Why Reading to Your Young Child Matters More Than You Think {plus a few helpful tips}

We hear it all the time. Reading early and often to our kids is important. We know that it’s a good and noble endeavor but we do we understand how much it really matters?

I came across this infographic that makes a simple and compelling case for reading at a young age. {The print is a tad hard to read so scroll down if you want the highlights.}

Fifteen minutes / day of independent reading can = 1 million + words in a year!

Reading to a child in an interactive style raises his or her IQ by over 6 points.

Daily reading to children puts them almost 1 year ahead of those who are not being read to.

Wow. Maybe there’s more to Hop on Pop and Goodnight Moon than we first thought.

If you’re thinking that your child isn’t on track to be a young reader or is still too young to read independently, know that the bedtime board books and tattered favorites {that you’ve now memorized} are accomplishing more than you think.

Reading aloud is a powerful tool that puts the young child way ahead of the game by the time school begins.

But let’s be real for a moment. While reading with the young child sounds lovely and tugs on our heartstrings, in reality it can feel like a tug o’ war. Young children are distractible, impulsive, turn somersaults while you read, ask for the same story 20 times in a row, and ask lots of questions.

That’s why we appreciate this great post from Growing Book by Book {an all-around fantastic blog} that will provide some helpful tips and age-appropriate expectations as you read to the young children in your life. Tips for Reading with Newborns to Age 5.

What are some of YOUR favorite tips for reading to the young child? Better yet, what are some of your favorite books for little ones?

You can now follow us on Pinterest for other great resources on parenting, child care, preschool, literacy, and nurturing the young child.

Want to know another way you can help promote learning for the young child? It’s easy. Share this post with your friends! Just use the social media buttons at the bottom of this post. Together, we can make a difference!

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