One of the best things that you could ever do for your child is to begin to read to them out loud at a very early age. Reading at a young age or while the child is still an infant can help the child develop strong cognitive skills, increase their imagination, and give them a strong use of language even before they are old enough to relate words to things found on paper.

As an infant, the sound of your voice will be very soothing. They may not understand what you are reading to them at this age, but they are forming a bond with you. This can help you establish a reading time with them as they grow.

By the time they are toddlers, you will have helped them have a larger understanding of words, and their vocabulary will reflect this benefit. Your toddler will have a large grasp of language compared to other children their age. They may even start connecting words to pictures in the books that you read.

When your child is ready for preschool or kindergarten, they will have skills to help them for the rest of their lives. By starting to read to them so young and interacting with them while they read, your child will be able to do the following:

• Understand that the words on the page are where the stories come from, not just the pictures
• Have a larger vocabulary
• Have better comprehension skills for more words
• Distinguish that letters make up words
• Have a great imagination

Having a developed imagination is great for learning. Many of the concepts that a child learns when they are young must be imagined for them to understand. Young children use their imagination to grasp new concepts, and when they have an imagination and enhanced language skills, learning will be much easier.

Keep Reading Together

One of the things that parents should remember is that reading is a skill. The more that you read together, the better your child will develop the skill. Even when your child begins school, having time to read or listen to you read is something that will benefit them forever.

Reading gives you a chance to bond with your child as well as provide a learning environment. There is something very personal about being read to, especially as a child. Both parent and child will benefit from this experience.

If Your Child Is Still Struggling

If your child is still struggling with reading skills, don’t worry. There is a way that you can help them even more than reading to them and sending them to school. If your child has entered school and is struggling, consider a reading tutor. A reading tutor gives your child the structure of learning from a teacher with one-on-one experience. The skills they learn from working with a tutor will help your child in school and can enhance your reading time together.