Written by:

Nicky Jansen

Reading aloud, its importance and pleasure?

Reading aloud is a part of the evening ritual for many young families. Studies have been demonstrating the many benefits of reading aloud for years. Every year, there's also a reading week in Belgium and reading days in the Netherlands. At these times, everyone demonstrates once again the immense importance of reading aloud. As a former teacher, I'm a huge proponent of reading aloud. Here are the most important points.

Reading aloud has a positive effect on:

  1. Language development and vocabulary expansion. Reading aloud improves language awareness and comprehension. Children learn to listen and concentrate better. Reading aloud lays the foundation for learning their own and foreign languages.

  2. Emotional development: The bond between child and parent is significantly strengthened during reading time. The child feels safe and relaxed while listening. Reading aloud fosters a strong sense of connection and closeness, which children need at a young age.

  3. Social development: Children learn to better understand the world around them. Stories from books expose children to new situations, helping them empathize with them. Stories can also help them discuss more complex topics, such as loss or war.

  4. Stimulating imagination: Children imagine the situation they hear. Their imagination is stimulated. Imagination, in turn, stimulates various cognitive skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking.

  5. Passing on the joy of reading: When you, as a parent, show that you enjoy reading aloud, children often pick up on it. As a parent, you're a role model for your child, and you can easily pass on the joy of reading this way.

When do you start reading aloud?

As early as possible! Don't wait until your child starts preschool to start reading aloud. As mentioned before, reading aloud has many positive effects. Don't stop reading aloud once your child can read independently. Reading aloud can continue to have positive effects well into primary school. Think of expanding vocabulary or facilitating discussion of more complex situations.

  • Types of read-aloud stories

    1. Touch-and-feel books can be introduced from a very young age. Babies and toddlers can feel the different patches while watching and listening to a story read aloud at their level. Touch-and-feel books also stimulate the senses, which in turn promotes body awareness, concentration, fine motor skills, and handwriting.

  • 2. Interactive storybooks encourage interaction while listening to a story. An example of interactive storybooks is the "Tracking" series from Lantaarn Publishers.

  • 3. Creative reading books like the magical watercolor books from Lantaarn Publishers allow children to be creative while parents can read the accompanying story part by part.

  • Do you have any questions about this topic? Feel free to email us at info@littlemoustache.nl and we'll be happy to answer all your questions.