We’ve all heard that reading aloud to children is a good thing to do, but just why should we be doing this?
Reading aloud fosters growth in many areas, but the two of the biggest ones are language skills and relationship skills.
From birth, children are gathering what they need to communicate. Reading aloud feeds this need. Your listener hears new words and learns their meanings. They hear how these words are used properly and this is the template they will use as they grow in their speech. They hear pleasing rhythms and rhymes which can encourage playing with language. Repetitive phrases encourage the listener to join in and repeat the words.
Reading aloud also fosters a bond between reader and audience. Even though this is most noticeable in the home, it is also true in group settings. Just as shared experiences bring people closer together, sharing stories also draws people together. Laughing together over the antics of the characters or the funny rhymes is a connection you will all enjoy. Discussing the character’s dilemma and solution grows your understanding of each other. Time spent reading together is time invested in relationships.