponges that soak in almost everything from their environments. Even when they hear or read a story or a concept, their minds are fully concentrated on it, taking in all the language and lessons they hear and learning from them. Therefore, reading can be important for your child from a young age. This will help boost their brain development as well.
It is unquestionable that reading skills are essential to achieve success in school, work and life. If you want your child to succeed in life, you need to ensure that they start reading at a very early age. Being among the best after school programs in India, Kumon introduces the top reasons why is reading essential for your child and his/her future.
Importance of reading for your child
Several researchers have concluded the profound benefits of reading for child development. Reading can help encourage kids to engage with the world around them. It is also a stable source of information throughout a child’s life which allows them access to text in a constant fashion and can be especially useful for kids growing up in challenging circumstances. Go through the below section to know the benefits and importance of reading for your child.
Supports cognitive development
Cognitive development refers to how we think and recognise our world in reference to our intelligence, language development, reasoning and information processing. Through reading, kids grasp a better understanding of the world and enrich their brains with surrounding knowledge. They can use this acquired knowledge to identify what they see, hear and read, which ultimately supports their cognitive development.
Develops empathy
When we read a story, we put ourselves in the place of a character, unconsciously. This develops empathy as we experience the lives of other characters and can identify how they feel in a given situation. In the same way, kids use this understanding to empathise with the real world and people. Also, they will better understand their emotions, which helps in their social development.
Gaining an in-depth understanding
Reading a book or story can psychologically transport us to another city, to a different country or even to an alternative world. Through reading a book, children learn about specific people, places and events that they couldn’t learn otherwise. This gives kids a deeper understanding of the world around them and cultures that are different from theirs.
Building stronger relationships
If a parent reads to a child on a regular basis, they will undoubtedly start developing a stronger relationship with them. Reading provides an opportunity for parents to have a regular and shared event that both parent and child can take part. Also, it provides children with feelings such as attention, love and reassurance which are key for their nurturing and well-being.
How can parents read with their children?
Reading aloud is an interactive and enjoyable activity that both kids and parents can enjoy. It is an activity that teachers should encourage regularly, at school as well as at home.
As parents, if you read with your child at home, you are supplementing their learnings from their classroom along with providing them with one-on-one support that the classroom cannot offer. For successful and effective reading sessions with your kid, please consider the following steps.
Start early: During infancy, a kid can look at pictures and listens to your voice. Read aloud the contents of the book to your child and point to the pictures on the page, saying the name of the objects that appear. This will also help your child find out the relationship between the text of a book and its pictures.
Make it a part of your daily routine: Try reading to your kid every day and keep it consistent. Incorporate the same into your and your child’s daily routine until it becomes a habit, such as brushing the teeth or bathing.
Have patience: At times, we forget what it is like to be at that age and what we were like. Being an adult, we take reading for granted. But it is important to be patient with your kid and acknowledge the fact that there are several things and concepts that the little ones are unaware of.
Top 10 benefits of reading for your kid
The benefits of reading for children are immense. Below mentioned are the top 10 among them.
- Their vocabulary range becomes wider and more extensive.
- They perform better, both in their academics and extracurriculars.
- They develop empathy as they practise reading.
- Enhances their literacy skills.
- Their creative skills develop through practising reading.
- They attain a deeper understanding of their surroundings.
- The concentration levels of children improve.
- The bond between parent and child improves.
- Cognitive development is supported and enhanced.
- The interactive and social skills of children improve.
Wrapping It Up
Reading is powerful, fulfilling and rewarding. Apart from being a comfort and a friend, A good book also acts as a teacher and can teach kids all about themselves, their world and the cultures within it. This is the reason why you should enrol your children on English reading classes India, such as Kumon, so they can avail the numerous benefits of reading. It is something all parents and teachers should encourage.
For more information on the Kumon reading program, contact our website.
