Reading aloud to your kids has many benefits, according to Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson with Seattle Children’s hospital.
Swanson shares tips for parents to make the most of reading time with your child.
New study in pediatrics on reading
- Pediatric primary care program promoted reading out loud and playing with children aged 0 to 5 years to reduce hyperactivity and attention problems
- Reading aloud and playing together with children can help them have better control of their behavior and reduce attention problems
- 30 percent of parents report their child was read aloud to from birth, up from 15 percent in 2016
- 6 percent of parents know to read aloud, but only 14 percent do
- Parents report not having enough time in the day to read out loud and also that children have a hard time sitting still
What parents need to know
- First 1,000 days are critical years in the development of language skills
- The number of words a child knows on entering kindergarten is a key predictor of their future success
- Reading out loud nurtures bonding and literacy where passive TV consumption does not
- Children who are doing better academically in kindergarten are more likely to go to college, get married, own homes, and live in higher-income households
Helpful resources
