I mean it’s the digital age. Up and coming jobs are in the Tech industry. So why bother trying to get kids to do something as old fashion as reading? SO MANY REASONS! Let me share a few things that studies have found.
Kids who read for fun do better in all academic subjects.
You read that right. Kids who love to read don’t just become stronger readers, they out perform other students in all subject areas, including math and science. Why? Chances are it has to do with the next four points.
Reading stimulates brain growth.
In many ways, our brains work like muscles. The more we use them, the stronger they become. So an activity that takes a little more mental effort (like reading) helps spur brain growth more than something that uses little mental effort (like watching TV).
Kids who read for fun have stronger vocabularies.
When you read, you learn new words. A strong vocabulary in turn helps kids process new information, including academic material.
Kids who read for fun have better concentration skills.
Kids who grow up glued to screens are much more likely to struggle with concentration in school. Why? Because their brains have been conditioned to want rapid visual changes. And when they don’t see those flashy changes they struggle to focus. In comparison, reading builds concentration skills that extend to all areas of life, not just books.
Kids who read for fun, have an easier time with writing.
Exposure to written language helps kids absorb the rules and style of written language. Readers make better writers.
Kids who read have a broader understanding of the world.
As people, we are most often surrounded by people who are like us. If we stay inside this echo chamber, all we will know or understand is the world immediately around us. But if we read books about other times and places, we come to understand other perspectives and cultures. We become citizens of the world, rather than just our neighborhoods.
Kids who read for fun are more empathetic.
By nature, we human beings are self focused. And if something doesn’t help us see past ourselves, we are likely to stay that way. Books do an excellent job of helping kids step into someone else’s inner life, to see what’s happening in their world and how it impacts them. And this empathy extends past book characters to the living breathing human beings around them.
Reading is fun.
Once kids become fluent readers and find genres they enjoy, reading can be so much fun! In encouraging kids to read, you are gifting them with a hobby they can enjoy for the rest of their lives.