Why reading is crucial for children—from an early age!
From birth, children need to be immersed in language: tender words, lullabies, nursery rhymes... They grow up thanks to stories in all their forms and learn to speak only if they are spoken to... Babies read the world around them and gradually associate what they see with the words spoken by a close adult. Reading with babies, and children in general, helps them access culture.
Sharing stories with children and talking to them about events that affect them helps them develop by giving them a sense of their own existence.
1. Reading expands vocabulary
A study conducted by Rhode Island Hospital showed that reading stories to your children from an early age has many positive effects. They compared two groups of eight-month-old babies. The first group enjoyed a variety of readings, while the other did not. It turned out that the first group of babies saw their receptive vocabulary (the number of words they understand) increase by 40%, compared to only 16% for the second group. (source: raisesmartkid.com)
2 - Reading strengthens emotional bonds
Reading stories to your child strengthens your bond with them, giving them a sense of intimacy and well-being.
3 - Reading brings calm and serenity
Reading calms your child when they are restless or anxious. Reading a story before bedtime is one of the recommended routines to help them fall asleep (as long as you don't read scary stories!).
4 - Reading is the gateway to writing
Reading promotes writing in that children who have read extensively will be more comfortable with language (syntax, grammar, vocabulary, etc.) and will be less afraid to start writing stories or describing what they see or experience.
5 - Reading promotes attention, imagination, and listening skills.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of reading for developing children's concentration. For children, learning to be active "in their heads" is a difficult task. Paying attention without moving, without visual support for spoken or written words, requires children to be "active" internally, to learn to "bring things to life and transform them in their minds." The younger the child, the more difficult this task is. Telling them stories, reading books to them, and helping them use their imagination and create their own mental representations will help them develop this ability to become active in their minds. What students need to develop here is their ability to "evoke," that is, to create mental images, whether visual, auditory, or emotional.
7 - Through reading, children develop better reasoning skills. They learn the principle of cause and effect, logic. They also learn the consequences of actions, as well as the concept of right and wrong.
You don't need a lot of money or even free time to read with your children. Even small efforts can have a big impact. And you don't have to reserve this activity for bedtime. Sharing a book, magazine, or comic book can be done at any time of the day.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to have fun. Interest in books emerges through the good times spent together. Showing your interest and investing yourself in this activity can have a huge impact on how your children embrace it.
To go further:
The intellectual abilities that reading helps develop http://www.lapetiteile.com/lecture/les-capacites-intellectuelles-que-la-lecture-permet-de-developper.html#:~:text=Reading%20also%20allows%20individuals%20to%20decrease%20after%2030%20minutes.