There is no better fuel for the mind than a good book. Reading, especially for children, is one of the best ways to grow their vocabulary, have them be introduced to new ideas and expand their imagination. That is why reading for fun has been a habit that parents have encouraged and many children have developed, going back generations.
Unfortunately, casual reading habits among children have been declining for years. This, as a parent, can be scary because we all know the benefit of losing yourself in a great story or the excitement of learning an interesting fact from a magazine. Declining reading trends, if not addressed, will negatively impact kids, making it more difficult for them as they grow into teenagers and adults.
Is Reading Declining? What Are the Causes?
It can be hard to get the facts straight, particularly today with media outlets vying for your attention 24/7. As parents, it can be a daunting task to figure out what's actually happening out there. It’s important to get factual statistics about reading because when you know the lay of the land, you can plot a course to get you to your destination.
Developing a love of reading in children is not difficult for a few simple reasons. Children are inquisitive and curious (as every parent knows) and their imaginations are robust. Parents simply need to know why reading is important for kids and understand how to help them be excited about it.
Even with the right knowledge and a desire to teach your kids this valuable skill, life can be distracting, even for kids. In a survey done by the National Literacy Trust in 2023, they found that only two in five kids aged 8-18 read for enjoyment (43%). This is the lowest level since the survey started in 2005.
Another study done by the National Assessment of Educational Process showed that since the beginning of their surveys in 1984, the number of kids who said they read for fun almost every day is at their lowest point ever. Reading decline statistics like this have parents everywhere asking why this is happening.
It can be easy to see how kids are distracted and less inclined to read. Today (even with the best intentions as parents), kids are constantly bombarded with digital distractions like phones, tablets and television. Parents are often busy and have less time to help with reading because of work and business-related reasons and libraries, once a hub of child activity, are less likely to see young readers than ever before.
Why Is Reading So Important for Children?
For those who can read (and enjoy it), it can be easy to miss the significant benefits that come with the love and appreciation of the written word. These are even more important for kids! What are these benefits?
Brain Power
Reading has a powerful effect on the minds of your children as they are growing. It helps to grow the neurons and connections in the brain, aids them in learning and understanding concepts, and prepares them for a future of intellectual growth.
Emotional Intelligence
Reading also helps kids understand and regulate their emotions. A larger vocabulary helps them understand their inner state and equips them to share that with their parents and friends. Reading makes kids more empathetic and gives them the tools to work through the emotions of growing up.
Better Relationships
Better relationships flow out of solid reading habits. It can help kids strengthen their bonds with their parents and friends and will give them the vocabulary to communicate better with those who are closest to them.
Physical Benefits
Concentration and focus can be hard to come by these days but the kids that have strong reading habits learn how to do this. The best part is that they learn and develop these skills not because they are told to but because they want to… because they love reading!
Creativity Boost
An active and robust imagination is often accompanied by a love for reading. This habit will expose them to new ideas and concepts and help them to develop their own thoughts about the world and themselves. Reading allows them to be influenced and inspired by people they will never meet, expanding what they believe is possible and encouraging them to explore those options.
How to Cultivate Healthy Reading Habits
Armed with these reading facts, parents can make some changes to their routines to encourage kids to develop these critical reading habits. How can you cultivate these healthy reading habits in your kids?
- Read Books and Be An Example!
Your kids will see what you do and want to copy that. This goes for all of the good habits, and the not-so-good habits. If you are always on your phone and never seen reading a book, your kids will be less interested in reading and more interested in swiping. If you are nose-deep in a good book regularly, you are likely to find that they are too.
- Make Reading Attractive
By building a comfy nook or reading space, you are making reading attractive and enticing because it has a special place. By having its own dedicated space, you are showing your kids that reading is important to your family.
- Put Reading in Your Calendar
Read regularly with your kids if you want them to be interested and excited about reading. They need to have reading as part of their everyday routine (and enjoy it) before they will want to do it on their own. You can do nighttime stories, daytime quiet time with books, and any other number of endless things to make reading a regular occurrence in your home.
- Use the Resources Available
Go to the library, join a book club and take your kids with you! They will be exposed to more books and other people who enjoy reading and may learn a thing or two while you are there. Maximize the resources available to you, whatever they may be.
Infinibook from Cali's Books
Knowing the benefits of reading to children and understanding the reading decline statistics makes the answer to the question, “Why is reading important for kids”, crystal clear. At Cali’s Books, they have developed the perfect solution for parents and kids alike.
The infinibook is an ingenious new style of children’s books that melds together story-telling, reading, Montessori-inspired games, beautiful illustrations, and the entire family's love for reading (no matter how far away they live) into one experience.
The infinibook gives kids and parents a way to experience reading in a unique and exciting way that will help kids build a desire to continue reading.
- Parents can record the stories in their own voices so kids can hear you tell them the story as they read along
- Beautifully illustrated, they keep kids engaged and excited about the next part of the story.
- Embedded in the books are Montessori-inspired games that kids can play.
- Once one story is done, you can swap it out for another book for hours of fun.
- No screens to over-stimulate your kids.
On top of all of these great features, with the infinibook app, loved ones can record stories in their own voice and have them play along with the book. This can help kids cope with living far away from a family member or simply create stronger bonds with existing family.
Infinibooks: Encouraging Healthy Reading Habits
Because of the steady decline in reading habits among kids, it is critical that we, as parents, work with our kids to help them develop a love for reading that will lead them to healthy reading habits. These skills will help them learn better, be better friends, be able to express themselves more fully, and understand themselves better.
For anyone raising kids, these habits can be easy to develop if you follow a few simple guidelines to promote reading at home. Use the resources you have available to you, like the library, reading apps, infinibooks, and more to grow these habits in your kids. You will enjoy the process as you get to see the benefits as your kids blossom and grow.