Advances in the science of neurology are confirming what educators have long suspected, that reading to young children causes changes in the brain that enhance verbal and visual comprehension and skill. Children exposed to books before kindergarten have measurable brain growth in key areas that help the brain process verbal and written information and set the stage for advanced learning later on.
A particular study conducted on children between the ages of three and five surveyed the home life of these children and how often and in what manner they were exposed to books and reading. The study investigated such variables as how often parents read to their children, how many books were in the home, and what other forms of parental instruction and interaction was taking place. Then, the children were placed in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) device while they listened to stories through headphones. The results showed that children who came from households with more books and reading involvement showed more activity in the parts of the brain associated with verbal reasoning and the processing of the meaning of language. More neural activity also occurred in the parts of the brain that process visual imagery, proving that imagination and visualization are key components of reading comprehension and the understanding of stories.
Books Are Tools With Many Uses
Reading to children has many other benefits besides just brain growth. Reading to preschoolers is an interactive activity, as the youngsters ask questions and point to the pictures and try to pronounce words. This allows parents and their kids to build strong bonds of trust and communication, and that leads to stronger social skills and less anxiety when children start school. Books also teach kids to process information in a standard way, such as knowing that text flows from left to right and that pictures are different than text. Reading develops other skills that apply to other forms of learning, such as logical thinking, cause and effect, and judgment.
Stories convey cultural information that your child needs to navigate the world outside the home. Kids learn about proper social interactions and common problems and fears and how to deal with them by reading stories from books. This instruction can take place first in the comfort of the home with an adult who keeps the child feeling safe while these ideas and experiences are explored for the first time. Reading is powerful, so make it a regular habit in your household and your child will be well prepared to do well in school and in the world.
