Mar 5, 2024

How Reading to Children Facilitates Language and Learning

When I think of the basic recommendations I give to parents for stimulating and facilitating language and learning, two of my favorite suggestions come to mind, and they’re super simple: Talk to them and read to them! Today we will be focusing on the latter.

Have you ever thought about why reading is so important? As it turns out, reading to children provides them a ton of benefits!

Literacy (in and of itself) is important

Simply put, being able to read opens many doors in life by aiding in our functioning in society (i.e., school, employment) and providing us with access to limitless learning. The ability to read is critical to taking control of our own lives and advocating for ourselves, families, and our communities. When we start exposing our littles ones to books at an early age, we are helping them to start to turn the key to open these doors!

There’s Just. So. Much. Language!

As a Speech/Language Pathologist, I’m delighted to say that reading to young children is an easy and effective way to help them build amazing language skills (and these skills only grow as children begin to read on their own!). By reading to your child starting at a young age, even before they’re able to verbally communicate, you help lay the neurological groundwork for effective literacy AND language use.

When listening to stories ranging from board books to chapter books, we are (healthily) bombarding our children with lots of new words. This is important because the exposure of new words has been proven to build the language pathways in children’s brains as their vocabulary expands. The more words children encounter in context, the more likely they are to understand and remember them.

As children begin to understand new words, sentences, and paragraphs, they also begin to develop comprehension skills. Through repeated practice, skills such as predicting outcomes, making inferences, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships develop as their comprehension grows.

Reading aloud also introduces children to the sounds of language. They learn about phonemes, rhymes, and syllables, which are foundational skills for reading and writing. This improves their phonological awareness, facilitating later literacy development.

Lastly, reading exposes children to correct sentence structures and grammatical patterns. Over time, readers internalize these structures, leading to improved grammar and syntax (the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language) in their own speech and writing. Many children’s books have repeated phrases, patterns, or concepts (Think, Brown Bear, Brown Bear) because the repetition and predictability are excellent for solidifying concepts of grammar and syntax as well as improving overall memory.

More Reading = Smarter Children

Research indicates that early, consistent reading demonstrates improved language scores as early as 9 months of age. Even the tactile experience of holding or touching a book supports babies’ cognitive development.

Children who are read to from a young age are much more likely to become strong readers themselves. As readers become more fluent, they begin to comprehend and produce language more quickly and efficiently. This is partly because books expose children to vocabulary and grammar that they wouldn’t normally hear. We’ve already covered that reading exposes individuals to a wide range of words and concepts, which contributes to vocabulary development. This is impactful because a larger vocabulary is associated with higher intelligence and academic achievement. Reading also stimulates their cognitive development by engaging their attention, memory, and reasoning abilities. It encourages them to think critically, analyze information, and make connections between concepts.

So while reading itself may not directly increase intelligence, it serves as a powerful catalyst for cognitive development, knowledge acquisition, critical thinking, and lifelong learning, all of which contribute to intellectual growth and achievement.

But that’s not all! Reading literary fiction, in particular, has been linked to greater empathy, emotional intelligence, and social awareness. Understanding and empathizing with fictional characters' experiences can enhance emotional understanding and interpersonal skills, which are important aspects of intelligence.

Books expand on children’s interests and creativity

There is so much that can be learned from reading books. One example is exposure to vocabulary, concepts, and topics that children have not otherwise seen or heard in “real life.” This exposure not only teaches them new things but may also pique their interest in new topics and result in an increase in their desire to learn. For example, a child may see and enjoy learning about dolphins while seeing them in a book. This may spark his/her interest in learning about dolphins as well as whales, sharks, and other sea creatures or even the ocean overall. And perhaps this all happens before they’ve had the life experience of going to the beach!

Storytelling also stimulates children's overall imagination and creativity. It encourages them to visualize scenes, characters, and events, sparking creativity and inspiring them to create their own stories and narratives. Children begin to learn how to create pictures and stories in their minds and “travel” to all kinds of awesome places in their minds. So much fun!

Reading together is a great way to bond!

Another awesome concept is that reading aloud to children promotes bonding between caregivers and children. It provides opportunities for interaction, conversation, and shared experiences, all the while strengthening relationships and communication skills. For anyone who’s had a child on his/her lap while sharing moments reading a favorite book, you know this can be a wonderful experience!

Expanding on this, reading together can be a great way to spend quality time with loved ones. It offers a chance to slow down, focus on each other, and engage in a meaningful activity. It also helps develop emotional connections through the stories themselves and also through discussion about the stories. Reading books together is also a great way to create traditions (such as reading together before bed) as well as create some special childhood memories.

How to incorporate books into your routine at home

Reading to your kids can be as simple or as complicated as you wish to make it. Keeping it simple, just holding and looking at a book together with your child as you read to them is beneficial. You can choose to read a story as written, or take some time to talk about the pictures, or a combination of both. Depending on your child’s age, I encourage you to provide pauses so they can also contribute their ideas and observations. You can also label items you see and talk about them. You can ask simple “wh” questions such as, “where is _____ (an item, character, etc.)?” or “what’s _____ doing?” while pointing to pictures. If your child is ready, you can expand to open-ended questions such as “why do you think he’s doing that?” or “what do you think will happen next?” Finally, this is a great time for natural conversation that is sparked by the contents of the book(s).

I encourage you to find a comfortable and quiet spot for your reading time and be sure to choose books that are appropriate for the child to whom you’re reading. Most young kids enjoy engaging stories, colorful illustrations, and themes that resonate with their interests and experiences. For very littles ones, board books such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom or The Very Hungry Caterpillar are excellent. For slightly older kids, Go, Dog. Go! or Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day are great choices. Don’t be afraid to reread (and reread and reread) favorite books but also to explore different types and genres of books! Lastly, reading to kids as they get older is also beneficial! I love Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing as an option for late elementary.

When possible, you can relate the story to the child's own experiences, emotions, and interests to make it more relatable and meaningful. This helps them connect with the story on a personal level and promotes empathy and emotional intelligence. To make it even more fun, try using expressive voices, varying tones, and facial expressions to bring the characters and story to life. This helps capture the child's attention and enhances their understanding and enjoyment of the story.