The Bella Life

Last week we had doctors appointments with the boys pediatrician.  Since Trey turned 4, he got some big boy testing.  Trey had his first vision test… PASSED!  His first hearing test… PASSED.  (PS, try getting a 4 year old to raise his hand every time he hears the beep when he thinks it’s super funny is very entertaining.)  Anyways, the doctor kept asking me questions like, “does he talk a lot?”, YES “does he play outside?” YES, “do you limit the tv watching?” YES, “does he eat fruit and veggies?” YES, “does he like to run and climb?” YES, etc. The one that made me stutter a bit and feel like I was fibbing was when he asked me if I read to Trey.  I know, such a simple one, right?  Trey loves to read.  He’s memorized a few books already.  He goes to bed with a book and flips through pages before he falls asleep at night.  BUT… the doctor didn’t ask if Trey likes books, he asked if “I read to Trey”.  I really don’t read to him that much, probably once a week.  So, I failed.  I came home and looked up the importance of reading to your preschool and the benefits it brings.  So now… I am going to share those with you and also share some of Trey’s favorite reads.  Happy Reading!

The Benefits of Reading to your Preschooler

The vast mass of knowledge in the world can only be gained by reading, and if you want your kid to be smart, he has to acquire a love for reading.   This love for reading can be instilled in your kid as early as in his first few months by reading to him.

Many studies have demostrated that reading to your child have many priceless benefits.

For example, a study was made in Rhode Island Hospital to compare two groups of eight months old – one group was read to often as babies, while the other was not.  It was shown that those who were read to have their “receptive” vocabularies (number of words they understand) increased 40 per cent since babyhood, while the non-reading group increased by only 16 per cent.

Indeed, reading to your kid is one of the most effective way of building the “language” neural connections in his growing brain.

Tips on reading to your Preschooler.

• Let your child indulge in his interest when reading books.  Visit a book store or local library and let your child choose the book he likes.  Remember, you want to teach your child that reading is fun!
• To further encourage reading, read aloud together with you pointing at the words.  If your kid makes a mistake, say the correct word and move on.

Other benefits of reading to your kid are as follows:

• Reading to your kid makes you bond with him, and this gives your child a sense of intimacy and well-being.
• The intimacy of reading to your kid is such a pleasurable experience to him that he will have a positive attitude towards reading as he grows up.
• It calms your child, especially when he is fretful and restless.
• It promotes increased communication between you and your child.
• Pre-school children who are exposed to language by hearing words that are read to him and in conversation tend to do well in school.
• It promotes longer attention span, which is an important skill for your kid to be able to concentrate.
• It builds listening skills and imagination.
• Your young child learns about colors, shapes, numbers, and letters, while your older child discovers an expanding chain of knowledge.  His interest in cars, for example, will expand to his interest in trucks, and other transportation like planes and rockets, and soon he will be reading about outer space, science and technology, and so forth.
• Books teach your child about relationships, situations, personalities, and what is good and what is bad in the world he lives in.  Fantasy books provide material for his imagination and free play.  Fairy tales fascinate your kid, and help him distinguish between what is real and what is not.