What’s better than a good book as you and your children look to cool off on a warm summer day? As you build “quiet” time into your hectic summer schedule, reading aloud to your children can make a difference in your their development no matter what their age.
For younger children, reading together supports basic speaking skills, increases their vocabulary and literacy skills, and teaches them about their world. Elementary and middles schoolers benefit from reading aloud as it increases their empathy skills. As they use their imaginations to explore people, places, times and events beyond their own experiences, they use their imaginations and expand their knowledge of the world beyond themselves.
Reading together with your teenagers can be just as fun and beneficial. You can help build lifelong readers as a role model for your teen. You can also explore new forms of literature and spark new interests by finding books like poetry, biographies and short story collections.
So, now that you’ve put reading at the top of your summer To Do list, here’s a great way to make it even more fun. Sign up for your library’s summer reading program. The Gail Borden Public Library offers fun prizes and incentives for newborns through adults as well as great summer events at the main library, its branches and the bookmobile all summer long.
VISIT Gail Borden’s summer reading program page and FOLLOW them on Facebook so you don’t miss any fun events!
Happy Reading! We hope you get lost on many wonderful adventures this summer!
*Research from “The Benefits of Reading to Children,” Rasmussen College.
