Young Readers Make Better Teens

Earlier this year a Cambridge University study came out that suggested that reading—you know, with books and stuff—can be a big help to kids as they grow from tykes to tweens to teens.

The study was centered on more than 10,000 kids in the United States between the ages of 9 and 13. It found that those who had started reading for fun when they were little tended to score higher on tests, have better speech development and have fewer problems with depression as they got older.

Now, researchers noted that those outcomes may have also been influenced by kids having better relationships with their parents, since parents who read with their tykes also tend to be, well, moms and dads who invest more time in their children. But, in my book, that’s all a win-win.

If you want to look at reading benefits purely from a physical science perspective, the researchers reported that when they looked at kids’ brain scans, early readers showed more tissue volume in areas of the brain that were linked to things such as attention and behavior. One Cambridge prof stated that “Reading isn’t just a pleasurable experience—it’s widely accepted that it inspires thinking and creativity, increases empathy and reduces stress.” Add that all up and you walk away with the fact that reading can pay off for kids in more ways than just giving them a good time.

And here’s another nice little nugget of information: reading those old-school printed books can offer some pluses, too. Not only are paper books more tactile, which appeals to little fingers, but they tend to help kids absorb more information. The tykes end up with less eye strain, they sleep better at night and they’re far less easily distracted. Oh, and if you have a sweet library of paper books for the littles—filled with books that they can grab whenever want to—studies have shown that that’s linked to higher academic achievement during the school years.

OK, so you may be saying, “That’s great and all, but my child isn’t into reading. Especially when there’s a screen nearby.” Yep, that can certainly happen. But fear not, I’ve got a few ideas that might help nudge them toward a bit of reading joy.

First of all, stow the screens. Put your phone away, stash the tablets, turn off the big screen TV and settle down with littles for a bit of one-on-one time. Focus on your perspective. Don’t think of it as forcing the kids toward reading, but as you investing time and sharing how great it all is.

Experts agree that repetition is important. Read those little books with them—reading aloud with expression and character—over and over. If Mia wants that same book for the 100th time, go for it. Make eye contact. Point out the words. Read to each other. Your little Mia may not actually be able to read all the words yet, but by the 100^th time she sure knows the story. Let her tell some of it.

Then you can connect reading to the world around you. If a given story has a grandma, or a postman, or a baseball, or a puppy, connect those people and things to the stuff your kid knows and enjoys. And then dig a little deeper into the story. Ask your kiddo what the story’s Mommy is thinking or feeling. Why does that football player want to make the big touchdown?

Oh, and here’s another tip. When you head out of the house, bring a book. Rather than handing out your phone or tablet to your loving child, hand them a favorite story. Make free time reading time. And then take them to the library or bookstore and treat them by letting them choose their favorite title.

The key is to make books special and have a good time sharing them together. Hey, all that reading practice may even encourage you to pick up a grown-up novel once again. You know, for your own non-screen enjoyment.

It’s not just kids who benefit from those mysterious thingies filled with paper pages and words, you know.