If you spend your evenings cooped up in a single bed, reading the same stories over and over (and over) again, you might be pleased to hear that scientists think you’re doing a good job as a parent.

We already know that reading to your kids could improve literacy and help with learning to talk.

But now, scientists have proved it can actually alter how the brain functions at a biological level.

So when you’re reading that same story for the twentieth time tonight, you can tell yourself you’re altering your child’s brain for the better, even though it might sometimes feel like your brain function is being impaired.

It might not make bedtime less tedious, but at least you’ll know your efforts aren’t in vain.

Reading to your kids at home improves brain activity

The 2015 study published in the journal Pediatrics found that routinely reading to children at home improved brain activity. Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine brain activity in young children. Nineteen children aged between three and five years of age participated in the study.

Researchers scanned the participants’ brains as they listened to both a recording of a woman reading a story and a sample of background noise. Researchers then compared the child’s brain scans to see how the children responded to the different stimuli. Parents answered some questions about how frequently they read books aloud to their children and about the different books they read.

Researchers found that the children with more stimulating home reading environments showed more significant levels of brain activity in the parts of the brain responsible for narrative comprehension and mental imagery. These areas of the brain play an essential role in developing literacy in early childhood.

Why reading to your kids matter?

The researchers hope that the study results will encourage parents to start reading early and often to their children. However, this was only a small study, and further research is needed with a larger sample size to give a clearer idea of the impact reading has on brain function. It is also unclear whether it makes a difference if the reader is a parent or a teacher.

Why is reading important in the early years?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who are read to during infancy and early childhood tend to have better language skills when they start school. They also show more of an interest in reading. It’s also believed that setting aside time each day to reading to your children can help you to build a strong bond.

Does reading to your kids make them smarter?

The study mentioned above found that regular home reading during the early years improved brain activity in the part of the brain responsible for visual imagery and comprehension. Simply put, children who were read to at home were better able to understand and imagine stories read to them as preschoolers. The developing brain benefits from parent child reading, particularly during the early years.

We know from other studies that children who are read to at home are exposed to more words. A 2019 study found that reading one picture book a day to your child, from an early age, means they hear 1.4 million more words by the time they start school. That’s 1.4 million more opportunities to develop their vocabulary before they’ve even set foot in school.

How does reading affect brain development?

Shared reading is known to have a positive impact on brain development, especially during the early years. A 2017 study published in PLoS One found that listening to books provided a ‘brain boost’ in the cerebellum. The cerebellum is known to play a role in cognitive function and learning. Using MRI scans, researchers found that children experienced a brain boost in the cerebellum when being read to by their mothers.

Importance of reading to your kids – research

There is plenty of research highlighting the benefits of reading to your kids. Governments and healthcare providers across the world try to encourage parents to read to their children from birth. Many governments and charities distribute reading materials to families on low incomes, in the hope this will reduce inequality between households.

Children who are never read to are more likely to experience language and literacy delays. Distributing storybooks to these households and encouraging parents to spend time reading to your kids has resulted in better language and early reading skills. This makes a huge difference to these children. A study published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly looked into the impact of these book drives and found they were a great way to reduce inequality.

Effects of reading on child development

Reading aloud to your child is known to affect their brain development. Thanks to research, we now know that the positive impacts of regular reading are long-reaching. It’s astounding that such a simple early intervention can make such a difference to a child’s development.

Regular reading throughout childhood can help improve your child’s listening skills and attention span. As children grow and learn to read, they might enjoy independent reading more if they are used to spending time with books and stories. Getting lost in stories is a great way to lure your child away from too much screen time.

A 2013 research paper found that the frequency of reading to young children positively affected their schooling outcomes. The researchers found that reading to four and five-year-old children had a significant positive impact on their language and literacy, numeracy, and cognition later in life.

They also found that reading to your kids every day of the week had the same effect as the child being almost 12 months older. Children who were read to more frequently at age 4-5 achieved higher scores on both reading and numeracy tests when they were aged 8-9. Regular reading in early life was found to be beneficial long into the child’s school career.

Reading to babies and brain development

Reading, even to young babies, can stimulate the brains and encourage language skills. Cognitive stimulation and brain activation are important for healthy infant brain development. Babies benefit from hearing as many words as possible and reading aloud is an easy way to expose your child to new words.

Although newborn babies might not understand the words you use, they will benefit from hearing your voice and how it changes as you read aloud. Young babies will be soothed by the sound of your voice and enjoy the quiet time you spend snuggling up together.

To find out more about reading to babies and cognitive development, take a look at Benefits Of Reading To Babies (even in utero).

Does reading to your kids make a difference?

Yes, reading to your child makes a huge difference. Not only to brain development and language and literacy skills, but also to your relationship. Life can get hectic and it’s not always easy to find time to read together. By making reading a part of your daily routine you are doing your child a huge favor. Not only are you guaranteeing some quiet bonding time with you each day, you’re also positively affecting your child’s brain development.

How long should you read to your child each day?

Unlike taking vitamins, there is no ‘recommended daily allowance’ of reading time you must give to your child. The important thing is to try to read with your child every day; it doesn’t matter if you only have time for a picture book.

Including reading in your daily routine will teach your children to value reading and stories. They will learn to associate reading with the soothing calm you enjoy together as you read.

Try not to beat yourself up if you don’t manage to read with your child every single day. Life is hectic; just do what you can. Packing a book in your diaper bag or having some in the car for long journeys is a great way of reminding yourself to read, even when you’re out and about.

Reading to young children

Joining a library is an excellent way of making sure your kid is exposed to a variety of books. Some parents choose to make a library visit part of their regular routine, allowing the youngster to pick out books of interest. You can also pick up children’s books cheaply at charity shops and thrift stores, as well as second-hand book stores.

If your child has a birthday or Christmas coming up, suggest that friends and family members purchase books as gifts. Not only will this stop you from getting bored when reading, it will also expose your child to more words. Books really are the gifts that keep on giving.