Did you know that reading to your child can help them learn over 1 million more vocabulary words by the time they enter Kindergarten? It’s a staggering statistic supported by a recent study. Children whose parents read at least 5 books a day to them were found to have been exposed to 1.4 million more words than those who were never read to.
If your child likes to read the same story every day like mine (a previous Join the Story Box book, Lucy’s Lovey is a favorite!), then that’s okay too!
The 5 daily books don’t necessarily need to be different ones every day in order for your child to receive the vocabulary boosting benefits.
Even children who are read to one book a day still increase their exposure to an estimated 290,000 more words. But since we know the more exposure to books the better, let’s talk about how you can reach that 5 book a day goal!
#1: Make books a part of the bedtime routine.
Making sure you read 2 books to your child as part of their bedtime routine ensures that he or she will have a consistent, daily exposure to them. I like to choose one of the books and let my child choose the other.
#2: Read during meals.
Instead of turning on the TV or letting your child play with his or her iPad during breakfast or lunch, try reading a story together! Even more active children can have a longer attention span to books during meals, because they’re more likely to stay seated.
#3: Involve books with play.
Try reading a book before your child plays with his or her favorite toy. You can create a theme by choosing a book that is related to the activity or toy your child will be playing with. For example, before playing with a toy farm together, read your child a book about farm animals! Or, involve toys as you read, showing your child the animals as they appear in the book.
By incorporating reading into routines and finding other ways throughout the day to make reading fun, you can dramatically increase your child’s vocabulary!
Amy Yacoub, MS, CCC-SLP | Speech Pathologist
Proud Member of The Story Box Family
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