Library 21/6: The Power of Reading Aloud to Your Child

The Power of Reading Aloud to Your Child

Did you know that reading aloud to your child is not just beneficial for their language development and listening skills, but for your relationship with them too?

Award-winning Teacher-Librarian and Author Megan Daley insightfully points out: “Cuddling up and reading with a child allows them to form powerful associations between books and moments of happiness, love and closeness. It’s a wonderful bonding exercise. A child’s love of books begins with loved adults taking the time out from a busy schedule to read with them. Establishing a reading routine from a young age helps children to develop strong lifelong reading habits.”

Consider making reading aloud part of your daily routine. Bedtime is often the easiest time to do this, as it is already a time of closeness and winding down from a busy day. Including it as part of your daily routine means you are consistently making time to slow down and be present with your child.

Reading picture books with your child is a great way to share stories with them. Illustrations help children better understand and ‘see’ the story, and the storylines in picture books are often complex and thought-provoking. 

Here are some new picture books we have available in the library. They are suitable to read aloud and share with your child whether they are in lower, middle or upper primary – even high school. As always, parents are welcome and are encouraged to borrow from the library.