The campaign for this year’s World Book Day was ‘Share a Story’. Just ten minutes of reading a day can make a huge difference to a child’s learning and development.
Reading is one of the most important gifts you can give your child. I have incredibly fond memories of both being read stories to as a child and then reading with my own four children later. We still mention lines from some of their favourites years on because it is that shared bond that is so important. We can all remember our most loved book and there is real enjoyment sharing a book snuggled up on a sofa, at bedtime or in the car.
Learning for all of us begins as soon as we are born and never ends. How parents read, chat and play with their children builds the foundation for them to reach their full potential. The value of reading should not be lost among all the distractions that technology now brings vitally it helps with children’s linguistic development too.
The beauty of this campaign is its simplicity. Children who are read to develop a greater sense of enjoyment of reading than those who are not read to. They then go on to see the wider benefits that reading brings. So to all parents and grandparents, go on and share a story!
