If you’ve been keeping an eye on our social media, you’ll know that, here at MEplace, we love a good book. Books are full of worlds, characters and ideas we might otherwise not experience. But why do we place so much importance on reading to children?

 

Well, books and stories have a wide range of benefits for our little ones, from literacy to social skills!

Sharing stories with our little ones is, of course, a wonderful way to develop literacy skills: seeing letters and words on the page and hearing them pronounced can widen the vocabulary, help a child learn syntax and pronunciation, and lay the foundations for learning to read independently.

 

But literacy isn’t the only academic skill that children learn from reading; in fact, many studies have shown a correlation between a love for reading and academic achievement in all subjects. It can also develop their ‘school readiness’ (check out last week’s blog for more on this), as sitting with a parent to enjoy a book can help to improve a child’s ability to concentrate.

 

 

Many of us remember a time when we got truly stuck into a book; the way we felt every up and down the protagonist went through, from grief to elation. This journey is an indispensable learning opportunity for children, as they learn not only to empathise with the characters - thus improving their social skills - but also how to understand, prepare for and manage their own emotions.

 

Additionally, for a child and their caregiver, reading or sharing stories is a wonderful bonding experience. Reading with your little one is a fantastic opportunity to cuddle up and have fun!

 

 

Books are an amazing source of information - whether they’re fiction or nonfiction! By reading, children are being exposed to more cultures, personalities and perspectives than they might otherwise. This can improve their understanding of the world, and provide them with the knowledge to prepare for a wide range of situations - including the scary and daunting ones!

 

If you read our blog, ‘Books to Prompt Playtime’, you’ll already know all about how storybooks can inspire imaginative play. On top of this, exposure to a wide range of stories can support children in other creative endeavours, too - such as art or writing - as the ideas and worlds they’ve stored from stories inform their work. Additionally, reading books can help children learn the difference between real and pretend.

 

 

Instilling a love for reading can help your child grow and learn in so many ways. So why not join us on Instagram for our weekly storytime? They take place every Wednesday on our IGTV - you might just find your little one’s next favourite read!