As a concerned parent, you want your child to get off to a good start in school and be a successful learner. Educators have known for generations that reading to preschool-age children is good for their brains, but how exactly does it boost cognitive development? The early childhood teachers at Pumpkin Preschool in Fairfield, CT, explain some of the ways reading with your preschooler helps your child develop stronger thinking and learning skills.

Boosts Language Skills

During the early childhood years, a child is learning how to speak and enunciate. Listening to an adult read a picture book reinforces the basic sounds of language. Soon, a child may begin to use context clues — pictures, rhymes, and other elements of a story — to predict the next words in a sentence and read along with the adult.

Demonstrates Basic Reading Process

Children have to learn that sentences are read from left to right and that the words perform a separate function in the book than the images do. Reading to your child while turning the pages and pointing to the pictures or words in a book demonstrates the reading process.

Strengthens Logical Thinking Skills

By the time a child enters preschool, they are attempting to understand and explain why and how things work. Reading about different characters and situations, as well as the cause and effect of their actions, invites a young reader to relate the stories to their own life. This aids the child in grasping abstract concepts and learning to use good judgment to achieve a desired outcome.

Reinforces Concentration Skills

Young children like to be active, and they may initially find it challenging to sit still for an entire book. Engaging the reader by asking questions about what is happening in the story or why a character is behaving a certain way encourages a child to develop a longer attention span and better memory retention.

The skilled educators at Pumpkin Preschool in Fairfield County make reading and books an important part of their early childhood every day. If your child is at least two years old and ready for preschool, contact Pumpkin Preschool to learn more about how their school will help your child develop the skills to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Call (203) 255-7505 today to schedule a visit, or visit their website to learn more information.