“Almost as big of a mistake as not reading to children at all, is stopping too soon.”

-Jim Trelease, The Read Aloud Handbook

We all know it’s beneficial to start reading to our kids from day one- I read to my oldest while he was still in utero! But we talk less about the benefits of continuing to read aloud, not just when their 4 and 6 and 7 but 13, 18, 24! Here are 5 reasons to keep reading aloud as a family well after they learn to read independently.

1. Our auditory comprehension outpaces are reading comprehension. Reading aloud makes complex ideas more accessible and exposes children to language patterns that are not part of everyday speech. This then makes it easier for them to progress in their own reading.

2. Reading aloud builds vocabulary. The more words a child hears, the more words they can understand. Research shows it also improves how quickly they can learn new words. Picture books expose children to a larger variety and more difficult words than everyday conversation or other media, like television and movies.

3.Reading aloud promotes social and emotional growth. Stories can be a helpful way to deal with hard topics. Being presented with characters that encounter familiar situations to their own, engages their critical thinking skills and builds empathy. On the flip side, learning about different cultures, places, and perspectives than their own grows their world, and expands their definition of community and the human experience.

4.Reading aloud reinforces family bonds. It attaches feelings of togetherness, safety, love, and comfort to the act of reading. It also models that reading is a fun and pleasurable pastime. Crucial for when they get older and testing at school can stifle the enjoyment of reading.

5. Reading aloud forces us to slow down, tune out the noise, and be present. It promotes conversation and keeps the channels of communication open between you and your child. Its the kind of quality time we all crave but never seem to have time for. Ten minutes a day. We can find the time.