How important is reading to children’s brain development? I recently read an article by two doctors, Dr. Mehmet Oz & Dr. Michal Roizen, in my local newspaper that stated that ‘Reading is brain food for kids.’ Google this interesting article by these two prominent doctors.
In my opinion reading to young children has proven to be beneficial not only in helping them read by the time they start school but also in helping them with their speech and language skills. Reading to your children from birth on will provide a valuable bonding experience for both of you. You will find that your children will want to spend time with you and will share more of themselves with you later on.
Once your children learn to read let them read to you. It will give them confidence and help them learn pronunciations of words and inflection of the storyline. It is also fun to create stories between you and act them out. This promotes creativity in your child and will be entertaining to 
both of you. Oh, I know, that is asking too much to act out a story! We authors just love reading out loud and acting out the storyline. Lol! Sorry! But all you have to do is read – that is important. Leave the acting to the children. They will love it!
We must all remember that our children and grandchildren will grow up much too fast for our liking. Spend as much time as you can with them as they develop in mind and body. A parent’s job is a difficult one and takes time and effort but is most rewarding in the long run if we just take the time to read and listen to our children and grandchildren.
Most of all have fun reading to and with your children. They will love you for it!
Remember: Reading Gives You Wings to Fly!
Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
-Janice-
JEMSBOOKS 
Very important to read to your children. They learn with it and have fun seeing the pictures.
Yes, you are right, Gigi! Thanks for stopping by! 💓
Reading to your children and reading around them, having books in the house… One of the best things you can do as a parent.
Thank you, Clara, for stopping by. Yes, it is more important than we realize. Like my motto states READING CAN GIVE YOU WINGS TO FLY!
Great advice Janice! Reading to and with children is one of the best things parents can do to help their children’s language and literacy development.
Thank you, Nora. I hope parents will read to their children as much as they can to help them grow healthy in mind and body. Thanks for stopping by! Hugs!
So important, we were read a story nearly every day, my favourite was I Can, Me Too when I was little, it’s still on the shelf at home.
That is why you are so talented and creative, Charlotte! Bless your parents for helping to promote and cultivate that creativity in you. ❤️
I couldn’t agree with you more, Janice. Along with the acquired reading skills, reading to your children and grandchildren promotes their imagination. All the digital media takes away from that learning path, and imagination is so important!
Thank you, Noelle. I hope printed books never get pushed aside for digital! I agree. They are important to have and children do love to look at them and feel them.
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
I cannot emphasise enough how important it is that adults MAKE the time to teach kids how to read – and ENJOY it – it will open up worlds to them for the rest of their lives 😀
Yes, I agree, Chris! It is so important to securing a better life for children. Thank you so much for the reblog! 😘
Very welcome Janice 😀
I agree Janice! We should start reading to our children as early as we can. It will benefit everyone involved in the process. It really makes a big difference in their lives.
Yes, the earlier the better, Tony! It can change a child’s life profoundly. Thank you stopping by! 😘
Fabulous post!
I began giving my granddaughters the hard cardboard tiny books from the time they learned to hold them. Both have shelves and shelves of books in their rooms. I am 150% in agreement that reading to children is important. My first granddaughter was so anxious to read, she taught herself and started reading at four. ❤ ❤
Thank you, Tess! You are a wonderful grandmother. That is incredible that your granddaughter taught herself to read. ❤️
A great post, and I agree wholeheartedly, Janice. Thanks for sharing the article by Dr. Mehmet Oz & Dr. Michal Roizen.
Thank you, Michelle! ❤️
Reblogged this on BOOK CHAT and commented:
Janice Spina, children’s book author gives some valid reasons for reading to children from an early age, and some fun activities you can do while reading.
Thank you, Michelle, for the reblog. 🙂 Hugs!
Oh, I so agree, Janice! I read everyday to my son, starting from when he was a baby. I used accents, and acted out the story with my voice. He loved our reading times. I was still reading to him when he was in grade school, which I will admit scared me to think I might be doing him a disservice. But I did it anyway, as he didn’t really like to read himself. I enjoyed it, but still harbored some angst, which I discovered later on was a waste of my energy. He not only became an avid reader in his own right, but discovered that he had a love and talent for creative writing. As he just started a new professional computer job with a bank, he is also is in the process of compiling a collection of short stories. So you can never tell! Just read to them 😉
Thank you for sharing this, and have a very blessed day.
Marianne
Thank you, Marianne. You didn’t need to worry. You did him a wonderful favor by reading and taught him more than you know while bonding with him. Thank you for stopping by. Blessings!
This is so true/ I read to my grandson when he was a baby and as he grew up I did arts and crafts with him too and now at age 11 he has helped me write my first children’s story which I am excited to publish at Christmas. He also designed the cover. I hope it was the quality of time I spent reading to him and doing arts and crafts with him that enabled him to help me with my children’s story book.
Yes, you encouraged him and enabled him to use the creative side of his brain by reading to him. What a wonderful grandparent you are! Thank you for stopping by! Nice to meet you, Phoenix.
Lovely to meet you too.
Best wishes with your book. How wonderful your grandson helps you with your book and cover!! 😀
I know. I feel blessed to have such a talented grandchild.
Thank your for this article. This is so important. A lot of people think you can wait until your children enter school to start reading with them, but really you should start when their in the womb. The will recognize your voice as you read and grow accustomed to being read to even before they are born. I also think it’s never too late to share stories with your children. Even if you wind up reading a child and adult version of the same book and discussing it afterwords. It’s a great way to find out how your older child’s mind works.
Thank you, mgill. Yes, it is never too early to start reading to your child.
Thanks for stopping by. Nice to meet you.
I love sharing books with my Dad, who took my sisters and me to the library every week, and finding out how his mind works! We share many of the same interests because I used to read his library books when I was done my own. I think I was in Grade 4 when I started reading his books, and they were largely nonfiction adult books about history, world religions, anthropology, etc. I like what you say about it never being too late to share stories.
Thank you, Connie, for stopping by. That is wonderful that you bonded with your dad like that. Nice to meet you.
It’s my pleasure entirely. 🙂
Wonderful advice; thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thank you, Nicholas! 😘
Yes, and the cuddles and snuggles when reading to your kids are what memories are made of.
Oh yes, they are important, part of family life and so much fun.
Thanks for stopping by, Joanna.
I am a firm believer in reading to children. As you know, once they learn to read, they sky is the limit. As an adult, I enjoy being read to, so I find listening to audiobooks quite enjoyable. We definitely must do everything we can to pass on the love of reading to the next generation.
Yes, it is of the utmost importance to encourage children to read. Thank you for stopping by, Mary. Best wishes!
Excellent! I read to my first two children from birth. It’s been hard for me having a baby now that absolutely does not want to read with me. I’ve been trying to creatively work in literature by letting him look at books as much as possible on his own, which he likes to do, and playing audio books for him.
Sounds like you are doing all you can to cultivate a love of reading in your child. He will learn at his own pace by having the books available to him. Bless you for doing all you can to enable your child to grow and develop to his full potential.
Nice to meet you. Thank you for stopping by! Blessings to you and your family!