Read -Read- Read The Importance of Reading to your Child from an Early Age

“Just one more please,” these are magical words to a parent’s ear.  Not many children will pass up a book.

New research at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting shows that reading books with a child beginning in early infancy can boost vocabulary and reading skills four years later, before the start of elementary school.

The abstract, “Early Reading Matters: Long-term Impacts of Shared Book reading with Infants and Toddlers on Language and Literacy Outcomes,” was presented on at the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco.

“These findings are exciting because they suggest that reading to young children, beginning even in early infancy, has a lasting effect on language, literacy and early reading skills,” said Carolyn Cates, PhD, lead author and research assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine. “What they’re learning when you read with them as infants,” she said, “still has an effect four years later when they’re about to begin elementary school.”

Research also shows that reading to a child at any age: 

·         Increases/enhances vocabulary

·         Strengthens bonds between child and parent

·         Supports prereading skills

  Supports communication

·         Increases a child’s independent reading

As the holiday season approaches and the time for gift buying and giving is upon us, let us not forget to include books in the buying and giving.  Make sure there is lots of family time planned with reading time at the top of the list. 
Happy reading!

For more information on the benefits click on the link below.

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/08/08/the-merits-of-reading-real-books-to-your-children/?mwrsm=Email