Reading is incredibly important to both adults and children. Not only for educational reasons, but also because reading can be used to entertain and relax.
I have collaborated with an Independent Boarding School in Herefordshire to learn more about why reading is so important for children…
Widens vocabulary
Regular reading will to wonders for widening your child’s vocabulary. Encourage your child to read as much as possible. This doesn’t have to mean just books; they can read website, magazines or even cereal boxes. All forms of reading are beneficial. When your child comes across a word that they do not understand, encourage them to look it up in a dictionary or online. This will help them to remember its meaning.
Advances writing skills
Encouraging your child to read will give them a better understanding of good sentence structure and punctuation. This will have a positive impact on their writing skills, which are incredibly important at school. A love of books may also inspire your child to write stories of their own. For a fun creative writing activity, why don’t you ask your child to create their own ending to a favorite story?
Improves social skills
A passion for reading will not only expand your child’s knowledge, inspire their imagination and support them academically, but it will also help them socially. This is because all of these skills will boost their confidence and give them plenty of interesting subjects to talk about with friends and family.
Encourages relaxation
Finally, if your child has something on their mind or they are having trouble sleeping, reading could be just what they need. By engaging in a good story, your child will be able to forget about their worries and take time to relax. Next time your child says they can’t get to sleep, let them have an extra half an hour to read a book and see if it helps.