There are endless positive effects of reading on child development, and they go beyond developing linguistic skills. Through reading, children develop creative expression, imagination, critical thinking, memorization, and much more. If you are a parent, it is especially important to recognize the benefits of reading for children.

Reasons Why

Reading positively affects social, emotional, and mental development in children. Check out these reasons why reading is important for children:

1. Foster Comprehension & Critical Thinking Skills

Of course education is one of the most obvious reasons why children should read. When children read, they practice information retention and comprehension as they follow along with the characters in the story. In addition to absorbing information, children think ahead to what comes next. As plots develop, children must constantly predict, ask questions, and analyze what is happening in the story.

2. Encourage Imagination & Creative Expression

Books transport children into brand new worlds beyond their everyday lives. They can imagine new worlds that inspire new ways of thinking. Unlike many other forms of modern media, books require active participation and encourage creativity, a skill essential to professions in almost every industry. A decrease in reading is leading to less creative minds. As children are exposed to contradictory messages, it is important that they learn to seek information for themselves and decide their own paths. Reading helps children listen, learn, and explore which inspires them to lead, express, and create.

3. Practice Speech & Build Confidence

It is inevitable that children will have to speak and read in front of others throughout school and beyond. Many young children experience problems with reading or speech whether it be as simple as a minor stutter or as complex as a learning disability. Whatever level of challenge they face, practicing reading, especially out loud can be extremely therapeutic. As children practice reading, they get more comfortable with the how words look and sound and what they mean. Even children who are excellent readers can benefit from practicing. In addition to getting more comfortable with reading in general, children build confidence as they read out loud at home or in class.

Is your child struggling with a mild speech disorder? Try using our Story Theater Amazon skill along with one of our books. As the story progresses, they’ll be prompted to read along. Their voice will trigger sounds and music for a truly immersive experience

4. Exposure to History, Ethics, & Other Key Messages

Whether you notice it or not, almost every book has underlying take away messages, a compelling reason why reading is important for children. As characters navigate through challenges, interact with others, and grow, readers work on their personal character development. Even tales as simple as the “Three Little Pigs” have lessons of hard work woven throughout. Books are a fun way to teach children moral lessons without them losing interest. Children can also take away history lessons from novels from different time periods.

5. Help Them Develop Emotional Intelligence

Today’s generation is desensitized to violence and suffers from a lack of emotional intelligence, a very important reason why children should read more often. Reading allows children to gain new perspectives through characters from all walks of life, which increases their understanding and empathy. Empathy is a crucial component of a child’s social and emotional development, and it will have lasting impacts on a child’s interactions and friendships.