The Importance Of Reading

Once upon a time in a faraway land, little Snow White stumbled into a tiny cottage owned by dwarves. Having nothing to do, she pulled out a chair and flipped open a book. A great beam of light radiated from the pages. Its glow intensified and minutes later, Snow was sucked in. She had been teleported to another dimension. Clad in rubies and emeralds, she found herself dancing with the crown Prince at his birthday gala. When the clock struck 12, that very beam of light devoured her again. This time, she found herself running away from a wolf dressed in grandma’s clothes. She ran and ran until she arrived at a gingerbread house adorned with candies and treats. As she was about to enter, she was awoken by the echoes of 7 knocks. The dwarves were finally home.

As you skimmed through the above passage, we’re certain that just like Snow White, you were transported to another world. That’s the power of reading. It feeds your imagination and enhances your creativity. Without possessing the ability to read, you wouldn’t have been able to comprehend these sentences. Letters would be gibberish and words would be meaningless rubbish. You wouldn’t be able to read driving signs or follow a recipe or even accept a wedding invite!

Reading is a fundamental skill that must be inculcated from an early age. Getting a headstart allows your child to reap the infinite benefits of reading before others. Here are some of them :

• Neurological Benefits

Children learn at a faster pace during their formative years, especially during the first six years. Their brains absorb information like sponges when they’re young. Vital connections in the brain are made very early in life. At birth, a healthy baby is born with approximately 200 billion active brain cells or neurons. Given the right kind of stimulation, each neuron is capable of sprouting up to 20,000 different dendrites and synapses. When parents perform brain activities like talking, singing, and reading to their child, they’re providing the necessary stimulation to not only strengthen existing links between brain cells but also form new links. By cultivating a love for reading from an early age, you’re also instilling a lifelong love of learning and knowledge.

• Educational Benefits

Reading unlocks the door to your child’s academic success. Research suggests that early readers achieve higher grades in not only Literature but every subject. Children who read have greater general knowledge, a richer lexicon, and are better able to articulate their thoughts. Improved attention spans, better concentration, supreme oral skills, and fluency are additional benefits of reading. They also gain proficiency in their writing skills as they understand grammar and sentence structure. Advanced comprehension skills enable them to think critically. This makes them excellent researchers as well. Therefore, it’s no surprise that reading will give your child the necessary impetus to excel scholastically.

• Psychological Benefits

A loving environment is conducive to growth. A child who learns to read in such a joyful environment will grow in self-confidence and independence.

Reading sparks curiosity about people, places, and things and it also quenches this thirst for knowledge by providing relevant explanations. Other benefits of reading include enhanced creativity and imagination. Reading also proves to be a phenomenal activity if one is looking to spend some quality time with their children.

Early readers will also have an upper hand over their peers. As they’ve learned to read at a leisurely pace, they view reading as an exciting adventure and not a tiresome chore. In a crowded classroom, they won’t have to compete for the teacher’s personal attention. Undoubtedly, their self-esteem is bound to soar when their reading competence helps them progress faster. Such a child will also become a natural and self-confident leader.

• Linguistic Benefits

Reading results in improved linguistic skills in the form of an abundant vocabulary, correct grammar, improved writing, better spelling, and oral eloquence. Research emphasizes that children with a wider vocabulary fare better academically during their early years. Reading also contributes to effective communication skills.

• Safety

Early reading allows children to comprehend important warnings and labels such as ‘ poison ‘, ‘ danger’, ‘ beware’, ‘ stop ‘, etc.

• Relaxation

When you read, you relax your mind and focus on whatever it is that you are reading. Doing so slows down your brain and keeps you calm and tranquil. It is a form of escape that soothes you to the core. Reading is also a fulfilling and productive activity that makes you feel accomplished.

• Discipline

Reading requires concentration and focus. This teaches your child self-discipline. A longer attention span and better memory retention are additional benefits of reading.

• Empathy

While reading, your child will put himself in the character’s shoes. This teaches him empathy which allows him to relate to the character on an emotional level.

You can do the following to inspire your child to read more :

• Make books accessible

Children who become readers often have books and other reading materials available at their homes. Thus, as a parent, you should ensure that there are plenty of books at home. Place the books in an easily accessible corner so that your little one can read as per his convenience.

• Be a role model

Children often emulate their parents’ behavior. When you pick a book up for some leisure reading, your little one will probably do the same. If your child notices your profound love of reading, he will be more inclined to develop the same adoration for books.

• Visit the library frequently

Along with extracurricular activities, you should also encourage reading. You can do so by visiting the library together. The opportunity to choose books of his choice will make your child more enthusiastic about reading. Such library visits can be your very own tradition that your child will fondly remember when he grows older.

• Make reading fun

When you read, make sure you do justice to the narrative. Act out stories, modulate your voice, use your hands, and read with excitement! Remember, a monotonous tone can make the most exciting of stories dreary and boring.

So go ahead, grab a book and spin a magical world just for you and your tiny tot.