Reading with your kids still matters. With the growth of media apps and YouTube use rising among children, kids are spending less time reading and more time ‘playing’ digitally than ever before.
Yet, in a world full of media gadgets, it’s still a good thing for kids to experience the wonders found in reading a good book. And one of the best places for them to develop an appetite for reading books is by reading them with mom and dad while they are still young.
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents” – Emilie Buchwald
While the benefits to childhood reading are numerous, here are a few specific reasons to keep in mind for why you might want to require your kids to put down their devices for a while and pick up a good old-fashioned printed book, or better yet, sit down and read one with them.
1. Reading increases brain development by opening up new worlds of imagination and possibilities.
All of us know this, but how easily it is to forget it. One’s imagination can get lost in a good book. A child’s mind is active when reading rather than passive when just watching.
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Richard Steele
I remember when our oldest son decided on his own that he was going to refrain from any media or movies for a season. Instead, he chose to devote more time to reading. He told me, “Dad, when I know I’m not going to be watching any tv, I feel like I get even more into my book and just want to keep reading more.”
Reading a good book naturally has a way of drawing you in and trying to keep you there for a while. At the same time, it stretches your mind and imagination to think outside the box. Our children’s imagination is something that they desperately need to use, yet it’s increasingly getting pushed aside and lost with each generation.
“Reading is important because if you can read, you can learn anything about everything, and everything about anything.” – Tomie DePaola
The benefits of reading far exceed and are superior to the benefits of the other mindless activities that we often subject ourselves and our children to.
2. A love for books and reading is a gift that you give to your children.
“There is no substitute for books in the life of a child.” – Mary Ellen Chase
The younger a parent starts reading to a child, the more likely it is that they will become a reader themselves. And not only that, the more they are read to, the more easily they will acquire the skills needed to learn to read themselves.
According to statistics from Scholastic, “Strong correlations exist between parental actions and the frequency with which children read. For example, among children who are frequent readers, 57% of parents set aside time each day for their child to read, compared to 16% of parents of children who are infrequent readers.”
Our kids love it when we sit down to read with them before bedtime. When you read to or with your kids, you are instilling within them an appetite and thirst for knowledge and mental engagement, which are things not as easily found by sitting in front of a device.
3. Words are powerful – both spoken and written.
When a parent holds both a child and a book at the same time, something special happens. It creates a natural bond by communicating a love for reading and a love for the child. Kids naturally enjoy being read to by their parents, because it speaks love to them.
And while we’re talking about teaching them the importance of reading, let’s not forget to both show them and teach them the importance of reading the most important book of all – the Bible.
One of the greatest gifts a parent can give to their kids is simply to read to them because there’s no app to replace your lap.
By taking the time to regularly read with your child:
- You’re showing them that reading is worthwhile.
- You’re sowing seeds for a lifelong relationship with books.
- You’re helping them grow and fall in love with the printed word at an early age.
So, why not pick up a book this week and read something together?
Remember, there is no app to replace your lap.
“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild… to pick up a book, and read to a child.” Dr. Seuss
