The Values of Reading to Your Kids Are Numerous

During the week a child watches an average of 30 hours of television. Reading to your child at home provides some benefits that can't be gained by educational programs.

An adult who reads to a child can be a positive role model. If a child sees an adult who engages in reading daily on their own to learn, such as newspapers or magazines, and one who shares reading with them, then there will be an increased value placed on reading and it's importance. For example, stronger reading skills in children results in higher achievement in school.

When you read a book to a child you can focus on the sounds of words and repeat the words to the child, this can be one focus of reading instead of just reading straight through the book. Once the child is familiar with the sounds of the word, they can repeat it back to you. Unless you have a recording of the program you are watching and want to keep hitting the rewind button, a child will not have the benefit of learning words from repetition and imitation.  

Even a child who is too young to read can benefit from someone reading aloud to them. The first words that a child learns can be words that he/she doesn't understand the meaning of, but words learned from being read to.

A benefit that a child of any age can gain from being read to is that of forming opinions. You can ask a child what they thought of a story. This helps them learn cognitive thinking skills that will help them process their world.

If you haven't yet, incorporate a bed time or afternoon reading time. A few minutes of reading can have several benefits for your child.