The Importance of Reading for Children

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." 

- Jackie Kennedy 

When I was around six-years-old, I loved the book series The Pony-Crazed Princess by Diana Kimpton. Every six or so months, I would somehow convince my mother to buy me one book from the series. Looking back at them, I only had three out of the thirteen that exist, but the joy I got from reading them was worth more than the full amount combined. I remember spending days upon days reading that book. I remember absorbing each sentence as slowly as possible just so that feeling of contentment could last longer. I remember rereading certain parts so that I could fully make sense of the plot and the characters. At this age, I could finish the book within an hour, but that is not the point I am trying to emphasize. An early love for reading is so important to instill into young children, to prepare them for future success in their lives. 

Reading is an essential life skill that children must learn, not only to be successful at school but also in life. Reading is prevalent in all subjects that one will come across - science, history, math, and even physics! The more a child reads, they will absorb more information and become much smarter. Other than establishing strong comprehension skills, reading also helps develop a longer attention span and improve one's memory. These traits will enhance a child's academic capabilities and will make learning in school much more effortless. Reading is also a great way to reduce stress or anxiety. When a child reads, it distracts them from their concerns and serves as a pleasant distraction from other worries such as school. Students are one of the more common victims of stress, and learning to relieve it in the early stages can help a child maximize the school experiences and opportunities. 

Reading aloud to a child can help stimulate their imagination and expand their understanding, not only of literature but also of the world. It exposes them to the problems a character faces, allowing their imaginations to run free and develop scenarios in their mind as they go. According to NVFS, research shows that children who activate their creativity, mainly through reading, "develop higher activity in the left-sided parietal-temporal occipital association cortex which cultivates mental images, and deciphers and comprehends verbal cues." Without an imagination, people would find it hard to come up with new ideas to advance our society. 

More than anything, though, reading teaches kids empathy, which is what makes us truly human. The ability to put oneself in someone else's shoes to see what they're going through is a vital tool to connect with other people in today's society. When children read stories, they can practice seeing the world through someone else's eyes. It allows them to develop empathy and a deeper understanding of other people's experiences and struggles. 

Children's reading has countless benefits. Be it broadening their imagination, helping establish life skills, or developing their ability to empathize with others. Some of them might not be as obvious, but the benefits certainly impact their futures. Even beyond the educational positives, the joy reading can bring a kid is reason enough to give it a try. And who knows, they might just find their very own Pony Crazed Princess. 

Citations:

Expanding Imaginations Through the Power of Reading. (2018, March 19). Retrieved from https://www.nvfs.org/growing-imaginations-reading/

Kylie Rymanowicz, M. (2018, October 02). Children and Empathy: Reading To Learn Empathy. Retrieved from https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/children_and_empathy_reading_to_learn_empathy

Titus, K. (2016, December 31). Why Reading Is So Important For Children. Retrieved from https://www.lifehack.org/515271/why-reading-important-for-children