5 Reasons Why Books are Important for a Child's Development

I am very passionate about instilling a love of books within children. Books have a wonderful way of helping with children’s development. Within the world of books, you can find imagination and creativity with a side of fiction plus reality depending upon which books your child is reading. While reading books can be fun, there’s more to reading than pure entertainment value. I am sharing 5 reasons why books are important for a child’s development today to open your mind to making books a daily part of your child’s life.

Why Books are Important for a Child’s Development

5 Reasons Why Books are Important for a Child’s Development

Quality Bonding Moments

When you open up a book to read to your child, it creates a quality bonding moment for you both. During this time of reading aloud with your child, they can be snuggled up to you while you dive into a story. This moment will be one that your child cherishes for years to come and in turn, will create a tradition that they pass down to their children in the future. Even if they play quietly near you while you read aloud, they will be gaining concentration skills and building beautiful memories of books and reading together.

One of the things we love about Sonlight and using a Literature based curriculum is you have years of building these bonds and memories over great books with your children.

Increase Vocabulary Skills

Reading books opens your child’s mind to a whole new world of vocabulary. Books showcase a wide range of words that your child may not use or hear every day. When you incorporate reading into your child’s daily life, it helps them develop a higher level of words to use in their everyday conversations. As you read, your child may ask what words mean, take time to explain the definitions and talk about what your child is reading.

A few of the books that we have loved over the years while homeschooling are:

In Grandma’s Attic

Dolphin Adventure

The Hundred Dresses

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Red Sails to Capri

Walk the World’s Rim

Indian Captive – The Story of Mary Jemison

They Loved to Laugh

There are so many other books I could list here, but we wanted to share a few favorites that have made a lasting impression.

Ease Emotions and Feelings for Children

If you have a child who suffers from anxiety, emotions, feelings or any trauma, there is a book that you can find to read to them about this topic. Children’s books have an excellent way to help minimize the scariness of things in your child’s life so that they are less anxious about a new experience. Books can help your child develop a higher acceptance of new experiences and changes.

Expanded Brain Power

Many children who had books read to them from a young age will rank higher in academics and are more apt to be successful later in life. Reading expands your child’s brain development by enhancing their vocabulary usage as well as language skills. When reading books, your child learns how to speak correctly to others, in all sorts of situations from basic manners to having conversations on a variety of subject matters. Plus, it is great for expanding your child’s imagination.

Helps Develop Focus

Reading books to and with your child will help enhance their ability to focus more. When you read aloud to your kids, they are listening to the person reading to have a solid understanding of what the book is about. Whether you read aloud to your children or they read independently, reading helps children develop a higher awareness of focus and good listening skills. Among other things.

There you have it, 5 reasons why books are important for a child’s development. Each stage of children from newborn to toddler, and elementary to high school may change the genre and difficulty level of the books your child reads, but that won’t stop them from developing essential skills. Children of all ages will learn to develop stronger focus, increased intelligence, creativity and more awareness of the world around them when they dive into reading great books.

We have shared many reasons Why Books are Important for a Child’s Development and Why Reading is Important. I hope these tips and ideas for reading help you pass your love for books and reading down to your children.