Reading with your child is an important element of their overall academic progress. When they start school, reading is one of the first things they learn. It forms a crucial part of their development across all of their subjects. As well as providing many benefits in terms of a child’s learning, reading can also be a form of relaxation and entertainment. It’s certainly a more valuable use of their time than spending hours in front of a digital screen. I have teamed up with a prep school in the South West to explore why reading is so important for children in further detail below.

Improve Spelling and Grammar Skills

First and foremost, reading is a great way to help a child develop strong spelling and grammar skills and expand on their vocabulary. If your child comes across any words they don’t understand when you’re reading to them, it would be a good idea to make a note of these words. Then they can come back to them in the future, rather than explaining them once and forgetting about them.

A child who understands a good range of vocabulary will be a better communicator, in both written and verbal form, which will help them both in school and in the future when they’re applying to university or jobs.

Helps Children Focus

Another benefit of reading is that it can help improve a child’s ability to concentrate, which is an essential skill in school. Not only will your child need to be able to concentrate in lessons, but they will also need to be able to focus on things like exam revision in order to retain the information.

Extends Their Knowledge Base

Reading is also good for expanding one’s general knowledge, even if they’re reading a fictional novel. Often, stories cover various historical or cultural events, helping the reader learn about things outside of the school curriculum. Having a good general knowledge base will help your child socially, because they will have plenty to talk about with other people. It will also help them to feel more confident in their abilities and therefore they might feel more comfortable speaking up in class etc.

Helps With Imagination

Children who are keen readers have a more vivid imagination, allowing them to dream big. It should be something your explore with your child from a very young age and encourage as they grow up, as it will stand them in good stead for their future.

To encourage your child’s love of reading it can help to set up a reading corner. My earlier post on the topic will give you lots of advice such as soft materials, natural light and a book shelf with lots of different reading material.