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Reading for our children brings a lot of advantages, at all ages. Even the youngest kids adore to be close to their parent and hear their loved voice. This creates a strong parent-child bond and gives a sensation of safety and well-being.¹ Experiencing and engaging in language-rich interactions helps children develop communication skills, patience, empathy, and literacy², all of which are critical to success in school and beyond. Even the simple act of handling books develops school readiness in infants.

Additional positive effects of reading together include:

1. Better recognition of sounds and letters
2. Knowledge of a wider range of vocabulary
3. Increased listening skills
4. A deeper understanding of how stories work³

When we read with our young ones, we help grow their curiosity and memory. Stories transport them to places and times they have never experienced, enhancing their understanding of the world.

Dr. Julien LTEIF

Pediatrician

^{1-Fletcher, K. L., & Reese, E. (2005). Picture book reading with young children: A conceptual framework. Developmental Review, 25(1), 64–103. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1016/j.dr.2004.08.009.}

^{2-Landry, S. H., Smith, K. E., & Swank, P. R. (2006). Responsive parenting: Establishing}

^{early foundations for social, communication, and independent problem-solving skills. Developmental Psychology, 42(4), 627. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1037/0012-1649.42.4.627.}

^{3-Hutton, J. S., Dudley, J., Horowitz-Kraus, T., DeWitt, T., & Holland, S. K. (2019). Associations between home literacy environment, brain white matter integrity and cognitive abilities in preschool-age children. Acta Paediatrica. Advance online pub- lication. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.15124.}