I’m thrilled to introduce today’s guest post by Sara Montague, M.Ed, an accomplished educator with over 13 years of teaching experience and a passion for creating dynamic, inclusive learning environments. As the CEO of What Your Student Needs, Ed., Sara is dedicated to helping students thrive academically and beyond, offering services like tutoring, homeschool support, educational advocacy, and executive function coaching. In this post, Sara explores why reading is important for children and dives into the many ways it supports their growth and development.
If you’ve ever wanted to know the real reason behind “Why is reading important for children,” her expert insights and practical tips will inspire you to nurture a love for learning in your child. This is a must-read for any parent looking to support their child’s educational journey!
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Children these days crave constant entertainment, whether it be from TV, phones, or iPads. As a parent myself, let me tell you straight up—when I need some personal space, my kid is on the iPad. I keep it to educational games only, but I still “mom guilt” myself about it.
Let me tell you something, mamas. IT IS OKAY TO NEED PERSONAL SPACE. IT IS OKAY TO OCCASIONALLY PUT YOUR CHILD ON TECHNOLOGY-RELATED PLATFORMS to save your sanity. Just make sure that you allow your child plenty of opportunities to develop, grow, and BE A KID outside those platforms.
Today’s topic is reading and the important role it plays in a child’s development. If you’ve ever wondered why reading is important for children, here are five key reasons we should encourage your kids to love reading.
Reading to your baby and/or young toddler helps them develop crucial early language skills.
Why is reading important for children at this early stage? Children learn to speak from the humans they are surrounded by, whether it be through talking, reading, or listening to educational programs. Let me give you a little tidbit of important knowledge: DO NOT TALK TO YOUR BABY OR TODDLER IN BABY TALK. Why? If children are learning from your language, they will talk like babies. If you talk to your baby or toddler using age-appropriate, regular language, they will absorb that language and apply it to their speech when they start talking.
Reading helps children of all ages develop emotional intelligence and empathy.
Characters in books help them make sense of the world, understand complex emotions, and develop situational and social awareness. Simply put: it will help your child grow into a better human.
Reading with your child helps with self-regulation.
It requires sustained attention and concentration, helping children practice patience and focus. Unlike fast-paced activities like watching TV or playing video games, reading requires kids to stay engaged with the material for longer periods. This encourages them to focus on one task and resist the urge to give up or switch to something else too quickly. Over time, this strengthens their ability to sit still, concentrate, and complete tasks. When considering why reading is important for children, remember that it plays a key role in building these essential skills.
Storytelling encourages a child’s imagination.
Books open up new worlds for children—whether fiction or non-fiction—expanding their knowledge and overall understanding of the world. By exploring different characters, places, and scenarios, children learn to think creatively and envision possibilities beyond their everyday experiences. This imaginative growth is one of the key reasons why reading is important for children, as it nurtures their ability to dream, invent, and solve problems in innovative ways.
Vocabulary development is exponentially increased by reading and/or listening to books.
I mentioned this earlier as it pertains to early language development, but it applies across the board. Children are naturally curious, so when they come across unfamiliar words, they will ask about their meanings. Newly acquired vocabulary helps children make sense of the world and apply previous knowledge to new knowledge.
Just think of vocabulary development as a web—everything is connected!
- Big and small = huge and tiny
- Elephant and mouse = humongous and small
- Taller and shorter = longest and shortest
Words with one shade of meaning (like “big and small”) are now connected to other concepts,
such as animals, basic size comparisons, and even math-related words like greatest, least,
and shortest. By expanding their vocabulary through books, children not only learn new words but also enhance their understanding of complex ideas and relationships. This language growth is a powerful example of why reading is important for children, as it builds a strong foundation for effective communication and learning.
Reading builds language skills, emotional intelligence, self-regulation, imagination, and vocabulary—all of which are essential for lifelong learning and success. By making reading a priority, we give our kids the tools they need to thrive in school and beyond. Encouraging reading at an early age lays the foundation for academic achievement and a lifelong love of learning. Grab a book, read to your child, and watch their developmental progress unfold!
Why Is Reading Important For Children?
About the author:
Sara Montague is an accomplished and dedicated educator with a passion for fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. With 13 years of extensive teaching experience, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence and student success. Known for her ability to establish meaningful connections with students, Sara has a proven track record of creating a supportive and nurturing educational atmosphere that results in academic success.
Sara’s teaching philosophy focuses on instilling a love for learning while equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in the digital age. She is Orton-Gillingham trained, bringing specialized expertise in structured, multi-sensory literacy instruction, and she also specializes in the full scope of K-7 mathematics. Additionally, Sara has demonstrated her leadership and versatility by serving as a team lead, coach, intervention specialist, teacher mentor, and teacher trainer, adapting seamlessly to various educational roles and challenges.
Sara is the CEO of What Your Student Needs, Ed., a company dedicated to coordinating educational services for students from K through college. Through her leadership, she continues to make a meaningful impact by connecting students with the resources and support they need to succeed academically and beyond. If your student needs tutoring, homeschool support, educational advocacy, educational assessments, or executive function coaching, reach out to Sara to learn how What Your Student Needs, Ed. can help support your child’s educational journey.
