Weekly Digest #49: Read to Me: Benefits of Reading to Children
In this digest, we wanted to find good resources around the topic of reading to children. What are the benefits of reading to children and immersing them in literature at a young age and are there free online resources that parents can use? There are many programs to motivate parents to read to their children. Check out the Scottish Book Trust as an example. Some museums even offer storytelling times for children. The resources below should inspire parents to teach the love for books and reading to their children.
1. 5 Hidden Benefits Of Reading For Kids (And Their Parents!) in the Huffington Post Canada
This brief article describes the various benefits of reading to children. You will see that it does not only have positive effects on literacy abilities, but also on socio-emotional well-being.
2. Why Read Aloud? by Read Aloud 15 Minutes National Campaign @ReadAloud_org
This website is a national campaign with the message that “Every child. Every parent. Every day” should read aloud for 15 minutes. It is an interesting campaign and, most importantly, evidence-based. You’ll find plenty of information and inspiration on there. They created a nice infographic summarizing the benefits of reading aloud.
3. Summer Reading Challenges, @ReadingHackers
This is for parents in the UK. Is your child up for a summer reading challenge? They read six preselected books during the summer break and enter a competition to win prizes. It’s completely free to participate and done in cooperation with public libraries.
Image from Pixabay.com
This is a wonderful resource for books available online for free. The great aspect is: The books are written and illustrated by parents or children. Thus, if you or your child have an idea for a book, you can become a writer and publish your book on their website for everyone to read.
Image from Pixabay.com
5. Free Kids Books, @FreeKidsBooks
Fancy more free books for children? This website offers plenty of books for you to read to your little one or for them to read when they are old enough. The website also features a blog with useful information around the topic of reading and books.
Every Sunday, we pick a theme and provide a curated list of links. If you have a theme suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Our 5 most recent digests can be found here:
Weekly Digest #44: Teaching Composition
Weekly Digest #45: Dual Coding, Sketchnoting, and Aphantasia
Weekly Digest #46: Ignite Discussions in the Classroom