Reading is an essential part of our everyday lives, so developing a love for it early can help set your child up for success. Reading to your child from an early age encourages brain development and sharpens their cognitive skills. Little brains are constantly growing and absorbing new information, which makes developing positive reading habits in their early years vital to encouraging brain growth. Reading opens so many doors, and a child who develops a love of reading at a young age is more likely to thrive once they reach a reading-based educational classroom.
Benefits To Developing Positive Reading Habits
You can’t go wrong with introducing reading early on. In fact, unborn children can hear in the womb, so reading to them before they’re born is an excellent way to bond and stimulate early brain development. There are many advantages to developing reading habits in early years, including:
- Developing Vocabulary – The more you read to your child, the larger their vocabulary becomes. You’re introducing them to words and phrases they may not hear in their everyday life, giving them an edge up on learning.
- Increased Attention Span – Reading to your child regularly can help them focus better and sit still for more extended periods of time. This ability will serve them immensely once they reach the classroom!
- Prepare For School – As stated above, children with better reading habits acclimate easier to the school environment.
- Develop A Love Of Reading – The early you introduce reading into your child’s life, the greater the chance they will develop a love for it.
- Encourage A Love Of Knowledge – When a child reads or is read to, their imaginations can run wild, developing a love of knowledge that will serve them well as they get older. They learn to ask questions, seek answers, creating a yearning to discover new things.
How To Develop Early Reading Habits?
Developing early reading habits is easy and fun for you and your child. You don’t have to overthink it; just add one or all of these suggestions into your daily routine.
- Read To Them From A Young Age – As we discussed before, you can begin reading to them before they’re born, developing your bond and stimulating their brains to grow.
- Model Reading Habits – Kids copy what they see, so if they see you reading, they’re more likely to reach for a book themselves.
- Talk To Them – Ask them questions about what you’ve read to them. Having them talk about what they’ve read encourages reading comprehension and gets them excited about sharing their experience.
- Keep Books Accessible – If they can reach their books, they’re more likely to read them!
- Practice Common Sight Words – Make it a game to spot common sight words and see how many they can find in each book. They’ll have so much fun they won’t know they’re learning!
Developing a reading habit in your child’s early years is an excellent way to set them up for success. The more they love to read, the more doors open to them, giving them the best possible chance at life!
