[dropcap]R[/dropcap]eading is a channel of communication through which information and ideas are transferred. It is an elaborate visual process that involves decoding symbols of the writing system to derive meaning, and most people learn this skill from early childhood. While the primary purpose of reading is to absorb information, it has many other benefits. For children, reading plays an important part in the proper development of their mental and cognitive system.
It stimulates the brain and promotes logical thought that will enable them to be successful in school and life and general. Whether intended for education or entertainment, reading stimulates imagination and play. As children interact with the characters in their books, they exercise their imaginative skills and create mental pictures in their head. This boosts their creativity and results in ideas that make playtime and learning more fun.
Mental and social benefits of reading to children
Creates interest and curiosity
Curiosity is said to be the fuel of intellect, and the best way to boost a child’s curiosity is to help them develop the habit of reading. It encourages interest in children and encourages them to explore other parts of the world around them. This is the educative kind of play that comes in the form of adventures. It provides them the exposure to a wide range of language and vocabulary, and it helps foster an appreciation for art.
Tempers hyperactivity and enhances concentration
Children, by nature, are hyperactive and have a limited attention span. Reading to them provides a rare opportunity for their minds to go calm and still while their attention is captured by something enigmatic. It is the beginning of a process of mental discipline that enhances concentration skills in children. During those moments of uncharacteristic silence, they sharpen their ability to focus on a particular thing.
Development of social and communication skills
Reading to children provides one of the vital platforms for the formation of basic speech. It encourages the development and sharpening of other essential communication skills like writing, speaking and even body language. As they interact with the characters in their books, they learn to relate with other people and handle situations in the real world. This also lends to them a sense of empathy and sympathy, two traits that children need to be taught in order to form and sustain healthy relationships with other people in the world.
Sharpens logical and critical reasoning
It plays a huge role in the development of logical reasoning and critical thinking. It enables them to compare situations in the stories they read and make logical deductions. They learn to analyse facts and draw reasonable conclusions. This skill is necessary for every stage of life and only grows complex as one gets older.
Prevents mental atrophy
As a mental activity, reading not only improves and protects the memory and thinking capacity but also slows down the ageing process and protects the brain from illnesses like dementia. Studies have shown that amongst children who suffer learning and reading disorders like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, reading greatly improves their mental abilities and improves their speaking and cognitive abilities.
Children’s books and where to find them
Children’s school books and storybooks have content that is channelled towards fuelling the curiosity of children and encouraging them to be adventurous, to engage and learn about their surroundings. There are so many materials out there designed to cultivate the minds of children for them to attain optimum mental capacity. TheWorks is a major discount retailer that sells an assortment of high-quality educational material for children from different brands and publishers. It caters to all age groups and is a place where people can buy storybooks and school books online or in one of their over 500 stores scattered across the UK and Ireland.
Conclusion
The relevance of reading to children today cannot be overemphasised. It is necessary for the mental health and development of a child, and it makes all the difference in their ability to adapt and function.
