54 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly
they absorb and retain. It’s a
good opportunity to educate
them about a wide range of
subjects, and reading to them
as a baby or toddler gives them
a head start when it comes to
school and life later on.- It gives kids’ brain a workout.
Paying attention to what you
are saying and comprehending
the meaning of the words is
good for their brains, as well as
their language development. - It improves concentration.
It may be frustrating when
they won’t sit still or they keep
wanting to turn pages or swap
books, but in fact they are
learning to focus for longer
periods of time, which will help
F
or some parents, it’s a
special time but for others,
it can be bit of a chore.
But even if it’s tiresome,
reading to your child should
be part of your – and their –
daily routine. Here’s why it’s
so important:- It enhances kids’ vocabulary,
helping them to learn words
and their meanings. - It develops their language
skills. Talking does that too, but
often the spoken words they
hear are limited and repetitive.
Reading helps them to improve
the way they use language. - It gives young ones the gift of
knowledge. The more you read
to them, the more information
them when they get to school.- It encourages littlies’
imagination and creativity.
When you are reading to them,
their minds are going beyond
the pictures on the page to
bring the words you are saying
to life, which is great for their
imagination. Their creativity has
to work harder when you move
from picture books to those
with text only. - It helps them to develop
empathy. Children like to put
themselves into the story and
they relate to what is happening
to the characters. Feeling what
the characters are feeling helps
them to understand emotions. - It helps their critical thinking
skills. As you’re reading, they’re
thinking: What will happen next?
How will the characters deal
with this? What would I do?- It’s great entertainment.
Triggering a love of reading is
vital so your child doesn’t end
up thinking computer games
and TV and movies are the only
way they can be entertained. - It creates a lasting bond.
There’s nothing quite like
cuddling up with a child and
sharing a wonderful tale.
SHARE THE LOAD
Most children learn to read^
on their own by six or seven,
although some can do it by
five or even four. If an older
child shows no interest in
reading themselves, and is
happy for you to keep doing
it, encourage them to share
the reading, for example,^
by taking turns to read^
facing pages.Children who struggle
to read tend to have lower
confidence than better readers.
This can lead to them becoming
withdrawn and isolated, and scared
about participating in group
activities. Reading to them, and
then helping them to read
themselves, can make
their life easier.DID YOU KNOW?
READ UP
on reading
GET INTO THE GOOD BOOKS BY
FOSTERING A LOVE OF STORIEShealth& FA M I LY