Why Is Reading So Important for Children and Teenagers?

Why Is Reading so Important for Children of All Ages?

Reading Helps Develop Vital Language Skills

Reading is important for children because they need to use reading to learn all of their other subjects. Without strong reading skills, children may struggle in math, science, social studies and even the arts.

By the time kids reach high school, they'll be expected to be strong readers so they can tackle more advanced curriculum. Options for career choices are also much better for strong readers.

How You Can Help Children and Teens

Early intervention is very important if a child is struggling with reading. In fact, children who are behind by third grade often have a difficult time catching up. Fortunately, there are many ways parents can help their children become successful readers at home.

Read to Your Child

Reading out loud exposes children to proper grammar and phrasing. Additionally, when parents read books aloud, children hear the correct pronunciation of the words that they see on the page, even if they can't yet read the words on their own.

You can help your child by providing many opportunities for reading at home. Reading to your child is a powerful way to improve reading comprehension and to expose your child to advanced books that he or she couldn't read individually. Ask your public librarian for suggestions for books to read aloud.

Provide Access to a Variety of Print Materials

Reading constantly is one of the most effective ways for children and teens to become stronger readers. You can incorporate reading into many household activities. For example, if you're cooking dinner, you can ask your child to read you the recipe. If you buy a new game for your child, he or she can read the directions.

Reading, by way of books, magazines or websites, exposes kids to new vocabulary. Even when they don't understand every new word, they absorb something from the context that may deepen their understanding of the word the next time it's encountered.

The more enjoyable the texts are, the more kids will stick with them and develop the reading skills that they'll need for full access to information in their adult lives. Reading should be viewed as a pleasurable activity, as a source of learning or escape from life's stresses.