Start reading to your children at a young age. Reading to them is a great way to help maximize your child's brain development and strengthen their bond with you all while enjoying an entertaining story.
Reading to my children has always been a regular daily activity I started doing with them right after they were born. Reading good stories to them aloud is fun for all of us and as a parent I know how beneficial reading to them is for brain development.
As they sit quietly in your lap or next to you on the couch it might look like they are just enjoying a good story but inside that tiny little head their brain is working hard developing the parts that deal with language, image processing, logic, and reading.
As they sit quietly in your lap or next to you on the couch it might look like they are just enjoying a good story but inside that tiny little head their brain is working hard developing the parts that deal with language, image processing, logic, and reading.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) did a study on children ages 3-5 years old to examine the relationship between shared parent-child reading and brain activity. The study showed a positive association between the measure of reading to your child, which includes their access to books, frequency of reading and variety of books read, and the child's brain activation when listening to a story.
The study found that children who are exposed to a stimulating home reading environment, have greater brain activity in areas that are important for both language and reading.
The study found that children who are exposed to a stimulating home reading environment, have greater brain activity in areas that are important for both language and reading.
This study supports the claim that reading to your child has a positive effect on a child's developing brain! As a parent we already knew this but isn't it great when a real medical study proves your parenting instincts were right!
Now that we've proved that reading to your child is beneficial you might be wondering what books to read to them. For your little ones ages birth through toddler I put together a short list of ideas you can find HERE as well as the Top 10 Reasons Why It Is Important To Read To Your Child.
We go to our local library A LOT to find good books to read. When my daughters were younger they loved to read books whose main character was a girl. They loved to ask questions about the fictional girl asking things like "what do you think her favorite food is?" or "what is her favorite toy". These characters through the story became real to them. Sometimes they would reenact the story using their own dolls or toys as the story's characters if they really loved the book.
A friend from Sleep Advisor recently asked me to share this great list of fun to read books with one common theme - they are all stories to inspire young girls! It includes a variety of books for various ages starting with ages 2+ as well as fiction and nonfiction stories. The list includes books on inspiring heroines throughout history, others that help promote healthy self-esteem and stories that put a modern twist on classic fairy tales.
10 Inspiring Stories To Read To Your Daughter
What are you waiting for? Grab your Kindle or run to your local library branch to find these fun stories and read them to your daughter!
Tips to Create A Comfortable Reading
Environment for Kids
That Won't Break The Bank
Creating the right environment for an enjoyable time of reading aloud to your child is important. My kids love to snuggle with their favorite blanket while I read to them. It doesn't matter where we are reading together, it could be on the couch sitting next to each other or spread out in separate chairs or even in the bedroom they love to be as comfortable as possible so they can enjoy just listening to the story. If your child doesn't have a favorite blanket yet let them pick one out and call it there reading blanket. I bet they will have it with them every time you read to them.
My son recently got an oversized backrest pillow for his birthday which he uses all the time when he is reading to himself or I am reading to him. I HIGHLY recommend these cool backrest pillows - they make the most comfy reading environment. These types of pillows don't cost very much and provide a super soft place for your child to read in bed or snuggled up with mom and dad!
My oldest, who is a teen, loves to listen to audio-books through her Kindle and wireless earbuds. The earbuds are bluetooth and have quite a long range so she can leave her tablet in her bedroom, get ready for the day in the bathroom all while listening to a book through her Kindle. Look for deals on these great devices during holiday shopping times or specials run on Amazon.
Sometimes my kids are a little fidgety while I'm reading to them so I allow them to do something like coloring, drawing or even rainbow looming while I'm reading to them. As long as they aren't noisy or distracting others this seems to work well and helps them concentrate even more on the story. Gather a box of acceptable items and let them choose what to do while you read. I'm guessing you already have quite a few quiet activities around the house that won't cost you anything additional.
What kind of environment do your kids like best when you read to them? Do they seem unable to listen while you read aloud? Try some of these tips above to see if that helps them listen longer and focus on the story!
