When it comes to what people think is the best activity for parents to engage in with their kids, the answers will, of course, vary wildly. A lot of people will think about sports, or movies, or vacations, or trips to the zoo. At the end of the day, the ‘perfect activity’ isn’t really something that can be prescribed to parents and kids; everyone’s different and will get different benefits and levels of enjoyment from different activities.
But there’s definitely a strong case for one parent-child activity: reading. That’s the case we’re going to look at today. Here are the top reasons that reading is such an amazing activity for parents to do with their kids; if you’ve ever doubted it, then this article will set you straight.
It provides bang for your buck
Activities aren’t always very affordable. Want to go to the movies? Movie tickets are more expensive than ever these days. Want to go on a cool trip? That’s not exactly cheap. But reading is probably the least expensive form of entertainment there is. After all, new books are less expensive than movies and games, and secondhand books can be less than half the price of new ones! Even if you both turn out to be really voracious readers, in need of new material frequently, you can look to sites such as PaperBackSwap to get your fix on the cheap. Learn more about PaperBackSwap here: http://www.stay-a-stay-at-home-mom.com/paper-back-swap.html.
It builds bonds
One of the top reasons we engage in fun activities with our kids isn’t just the entertainment value; it’s the fact that they help us grow closer to each other. The importance of building real bonds with your children should be apparent, and you can read more about building such bonds here: http://www.wikihow.com/Bond-With-Your-Child. There’s a lot of sentimental value that comes with memories of cuddling with your kids as you read them a story, and the bond-strengthening that takes place during reading sessions will stay with you both for a long time. Make sure you keep a consistent reading schedule so that time becomes more special.
It boosts brains
Nothing helps boost a kid’s vocabulary more than reading a lot. But it’s not just about the vocabulary that the book provides. The ways in which the written word differs from everyday speech are vast; even the most well-spoken among us use truncation and colloquialisms that you won’t find in descriptive sentences. So when children are more exposed to this sort of vocabulary and sentence structure, their brains become more attuned to the complexities of their language, which really gives them an advantage when it comes to their schooling. There are a lot of other ways that brains are boosted by reading; you can read about them here: https://www.bustle.com/7-ways-reading-affects-the-brain.
Another reason to read to kids a lot when they’re young is that it helps them maintain reading as a habit. It means they’ll read at more advanced levels when they’re older, and will enjoy it more. This will come in incredibly helpful during higher education and throughout their lives.
No Comments