How Bedtime Stories Help a Child Develop

Children soak up everything in their early years, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of that and teach them some great habits, like reading. No matter the age, reading to your child will boost their brain development, the bond you have together, and a lot of other important skills that will serve them all throughout their lives. That’s why creating a little book-reading ritual every night will do wonders for your kids in the long run.

Bright Side loves reading and we are firm believers that more children need to be taught how special books are, so we wanted to show you that they can do so much more than fill in free time.

1. It can teach your child patience.

Being patient is a valuable skill in life that a lot of people may lack. Thankfully, those can be taught to our kids from a very young age, as listening to stories being read to them makes babies more patient. Developing the skill of patience makes your child better at active listening, and the 2 go together nicely. That way, in the future, your kid will be a good listener who makes people feel heard and valued.

2. It enriches your child’s vocabulary.

Reading is not only great for us, but it can also be great for our babies. According to a study conducted at Rhode Island Hospital, babies who were read to were able to understand more words than babies who weren’t. The results showed the kids’ receptive vocabulary increased by 40%, while it was only 16% for the group that was not read to.

3. It grows their imagination.

Reading expands our imagination, so naturally, it would spark your child’s imagination. The more we read to our children, the easier for them it becomes to imagine those words and stories in their minds. That constant training of the brain improves a kid’s ability to imagine and be more creative and open to new ideas.

4. It teaches them how to be more empathetic.

You might not imagine that books and empathy go together, but they do, and that very important life skill can be taught to your kid from a young age. When children are read to or read stories themselves, they have the opportunity to see and experience that story from the character’s point of view. That way, they can understand what’s happening to those characters, experience their experiences, and understand their feelings.

5. It encourages engagement and improves conversation skills.

Reading improves a child’s ability to engage and communicate. Don’t be too annoyed if they keep interrupting you as you’re reading a story to them, it’s actually a very good thing. Reply to their questions, explain things and connect what’s happening in the story you’re reading to something that might have happened to you in real life. Help them be engaged by asking them how the characters might be feeling and what might happen next.

6. It teaches them to pay attention.

Kids, especially small ones, are very easily distracted, so reading to them can teach them concentration and the ability to pay attention. They have to listen and sit still in order to comprehend the story, which can result in fewer tantrums. Added benefits to that are better reading comprehension, better self-discipline, a longer attention span, and better memory retention. Those are all skills that will greatly benefit your children at school and in life as adults.

7. Reading to your kid instills a love for reading.

By starting your kids off reading while they’re still young, you’re steadily helping them develop a passion for books and reading. Children, when exposed to books, are more likely to choose them over video games, TV, and other forms of entertainment, even when they get older.

Do you read to your children? What’s their favorite book?