{"id":22273,"date":"2025-10-03T00:37:53","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T23:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/?p=22273"},"modified":"2025-10-03T00:37:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T23:37:53","slug":"importance-of-reading-to-young-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/","title":{"rendered":"The importance of reading aloud to young children"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/#Key_takeaways_for_caregivers\" >Key takeaways for caregivers\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/#Why_do_some_parents_stop_reading_to_their_children_once_children_can_read_on_their_own\" >Why do some parents stop reading to their children once children can read on their own?\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/#Young_readers_enjoyment_of_books_is_at_risk\" >Young readers\u2019 enjoyment of books is at risk\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/#How_to_foster_a_love_of_books_and_reading\" >How to foster a love of books and reading\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/#Young_readers_need_to_expand_their_vocabularies\" >Young readers need to expand their vocabularies\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/#Who_what_and_how_to_read_to_older_children\" >Who, what, and how to read to older children\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/importance-of-reading-to-young-children\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_takeaways_for_caregivers\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Key takeaways for caregivers<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Early reading can be difficult, so young readers appreciate parents and teachers continuing to read aloud with them, as in the preschool years.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Young readers report that hearing stories read aloud is enjoyable and a way to spend special time with their parents.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For early readers as well as young children who are not yet reading, shared book reading <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/language-development-early-childhood\">enhances motivation to read on their own<\/a>.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Shared book reading with older children continues to foster vocabulary learning, just as occurs with younger children, which in turn helps children\u2019s early reading skills.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The type of books to read aloud range from picture books to chapter books to graphic novels \u2013 whatever caregivers and children enjoy the most.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Reading with children of all ages is especially important in today\u2019s world of heavy screen use.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI like it when my mom reads to me. I enjoy the time together and we get to read harder chapter books. I can\u2019t wait to see how the story ends.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">&#8211;Rosie, age eight (Scholastic Books, 2019)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:3,&quot;335551620&quot;:3}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_some_parents_stop_reading_to_their_children_once_children_can_read_on_their_own\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Why do some parents stop reading to their children once children can read on their own?\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Even parents who read books with their children frequently during their first five years sometimes cross this task off their parenting to-do list after their child starts elementary school. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/content\/corp-home\/kids-and-family-reading-report.html\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Parenting surveys<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in the United States and other English-speaking countries consistently show <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/BF03652018\">a decline in shared book reading with children<\/a> beginning at age six and especially after age eight.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The surveys also indicate that nearly all parents want their children to become successful readers, but some parents believe that children no longer need to hear stories read aloud to them once they can read independently. Evidence shows that this belief is simply wrong.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Young_readers_enjoyment_of_books_is_at_risk\"><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Young readers\u2019 enjoyment of books is at risk<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Learning to read can be tedious. Young children must first grasp the concept that printed words on the page contain meaning and that each individual letter corresponds to a sound. Then they need to understand that these sounds form words and sentences.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22274\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22274\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22274\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-lina-1741231-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22274\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/woman-reading-book-to-toddler-1741231\/\">Lina Kivaka<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">To make matters even more difficult, for speakers and readers of English, many letter groupings have different sounds in different words (e.g., <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">thr<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ough<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, th<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ough<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">t<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">) or different letters that create the same sounds (e.g., <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">t<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ea<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">m, t<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ee<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">m<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">). Most children require several years of reading instruction and practice to read fluently and with understanding.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is no wonder that many children dislike their reading homework. Children who loved stories and books as preschoolers may balk when it comes time to read aloud to their parents each night. Even children who can read independently may not choose to do so in their free time.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The unfortunate result is that many children are at risk of losing their enjoyment of books and of reading in those first few years of learning to read. If books and stories are no longer fun, children will not read in their spare time.