Did you know the single most important activity a parent can do to build knowledge into the heart of their child is to spend a little time every day reading aloud?  The nation’s largest pediatric group, the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly encourages parents to read to their children as soon as they are born. Now you might be asking “Does it really matter if I read to an infant?”  Great question!

When will you ever have your child’s undivided attention? When they’re in your arms of course! The sooner you instill in your child a passion for reading – the better it is for them (and you) and here’s why. 

Reading aloud is a beautiful way to spend time together to connect and bond.  When you pick up a book and show your child the value of reading aloud, it presents books and the experience of reading as exciting, pleasant and valuable. And here’s the thing… when your kids see that you are excited about reading – that excitement will become contagious and they’ll catch the reading bug! 

The more you read aloud to your children, the larger their vocabulary will grow,  the smarter they will become, and their overall fund of knowledge will increase. The mutual experience of shared stories gives parents and children something to talk about. 

Additionally, parents who read to their children set them on the course to help develop greater imagination, social skills, a depth of literacy skills, independent thinking, and intrinsic motivation to grow and eventually read on their own. Reading aloud helps model to children the love of learning, to never stop growing and the importance of opening one’s mind to new ideas. 

Reading aloud can introduce books and types of literature, poetry, short stories, and biographies children might not discover on their own. One must also acknowledge that the language of books is very different than the language that is commonly heard on the street, in movies or in media.  Book language is much more descriptive and uses more formal grammatical structures.

If you desire for your son/daughter to get an academic scholarship, then you can start the process by reading to them tonight. Remember, the seeds you sow into their mind today will be the fruit you will reap tomorrow. Sow wisely.

DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE APPROACHES TO READING

1. Infants

It’s important to associate reading with warm, pleasant feelings. Infants respond to sounds, rhythms, and words. You can read and make sounds without feeling silly. They will coo, gurgle, babble at you, while they’re taking it all in. Use colorful books with pictures and point to pictures that they can see. Their little mind will begin to understand that pictures represent objects. Remember – have fun! 

2. Baby

When your baby grows a little older, he/she can sit on your lap. Kids love to hear a familiar voice and this is a wonderful time where you can read them stories from the Bible. Babies enjoy board books or puffy books with simple, bright colors and pictures. You can share stories about Jonah and the whale, Moses and the parting of the red sea, or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Remember, their minds are a sponge and they are absorbing everything you say. Express God’s word with joy, wonder and delight! What you love, they will love – so show them how much you love the Bible!

3. Toddlers

Toddlers are beginning to cope with feelings and like to participate. This helps them feel competent. They are curious yet have a short attention span. Encourage their curiosity!  Read books about “exciting” or “adventurous” new people, places and “discoveries.”  Make sure you read slowly so that your toddler can follow the story, yet add passion and inflection to your voice. At various points throughout your reading, stop and ask questions to stimulate their thinking: “What might happen next? Where did he go? Why did she do that?” Enjoy the process. They grow quickly!

4. Kindergarden

As children grow older it’s important to continue to associate reading with warmth.  During this stage they are expanding their vocabulary, building their listening skills, and learning how to handle problems. They are curious about the world beyond their immediate experiences. Books can shed light on earlier times when there was no internet, telephone or i-gadgets. This can be a great segway which leads into discussing what you, as a family would do in certain emergencies. For example, if the electricity suddenly is cut off in the entire neighborhood, you can calmly show them where the flashlights are and what to do next. By keeping a calm, tone and clearly stating what you would do, and your reasons for doing them, you are teaching your child critical thinking skills as well as showing them how to plan ahead.

The benefits for reading out loud to your children are overwhelming. One of the most verbal advocates for reading is a gentleman who came from a fatherless, poverty inflicted home. His mother forced him to read and he grew up to become a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon. He attributes his success to God and reading, and now has an organization which gives scholarships to students who have a similar passion for reading and learning.

While there are many great books filled with fun, fantasy and fiction, everything written by men pales in comparison to one book. The Book. No matter how many times it’s read, depending on one’s circumstances, new insights are revealed.  If you want to instill soundness of mind and depth of character, the only Book which has stood the test of time and remains solid, pure and true is the Word of God.  “As a man thinketh, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7

Warm Regards,

Christy Demetriades, Ph.D.

About the guest blogger:

Dr. Christy Demetriades has a Ph.D. and M.S. in Clinical Psychology and a B.S. in Exercise/Sports Science from Vanguard University. She loves Jesus, has a heart for people and has dedicated her life to serving Him.