28 Oct Benefits of Reading

The benefits of reading a book are seemingly infinite. Here are some of our favorite benefits that we have seen firsthand in our family.

? An improved imagination! ? Many children have a vivid imagination, and reading stories helps to develop that part of the brain. We like to discuss what we imagine when we read aloud to our kids—the differences and similarities are often pretty funny.

? Encourages academic success! ? Literacy is one of the key indicators of success in the academic world. If a child can read, then they are one step closer to comprehending instructions, one step closer to writing their thoughts for an analysis, and one step closer to attending a college or trade school to follow their career path.

?Increase vocabulary! ? A child’s lexicon begins to develop incredibly early, and expands quickly as they’re exposed to a wider variety of words. Using different contexts and repetition helps to cement all types of terms in their vocabulary. This continues throughout life—I just learned the words nixtamalization, cantrip, and verisimilitude this week while reading.

?Strengthen your bond! ? When taking the time to read together, either one-on-one with a child or as a family, you share the experience of discovering what is being read *together.* That could be excitement from a fun adventure, sadness from an unhappy occurrence, or wonder from learning about new things in the book. Whatever happens, you feel these things together and those shared memories are priceless—for you and the child in the long run.

What are you reading with your kids? Let me know if you are currently reading, or re-reading, Bernie’s Escape from Ong Island. ???