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_foster_a_love_of_books_and_reading\"><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How to foster a love of books and reading<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1997-06414-002\">Research<\/a> consistently shows that one of the best ways to foster children\u2019s love of books and their enjoyment of reading is to share books interactively with them in early childhood. <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Interactive reading<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> occurs when the adult discusses each page with the child and asks questions about the story.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A review of 46 experimental studies from multiple countries and continents (though mostly conducted in the United States) concluded that <a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutandread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Pillinger_2022_A-story-so-far-A-systematic-review-of-the-dialogic-reading-literature.pdf\">interactive reading during children\u2019s first five years boosts language, literacy, reading enjoyment, and motivation to read<\/a>. Both reading skills and motivation are critical: The 28-year Fullerton Longitudinal Study showed that <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2015-01767-003\">shared book reading with toddlers predicted children\u2019s and adolescents\u2019 later reading achievement and motivation to read<\/a>, which ultimately predicted higher levels of education as adults.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fewer studies have been conducted on the long-term benefits of <a href=\"https:\/\/rpd.unibo.it\/article\/view\/11509\">reading aloud at home with older children<\/a>. However, older children tell researchers that hearing stories read aloud increases their enjoyment of books and stories.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Interactive reading<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> occurs when the adult discusses each page with the child and asks questions about the story.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In a <a id=\"OWA8ea6b54a-74c1-a78f-92d0-2c8f853f58c6\" title=\"https:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/EJ1174201.pdf\" href=\"https:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/EJ1174201.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"0\">study<\/a>\u00a0of over 200 Australian children (ages 6-10 years), more than 75% said they enjoyed being read to at home and at school, reporting that it made them feel \u201chappy,\u201d \u201crelaxed,\u201d and \u201cgood inside.\u201d Hearing a story aloud increased their sense of immersion (\u201cWhen I listen, I feel as if I\u2019m in the story\u201d) and visual imagery (\u201cI get to sit back, relax and picture the story in my head\u201d).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Young_readers_need_to_expand_their_vocabularies\"><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Young readers need to expand their vocabularies<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Another risk of discontinuing <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/shared-book-reading\">shared book reading<\/a> during the early school years is that children\u2019s vocabulary development will stall if they are not hearing longer and more complex stories. The stories most children can read on their own typically contain simple vocabulary and story lines that do not expand their word knowledge or understanding of the story. Vocabulary development at this age depends on other sources, such as being read to aloud.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>A potential plateau in young children&#8217;s reading skills<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At the extreme, the constrained content of independently read books could lead to a plateau in children\u2019s reading skills in later elementary grades, when children with adequate <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">decoding skills <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">(sounding out words) have poor <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">comprehension skills <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">(understanding text) because of their <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1990-97743-000\">limited vocabulary<\/a>.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22400\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22400\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22400\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-rdne-10566125-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22400\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/mother-and-daughter-reading-book-together-10566125\/\">RDNE Stock project<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In other words, some children can pronounce words correctly but have difficulty understanding the meaning of what they read. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thereadingleague.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Science-of-Reading-eBook-2022.pdf\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Successful reading<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is the product of decoding words and understanding those words. If either decoding skills or comprehension is poor, children will not become good readers. As a bonus, a larger vocabulary boosts early decoding skills, perhaps because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/271665912_The_Interactions_of_Vocabulary_Phonemic_Awareness_Decoding_and_Reading_Comprehension\">familiar words are easier for children to sound out<\/a>.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How to continue to expand children\u2019s vocabularies<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A significant amount of research shows that interactive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/cognitive-development-parent-reading-play\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">shared book reading<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30737957\/\">best ways to expand young children\u2019s vocabularies<\/a>. Picture books contain many new words that young children are unlikely to encounter in their everyday conversations. For instance, the ever-popular book <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Where the Wild Things Are<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> repeatedly uses the word <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rumpus<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which most children have not heard before. By <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30908424\/\">reading even one picture book with their young children each day<\/a>, parents expose their child to an estimated 78,000 words over a year through shared book reading alone.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Reading aloud with older children is also a very effective way to continue to expand children\u2019s vocabularies. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2013-41728-001\">study<\/a> of German 8 and 10-year-olds, children who heard an adult read a story aloud learned more new words than children who read the same story silently on their own. Perhaps the effort required to silently pronounce new words distracts even proficient young readers from figuring out their meaning.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">By reading even one picture book with their young children each day, parents expose their child to an estimated 78,000 words over a year through shared book reading alone.