Developing a love of reading in children from an early age is crucial in the development of a child. It supports their ability to understand words, as well as encouraging them to develop their imagination – seeing things and imagining things all by themselves. Reading to children from an early age also has benefits to development of communication and language. It develops their speech, improves concentration, and introduces children to new concepts and the world around them. Both parents and early years practitioners play a vital role. The more a child is exposed to books and is read to from a young age, the more likely they are to gain an interest and passion for them and how they make them feel. 

When adults are enthusiastic about the books – adding in elements of excitement and suspense only make the experience more enjoyable for a child. For older children, asking questions about the book - for example, favourite bits, what might happen next etc. – is a way of furthering this development and engaging with the child about the book in a positive and thoughtful way. For babies, the opportunity to touch and experience different textures and sounds is essential for promoting that early pleasure and interest in books. There are many great pop-up books out there, so it really is never too early to start reading to a child and engaging with them about a book. 

Children develop more in the first 5 years of their life than at any other time, and during these years’ children start building the blocks for the rest of their life. Reading is just one of these blocks. However, it is not simply just ‘reading’- it is spelling, listening, writing, literacy, social skills, imagination, drama and so much more! 

Parents are the most important educators in a child’s life. Reading with your child and giving the gift of reading for pleasure from an early age helps them towards their future and their development! Snuggling with your child and sharing a book together is great for developing healthy relationships and well-being and creating special memories you will treasure forever. 

It’s never too early to start sharing books with them – they might not understand the words, but they will love cuddling up, hearing your voice, and looking at the pictures.

Tips to support early reading