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Reading To Kids Early Sets Stage For Lifetime Of Learning

By Joel Hardy

02/12/2015

(KAIR)--Kids who are read to by their parents or caregivers are more likely to develop lifelong learning skills.

That, according to statistics released by the U.S. Department of Education which further state that twenty six percent of children who are read to at least three to four times a week recognized all the letters of the alphabet. This is compared to fourteen percent of children who were read to less frequently.

K-State Research and Extension child development specialist Bradford Wiles adds that the process of reading with a child is more important than the book you choose to read. He says that it is a parent-child engagement piece that is so crucial, “And if you look at a lot of the children's books, the content of them are really silly, make believe sometimes, but again, its not the content. For adults, we read to learn things...in children's books, often times it is complete gibberish, but that is not the point. The point is not comprehension, the point is the process of learning.”

It's not unusual for children to want to read the same book over and over. Wiles says there is a reason why they like hearing the same story over and over. Adults can read a book once, understand it, and be done with it. However, he says, “For children, every time you have read that book, something new happens for them.”

More information on the benefits of reading to your child can be found at county and district extension offices or by going to the extension website, ksre.ksu.edu.

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