Why It’s Important To Read To Your Children

As new parents, there’s nothing better than spending quality time with your children. As your little one learns to think, move, and grow on their own, it’s important to start reading to your child at an early age to set them up for success when it comes to their reading and writing skills. Not only can reading to your child be extremely fun, it’s an imaginative activity that your son or daughter can learn from. At Our Legendary Ladies, our passion is to encourage parents to not only read to their children at a young age, but to go beyond the basics of numbers, colors, and animals to learn more about the legendary ladies of history. In this blog, we’re going to discuss why it’s important to read to your children.

How Do Reading & Language Skills Develop?

As children begin to develop their own reading and language skills, research has identified five essential reading skills that parents should be aware of. These include:

• Phonemic Awareness - This is the ability to hear, identify, and play with individual sounds (or phonemes) in spoken words.
• Phonics - This is the ability to connect the letters of written language with the sounds of spoken language.
• Vocabulary - These are words that children need to know in order to communicate effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - This is a child’s ability to understand and get meaning from something that has been read.
• Fluency (or oral reading) - The ability to read text accurately and quickly with understanding.

Why Should I Read To My Child?

If you’re like some parents, you may be wondering why you should read to your child. The truth of the matter is, there are many beneficial reasons to set time aside to read a story to your son or daughter. Just imagine: You’re snuggled up in bed with your child reading them their favorite bedtime story. Your son or daughter has their head resting on your shoulder, laughing and conversing with you as you read. When you read with your little one, you are creating a unique bond that can never be broken. While the books you share with your child are special, you are also providing your child with a sense of security and love as well.

Reading To Your Child Will Show Them That They Are Important

When you take the time to read to your child every night or a few nights a week, you are showing your child that you truly love and care for them. By setting time aside from your busy day to enjoy a few special stories together, your child will feel loved and appreciated. When parents snuggle up and give their children their undivided attention, we are showing them that they are truly important to us.

Reading To Your Child Will Prepare Them For Academic Success

Reading to your child on a regular basis is a wonderful way to prepare them for academic success. Most children’s books are specifically written to teach children more complex vocabulary and grammatical structures, which will come in handy when your child starts to read and write on their own. Books give parents an opportunity to expand their child’s vocabulary as they become their child’s first and most important teachers. The narrative fiction of most kids’ books is a great way to spark your child’s imagination, providing concepts and knowledge that are the true cornerstones of science and math.

Reading With Children Can Enrich Family Ties & Intimacy

If you’re looking for a way to feel closer to your little one, reading a book to them each night is a great way to encourage family ties and intimacy. Babies are soothed by their parents’ voices, and school-aged children cherish an opportunity to learn alongside their mom or dad. When you make reading time a priority, you also make family time a priority. Exploring new books with your child is a great way to share passions, perspective, and values with your little one.

As you can see, there are numerous reasons to read to your children on a daily or weekly basis. Whether you’d like them to get a head start on their academic studies or you’re looking for a little alone time with your little one, reading can help. If you’re looking for fun and inspiring children’s books, be sure to visit Our Legendary Ladies website to browse our books today!