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In the study with Australian 6 to 10-year-olds, the children\u2019s responses indicated that word learning was one of the perceived benefits of hearing stories read aloud at home and at school. Children reported: \u201cIt makes me learn new words\u201d and \u201cIf there are hard words (the adult) can pronounce it and tell me what it is.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_what_and_how_to_read_to_older_children\"><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Who, what, and how to read to older children<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Although mothers tend to be the primary reader in many households, children also enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/reading-with-dad\/\">reading aloud with their fathers<\/a>, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and older siblings. Caregivers can read anything both parties enjoy, including chapter books, favorite picture books from younger ages, and graphic novels.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>The importance of reading non-fiction books to young children<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Caregivers should also read non-fiction books to their children. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/1468798415598354\">study of primary-reader mothers and fathers in New Zealand<\/a>, parents enjoyed sharing both fiction and non-fiction books with their offspring, and children sometimes enjoyed non-fiction even more than fiction books.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yet the question of how to read with school-age children is still largely unanswered. <a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutandread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Pillinger_2022_A-story-so-far-A-systematic-review-of-the-dialogic-reading-literature.pdf\">Research on interactive reading with older children<\/a> does not show the same benefits as occurs with younger children.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22275\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22275\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22275\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-356x238.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144042-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22275\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/girl-in-pink-shirt-sitting-on-couch-4144042\/\">Julia M Cameron<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Instead, it is more effective for vocabulary learning when adults <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1998-03083-002\">use a reading style with fewer interruptions, preview the book with children, read in a dramatic style, and engage in a brief discussion afterwards<\/a>. Adults should be sure that children can see the text of the book while reading so that they can follow along if they wish.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>The differences in attention span play a part<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Older children have longer attention spans than younger children, so they can usually wait until the end of the story to discuss new words and concepts and their emotional reactions. However, parents and other caregivers should make sure their children know they can stop them to ask questions along the way.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Conclusion<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Continuing to read aloud to school-age children can increase their motivation to read and expand their vocabularies. Shared book reading is also a way to reduce children\u2019s heavy use of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceghonline.com\/article\/S2213-3984(23)00244-0\/fulltext\">low-quality screen time, which is consistently linked to slower language development in children up to age 12.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Young children enjoy being read to<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, perhaps the most compelling reason for caregivers to read to children for as long as possible is that most children want them to do so. The Scholastic survey of U.S. 6- to 14-year-olds from a range of family incomes, ethnicities, and household types found that 83% loved it when their parents read aloud to them at home. Most of the children told researchers they wished their parents read aloud to them more often.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Their top reason? Like Rosie from the opening quote, it was having special time with their parents. So parents and other caregivers should feel free to cuddle up with their young readers and read aloud to them a story of their choice.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For more tips, see my books <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Tell-Me-Story-Sharing-Stories-ebook\/dp\/B00D186WC8\/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2F7FRJQ05TQ54&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cXql1YS1A0TuHaxBD0w5714LKPm_v2Uka9y8PqlAWWjCQ5KpSev-c9-A-Z_u-4Hlciuk-liz3hrONZdV7nsUtNoesmoYcZCV_ZBlnO7NACx4qLOysqPR5MyO-cI1LGtHRofAOMIYhroKiy0145BL9F1k_TfZbHgcWxDaVA9uumgNOek5jroKCT7mCuiy3fVCcLCYLLIsXely1Mg5GmLn4Lb2NH9PnWOr1mFsJLnoRBg.H542X3Af5MHJJgNdiNNu_4-teh7GRjofR1KDBzELTWQ&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=tell+me+a+story+reese&amp;qid=1736382635&amp;sprefix=tell+me+a+story+rees%2Caps%2C293&amp;sr=8-1\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Tell Me a Story: Sharing Stories to Enrich Your Child\u2019s World<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/How-Stories-Change-Us-Developmental\/dp\/0197747906\/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JCWVJUDUK5PO&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uPl30e4j3KnsCXhhrkRzB3oBejzuW2EHV3VACMapykEc8D84jyUIlcwqw6V9WfyBaBahLuUQXsupe8w292Qv-qea_o-WoZZJv4jk727ZTvAh22twpU5h9rRUFQRed_rH_U2a6eY8cpIViedgC7okq5aP051TH_K3e1H1xeJFWl-e8Olankpx-wkRZicLamkAid6HscXtKRWzr5mHIeIG0bg5cbRKR6cijOsWj0baM6SHqulcJYRBewm0yhOUq5c6PTKD62ansLSS7mYXzN3sEugdv2VukQYyXEhyiE6EB1flRPUG53tNXrfpVhx-C92ckK6G58yDY_IPAbiDeSwUaY75MN_MlycfHO8fPXiFtUQ7Vggw-ozclNRTXAgFOVMZ7URFPMS8MFmWJJQ-z-htgmJoY-tPDKmPrke1ICay79tbDG6_eHRBp8ib9Ie9WXoc.atZMPl5m2EnGL_g15CGRQnQV52GLqTQQPSwJFYU7NJk&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=how+stories+change+us&amp;qid=1736382795&amp;sprefix=how+stories+change+us%2Caps%2C325&amp;sr=8-1\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">How Stories Change Us<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key takeaways for caregivers\u00a0 Early reading can be difficult, so young readers appreciate parents and teachers continuing to read aloud with them, as in the preschool years.\u00a0\u00a0 Young readers report that hearing stories read aloud is enjoyable and a way to spend special time with their parents.\u00a0\u00a0 For early readers as well as young children [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341,"featured_media":22278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22273"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22273"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22407,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22273\/revisions\/22407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}