Children are all but guaranteed to pick up a book as part of the standard curriculum while they attend grade school. But is there any benefit to doing additional reading? And just how much reading should they be doing outside of school, on their own?
RESEARCH SHOWS …
A recent study in Psychological Medicine looked at the relationship between reading for pleasure and mental health and cognition in young adolescents. Reading for pleasure means it’s done as a hobby or activity that isn’t for school or some other requirement. The researchers found significant, beneficial, links between early reading for pleasure and performance on standard cognitive assessments.
WHEN
The earlier your kid gets into the habit of reading, the more they stand to benefit. During childhood and adolescence, the brain is doing the most development. Regular reading stimulates neurological growth in important areas associated with language, attention, and more. Plus, when a child is introduced to an activity early on, it is easier to build it as something they intrinsically enjoy. They’ll be more likely to engage with reading on their own, and without viewing it as a chore.
OTHER BENEFITS
Academic performance and bolstered development aren’t the only suggested benefits, though. For example, screen time with digital devices like smartphones is associated with negative psychological outcomes, like increased ADHD symptoms, developmental problems, and issues with processing emotions and outward behavioral expressions.
HOW DOES IT HELP
When your child reads, they’re immersing themself in learning opportunities, worlds, characters, themes, and ideas that are offered through both non-fiction and fiction books. While screen time isn’t entirely negative, it’s easy to let the pressures of social media and digital entertainment occupy many of the hours that could be spent reading literature.
BOTTOM LINE
While your kid is going to be reading books in school, and learning through lessons and exercises, the research shows that instilling in them a love for reading at a young age benefits their brain development and academic performance.
