Reading to Kids

Reading aloud to children is an important way to help them with future academic achievement. Even babies and toddlers respond to reading times with parents and caregivers. Very young babies learn to imitate basic sounds of language by listening to a story. Toddlers learn to connect reading with printed letters, words, and pictures in a book. Older children develop cognitive thought processes as well as build imaginative thinking. Emotional connections are enhanced for a child simply by sitting in a parent’s lap and being read to.

Babies just beginning to babble can learn to recognize more words at an early age if they are read aloud to. They learn to speak by imitating the sounds of the words they hear, and reading aloud to them expands the number of words they are exposed to. This progresses as the child grows and recognizes even more words, and then sentence structure. Since children’s early language development is based on imitation of sounds, they learn new words the same way. However, the printed words are not the vehicle by which pre-schoolers learn new words and thoughts. It is the spoken words and the act of reading aloud to pre-schoolers which creates the opportunity to build vocabulary and thinking experiences.

The reader’s tone of voice also plays a role in a child’s understanding of speech patterns and even mood and meanings of words and phrases. Repetition and association of words and sounds build a child’s language skills. Children will develop a natural connection between their spoken language skills and written words if they are read aloud to and encouraged to think about and discuss stories. If parents keep reading time fun and pressure-free, children will learn to enjoy reading.