I remember it vividly. I was in fourth grade and my teacher was Mrs. Graf. She was amazing. She took some time to read aloud to the whole class and I was mesmerized with the 15-minute book reading every single day.
It was something to look forward to. I never had anyone read aloud to me. My parents never did it. So, it was definitely a treat for me each time Mrs. Graf read aloud to the whole class.
Out of all the books she read to us, Blubber and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret were my favorite. Judy Blume became my super hero and thanks to Mrs. Graf, I begged my parents to get me all her books. They did. Since then, reading became my favorite past time. It still is, to this day.
Reading became my virtual world. It was my escape. To this day, it still is. Now that I’m a mom, I’m committed to read aloud to my 5-year-old child. I have 8 valid reasons why I read aloud to my kid every single day.
8. Reading Aloud Sparks My Child’s Imagination.
Reading sparked my imagination when I was a kid. I’m sure it’ll do the same thing for my child. This is actually scientifically backed up by a research led by Dr. John Hutton from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He and his team ran brain scans on kids, aged three to five years, while listening to stories. Their findings were astounding.
“Overall, Hutton’s team found, the more often children had story time at home, the more brain activity they showed while listening to stories in the research lab.”
There is a big difference between listening to stories and watching television. Kids can’t go wrong with the former.
7. Reading Aloud Is A Stress Buster.
I find that reading aloud is a stress buster for both me and my child. When things get a little too crazy at home, reading aloud can help calm things down.
I am not the only one who feels this way. According to Iseeme.com,
“Reading out loud to kids distracts them from their own concerns and anxieties just as effectively. Reading with kids offers them the comfort of family interaction, while exposing them to real-world problems and solutions in a safe, non-threatening environment. It’s a win-won situation for both parent and child.”
6. Reading Aloud Introduces Life Lessons And Values.
Children’s books are loaded with valuable life lessons. The Complete Takes of Winnie-the-Pooh teaches the valuable lesson of friendship. The Little Engine That Could teaches the valuable lesson of positive thinking, perseverance, and grit.
The stories from Thomas and Friends teach various valuable lessons on friendship, teamwork, respect, grit, and honesty. Even I learn a thing or two each time I read one of these books to my child.
5. Reading Aloud Helps Develop Literacy And Comprehension.
A new research shows that reading aloud to kids is a more effective way of developing their vocabulary. According to the research that was conducted by Dr. Dominic Massaro of the University of California,
“Finding such rich language in a picture book is not unusual, and reading those stories aloud will introduce children to an extensive vocabulary.”
When kids develop their vocabulary, they develop their comprehension as well.
4. Reading Aloud Increases Attention Span.
Kids focus on the story that’s being read out to them. Their curiosity is tickled and hence, they become eager and excited to turn to the next page.
The moment they become focused on the story, it’s never easy stopping at a page. They just want to go on and on with the story. It could get pretty for me tiring at times. However, it just shows how my child’s attention span is focused on the story.
3. Reading Aloud Can Positively Impact A Child’s Behavior.
The life lessons in children’s books can definitely impact a child’s behavior. However, there is another aspect of reading aloud that positively impacts a child’s behavior. The fact that they have to stay still and pay attention to the story, they’re able to control their behavior.
According to Scarymommy.com,
A new study titled “Reading Aloud, Play, and Social-Emotional Development” determined that reading to children doesn’t just improve their literacy skills. It can also help kick issues with aggression, sadness, and the inability to sit still.
2. Reading Aloud Can Help My Child Grow Up To Be An Avid Reader.
The earlier kids are introduced to books, the better. They get to appreciate the wonderful world of storytelling. Most importantly, they get to appreciate books. This appreciation for books is something they can take with them as they get older.
According to the Nytimes.com, one of the ways to raise a reader is by starting a child early. What better way to start a child early but to read aloud to him or her.
1. Reading Aloud Is A Great Way To Bond With My Child
Among the many benefits of reading aloud, the one that stands out the most for me is the fact that I am able to bond with my child. As I read aloud to my child, who is snuggling close to me, there is that deep connection that’s bonding us together. I just love that feeling.
I can go on and on as to why I read aloud to my child. After all, the list of benefits is long. As a matter of fact, I can only think of the benefits when it comes to reading aloud to my child.
When your child learns to read at an early age, it expands their vocabulary and opens up their love for learning. It helps build their confidence and vastly improves their learning abilities.
And based on my experience, having the right reading methodology when teaching your child learn to read makes a world of difference.
I should know as I made that mistake. 😢
In fact, you can read my story about my child’s struggle with reading here and how we were able to help my child become an advanced reader here. 😀🤗