Last month I reviewed the beautifully illustrated children’s picture book, The Hospital Hoppities which you can read here. Inspired by such a lovely book and brilliant idea, I thought I’d take a look at why it’s so important for children to read books.

 

As a child I loved reading. I couldn’t wait to clamber up Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree or explore C. S. Lewis’s land of Narnia via the back of an old wardrobe.

 

 

Then, when my children were very little, I got the opportunity to go back to some of my childhood favourites by reading to them. I loved reading to my children, and they loved listening. Perched on my knee or snuggled up beside me they were always eager to listen to a bedtime story or two, including some I’d read as a child as well as new ones we discovered together. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Harry And The Terrible Whatzit were always firm favourites.

 

 

Reading to children provides a wonderful opportunity to bond with them, and a brilliant way to introduce them to the magical world of books. Even before they are born children recognise their parents’ voices, so reading to them from birth, just for a couple of minutes a day, gives them the comfort of hearing a familiar voice while increasing their exposure to language. 

 

However, as my children grew older and their enthusiasm to sit on my knee waned, I’m pleased to say their love of books didn’t. They enjoyed trips to the library almost as much as a day out.

So, what do the experts have to say about it? Well, apparently reading for pleasure is really good for children, and here’s why.

Not only does reading encourage children to use their imagination, studies have also shown that reading for pleasure can make a great difference to a child’s educational performance.

They will often perform better in reading tests, develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures. In fact, Bali Rai, award-winning writer of novels for teenagers and younger readers suggests, “Reading for pleasure is the single biggest factor in success later in life, outside of an education. Study after study has shown that those children who read for pleasure are the ones who are most likely to fulfil their ambitions. If your child reads, they will succeed—it’s that simple”.