How Does Reading at a Young Age Shapes Your Child’s Brain

In a world where humans are entirely dependent on gadgets and technology in general to gain knowledge or to simply pass their time, one habit still remains which could rewire your child’s brain which is reading.

In today’s fast-moving digital environment, children are surrounded by constant stimulation. Being addicted to cell phones or television changes your child’s brain completely in a way that it results in several consequences such as a short attention span, poor eyesight and lack of creativity. The importance of reading for kids goes far beyond just being good in academics and scoring well. Starting to read at a very young age enables the child to think freely, question the world and build creativity and imagination. It also shapes how they think, feel, communicate and understand the world.

A child’s brain develops rapidly during the early stages of their life, and so, it is very important to incorporate reading habits while they are still young, for their cognitive development. Even reading a simple bedtime story to your child would increase their ability to imagine and feel.

When a child reads a story, they do not just gather information, but they are actively able to build a whole new world with their imagination. It forces them to remember details, connect plots and learn new morals. Simple moral stories often help children understand kindness, empathy and valuable life lessons. Many creative minds that we see today would have started reading young which would have made them the geniuses that they are now.

For example, popular figures such as Voltaire, Elon Musk and Teddy Roosevelt spent their childhood reading, which allowed them to develop profound, independent thinking skills.

Modern digital content is designed for short term engagement which would then result in a short attention span and a longing to consume more of such content. This leads a child to develop a kind of addiction towards such digital content. To prevent this, children should be exposed to physical copies of books at a young age, which would help expand their attention span. Magazines like Skippy from i-kids magazine encourage children to engage in reading through stories, puzzles, activities and creative learning. Furthermore, reading books also helps children gain knowledge during the early stages of their life, strengthening their emotional intelligence and thinking abilities, which would ultimately be reflected in their future.