The gift of reading

If I was asked, ‘What’s the one thing I can do to support my child’s education’, my answer will always be ‘read with them daily.’ 

 Instilling a love of reading from an early age will give your child a head start on expanding their vocabulary, building independence and gaining self-confidence. By reading together every day you stimulate and strengthen your child’s language and literacy skills. It’s that simple. 

 Reading helps children learn to make sense of the world around them. It helps them learn how to handle their own feelings in a healthy way. Seeing characters in books experiencing big emotions like anger or sadness helps them understand that these feelings are normal. 

 Furthermore, that cozy time together gives your child the sensory experience of sitting with you, hearing your familiar voice, and feeling a book in their hands which are all important for healthy brain development. Hearing a book over an Alexa or reading on an iPad isn’t going to give your child the same holistic benefit! 

 Build the bond with your child through consistent focused time, away from distractions. Connect with each other and share stories old and new.

Activity: 

Find a cozy place with your child, choose a book you both enjoy, read it slowly. Spend time looking at the pictures in detail, follow the text with your finger to demonstrate reading from left to right, ask your child a few questions. What do they see? What might happen next in the story? Can they talk about the characters? Snuggle up and really enjoy these precious moments. 

If you share 1 book a day with your child, you will have shared 1825 books by their 5th birthday!