At Intrinsic Scholars we know that a significant predictor of intelligence is early exposure to books. One of the most important things you can do for your child’s development is also one of the simplest: reading aloud to your child daily. No one is surprised that read aloud for just fifteen minutes a day helps to foster in your child a love of books and learning. Science also shows it significantly impacts language development and cognitive growth, mental health, social-emotional skills, and an improved parent-child bond.
Reading for Pleasure Linked with Improved Cognition and Mental Health
Data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) project, a US national study with upwards of 10,000 participants, shows that reading for pleasure in childhood was linked with improved scores on cognition assessments and better overall educational attainment in adolescents. It was also connected with better mental health and less time spent with electronic devices. The dataset observed children from ages 9-13 and compared how many years they had spent reading for pleasure in early childhood. About half the group had started reading early in childhood while the other group had never read in early childhood or had begun reading later on. Children who read for pleasure at young ages had larger cortical surface areas in numerous brain regions that are related to cognition and mental health. The data showed reading for pleasure in early childhood had benefits regardless of the child’s level of initial intelligence and regardless of socioeconomic status.
Reading aloud to your child at young ages is shown to improve preschool language skills and fosters love for reading that has implications for every aspect of their cognitive and social development.
Not All Story Time is Equal for Your Child’s Brain
Interestingly, not all modes of story time are the same. One study analyzed the different activation in the brains of children who listened to a story read by in person while viewing words and pictures in the book, compared with children who experienced a story played on an audio recording and viewed words and pictures on a screen. The subject was essentially the same: a story with words and pictures, one “live” and one on screen. The activation in the brain was drastically different.
“Analyses revealed significant activation in the right temporal parietal junction (TPJ) during the book reading condition only [emphasis added].” The finding “provides a possible neurobiological explanation for why book reading and screen time impact language development in such different ways.”
The authors of the study also note that the “dyadic” (group of two) activity of reading with another person differs in its impact on the child’s brain compared with the solitary activity of watching a story on a screen.
Reading for Improved Emotional Connection
Reading with your child has benefits beyond just language and cognitive development. One study looked at the effect of reading aloud for hospitalized children and found that read aloud increased oxytocin (the bonding and cuddle hormone) and positive emotions while decreasing cortisol and pain levels among these patients. You can increase the bond you have between your child (literally, since oxytocin is the bonding hormone) simply by reading aloud to him or her. And it is not just your child who will benefit. One study shows a positive affect on adults’ moods when they read stories aloud to a child. “Simple read-aloud experiences are not only positive for children, but have the potential to also positively impact the mood of adult readers who share books with a child.”
A simple routine of reading aloud with your child for ten or fifteen minutes a day can provide all these benefits and also leave you feeling closer to your child and in a better mood.