Reading is an essential part of a child’s education but just how important is it? In aid of Support Public Schools, we’re detailing just how important reading is to a child’s development. Don’t forget: You can directly contribute to school supplies for Bermuda’s primary schools by CLICKING HERE!
1. It Expands their Vocabulary and Improves Grammar Skills
For kids, coming into contact with new words can be an almost daily occurrence. When reading, they can gain insightful knowledge in regard to new words, including their meaning and how to use different words in the right context. In doing so, kids are more likely to adopt those new words into their own vocabularies and then use them appropriately. Reading also teaches children the correct ways to compose sentence structure and helps them to improve their communication skills through the written word.
2. Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to get better at reading is to continue reading! A child that loves reading is an adult who spends time reading. The best way to ensure that your child develops a love for literature is to start them early and encourage them to practice often.
3. Reading Builds Independence and Confidence
As kids develop their reading skills, they rely on their parents less and less to read things to them (i.e. street signs, restaurant menus, homework instructions, etc.) and thus, foster independence and self-confidence, two attributes which can help kids achieve a bounty of successes.
4. Reading Keeps Kids Safe
Children that know how to read are capable of reading street and traffic signs and warning labels. Kids that read are at a lesser risk of being injured simply because they can read the word “danger”.
5. It Helps Them Understand the World in which they Live
Reading encourages open mindedness by teaching children about lifestyles different than their own. When young readers are transported to other cultures they learn about the traditions and history of different countries. Reading is an essential educational tool.
6. Reading Leads to Further Academic Success
It is essential that every child learns to read to progress through school. A huge number of studies have confirmed that reading from a young age and reading often gives children a leg up in school. Children that are good at reading tend to be good at the rest of their subjects, and reading is essential for education.
7. It Enhances their Imagination
For Galileo, reading “surpassed all stupendous inventions,” in that it had the power to transport us into different ages, different places, and different minds than our own. Reading encourages children to visualise the characters and scenes in their minds as they happen, and to imagine what might come next.
8. Reading is Entertaining and can Prevent Loneliness
A great benefit to reading is that it takes place in the absence of technology but is just as entertaining as the TV and video games. Being able to be happy, alone, with a good book is essential to filling what might otherwise be a lonely day. Books are our friends!
9. Reading Teaches Empathy and Compassion
Reading books makes us better people. We become emotionally invested in the characters, perhaps because we see some of ourselves in them. We root for the protagonist, condemn the villain and celebrate when things go the way we wanted them too – kids have the same reactions to the stories they read and it’s a good lesson in empathy and compassion.
10. Bonding Moments for Parent and Child
Setting aside reading time for you and your child before bed every day allows you to visit with them and share in their development of the essential skills that come with reading. Sharing this time with your child will make them feel loved and reassured.
Remember: Readers are Leaders! Why? Because readers understand that knowledge is the key to success and reading books is a great source of that knowledge. Leaders read books because they know it is one of the best ways to learn things that they don’t otherwise know and comprehend, develop, and reinforce the things that they do know.
Here’s a list of Bermuda children’s books for you to explore!
- Tiny the Tree Frog series by Elizabeth Mulderig
- Bermuda Rock Lessons, and other books by Ezra Turner
- Dockyard Cats by Don Trousdell
- The Lizard and the Rock by Joanne Burgess
- Woolcock’s Wonders – a book of illustrations by Peter Woolcock
- Do-Boy Digs Bermuda by Elizabeth Mulderig
- Early History of Bermuda for Children by Canon Arthur Tucker
- Goodnight Bermuda by JK Aspinall
- Bermuda’s Bum Bum Bananas by Betsy Bermuda
- Happy’s Christmas Gift by Geoff Parker
- Keisha the Mermaid by Daron Lowe
- Miracle. The True Story of the Wreck of the Sea Venture by Gail Karwoski
- Oscar the Onion by Lisa Wilson
- Sidney the Sailboat by Patricia DeCosta
- Salt and the Sea Venture by Melissa L. Gill
- Nonsuch Summer by Janet Wingate
- The Lost Island of Tamarind by Nadia Aguiar
Support Public Schools, Proudly Supported by Butterfield Group
