WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO READ TO AND WITH CHILDREN?

Reading to children is crucial for their overall development - especially language, cognitive abilities and social skills. Research shows that reading aloud to children from an early age is one of the most valuable things you can do for a child both in school and in life.

And when these moments naturally include reading with the child — through small pauses, questions and dialogue — the benefits become even greater.

THIS IS WHY reading aloud matters!

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Children who are read to learn more words and develop a richer vocabulary than those who are not. They learn how sentences are built and what words mean in different contexts.

When you read with the child — pausing at words and talking together — this language development becomes even stronger.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Reading aloud stimulates the brain and activates networks for concentration, language comprehension, memory, and imagination. This helps prepare the brain for learning and knowledge acquisition.

When you read with the child and let them guess, explain, and wonder, these processes are strengthened even further.

SOCIAL and EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING

Through stories, children encounter different characters and situations, which strengthens the ability to empathize and understand other people's feelings and perspectives.

When you read with the child and let them guess, explain, and wonder, these processes are strengthened even further.

JOY OF READING AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Shared reading experiences create positive associations with books and reading, which is crucial for developing reading and writing skills later in life. It helps counter the decline in reading skills.

When the child participates actively during reading, their motivation and joy for reading also increase.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

Reading time create unique and safe moments between child and adult, strengthening the bond between them and providing a sense of belonging.

When you read with the child and share thoughts and reactions, the sense of closeness and connection grows even stronger.

KNOWLEDGE and PERSPECTIVE

Books broaden a child´s horizon and teach them something they can benefit from later in life.

Reading with the child helps them understand connections, ask questions, and build deeper insight.

Create a meaningful reading moment!

How you read shapes both the experience and the impact:

- Reading to and with children is a wonderful and lifelong gift that lays the foundation for learning and personal development.
- Best of all, it's really nice!

Use your voice to convey emotion and excitement in the story. This captures the child’s attention and makes the experience more fun.

Show engagement

Take breaks along the way to explain difficult words, comment on illustrations, and check that the child follows the story. Ask open-ended questions like:
“What do you think will happen now?” or
“Why do you think he did that?”