Why reading to children is important for both parent and child

Books have been around for centuries and they are used to share information with others. Children can also learn a lot from books, which is why parents often read to them. There are a lot of different books. They can be biographies to picturebooks Some are written for a purpose, and others to let you dream away into a new world. Whatever your preference, a book will always tell you something new.

There are several reasons why reading to children is important for both parent and child. It increases vocabulary, spelling and text comprehension, it has a calming effect, it can strengthen the bond between parent and child and it motivates a child to start reading on its own.

I remember very well that my parents used to read to me. Often they did this before going to bed. It was a moment in the dayk looked forward to, I would snuggle up to my mother or father and listen attentively to what they said. Much later I learned that besides the nice moment together,, there are many other advantages to reading to children.

What does reading to children mean?

Reading to children is when two or more people sit together with a reading book..One of the two reads aloud from the book, while the other listens. If the book has a lot of pictures, children can of course listen as well. The reader can make the reading as creative as he or she feels comfortable with. Some readers read to children using different voices, while others make up an extra story to go with it. Nothing is wrong and everything is allowed, that is what makes reading to children so much fun!

Why read children's books is good is, the child?

Above we already mentioned it briefly. Reading to children is important and for many reasons. storybooks are written to stimulate the development of a child in various areas.

Vocabulary and language
Through reading to children, children learn vocabulary, spelling and text comprehension. Research shows that children who have had many children's books read to them are encouraged to start reading themselves afterwards. Children who have had children's books read to them in their childhood are more likely to perform better at school than children who have not had them read to them in their childhood.

Listening and concentrating
By paying attention and sitting still, a child learns to listen and concentrate. These are two qualities that are both important in development. Listening and concentrating are a valuable quality for every child (and adult).

Unwind
The moment together with the parent is calming and feels familiar. It is a time in the day when a child can relax. They don't have to do anything but listen to what the parent is reading to them.

Bonding time
It is important for the relationship between parent and child to build a bond. Reading to children is a fun activity for this. You share a moment in the day together. You both have attention for each other.

Why is reading to children good for the parent?

Weare often busy. In these times we often have to race to get everything done in a day. Doing something with your children therefore sometimes slips by. To still give your child time and love, which is important for the bond you share, you can choose to read to them. The nice thing about reading to children is that you both sit quietly. So you don't have to have a lot of energy left over. In addition, your child can sit close to you and you can stimulate their development.

Why read books in different languages?

The younger your child is, the easier it is for him or her to pick up a second language. So start reading children's books to your baby, toddler or pre-schooler as early as possible. The best way to do this, you can read here. Children's books can be written in their mother tongue or a language that is widely spoken around the world. There are several multilingual children's books available in the Netherlands. This stimulates a child to learn a new language. There are children's books in many languages, including Arabic, Hindi, Surinamese and Papiamentu, in which language do you like to read to your children?

How and when do I read read to children?

Sometimes it can be difficult to find a time in the day when you can read to your children. It doesn't matter when you do it. It can be .the morning when they get out of bed, .in the afternoon after school or .in the evening before bedtime. If you read multilingual children's books, it can help to do so when the child is not too tired. They will then pick up and remember the new words faster.

How you read to children is also up to you and your children. Some children appreciate it when you speak with different intonations or at different speeds. Other children like it when you speak quietly, giving them time to listen and take in what is being said.

I read children's books to my children

We hope this article has given you a better understanding of why reading to children is important for both parent and child. If you read multilingual children's books to your children, you will be stimulating their language skills. Enjoy the moment between you and your child! Do you  want toe read funny children's books in other languages? Take a look at our selection.