Reading is one of the true pleasures of my life. I love to read. I was the child hiding under the bedcovers with a flashlight begging for just one more page, one more chapter. I’ll read just about anything: detective novels, epic journeys in mythical worlds, news magazines, biographies, thrillers and classic literature.

I’m learning to appreciate a whole new genre of books – children’s books. I’m learning to foster the love of reading in my 2-year-old son, to read aloud and make the story exciting, to engage him in the process. I’m learning why it’s so important to read aloud with children.

In a recent Washington Post article Liza Baker, the executive editorial director at Scholastic, said “It’s so important to start reading from Day One. The sound of your voice, the lyrical quality of the younger [books] are poetic … It’s magical, even at eight weeks old they focus momentarily, they’re closer to your heart. As they begin to grow, families should make sure books are available everywhere in the home, like it’s your “daily bread.” (Amen.) But it shouldn’t end when kids begin to read on their own. As they become independent readers, we tend to let them go, but even kids in older demographics love nothing more than that time with their parents,” Baker says. “We’re blown away that kids time and again said the most special time they recall spending with a parent is reading together.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents start reading out loud to their children from the time they are born. I’ve read aloud to my son from the start, knowing that it was important but I only later learned of the brain development benefits in young children.

My son attends the Camp Fire Child Development Center where they have helped teach me that 85% of brain development occurs by age three, and one of the primary benefits of reading to toddlers and preschoolers is a higher aptitude for learning in general. Numerous studies have shown that students who are exposed to reading before preschool are more likely to do well in all facets of formal education.

I’ve always loved reading and have wanted to pass on that love, but I never knew just how important it was to his brain development. Because of that, reading in our house is a priority.

  • We’ve made story time part of our routine – we read EVERY night before bed, two to four short books
  • We have fun – we make voices and sounds to bring the pages alive
  • We don’t worry about being perfect – my husband has dyslexia, but he reads too
  • We embrace questions and discuss the small details – Where’s the bird? What sounds do they make?
  • We let our son choose the books – he’s always more interested when he can pick, though he chooses the same books over and over (we know repetition is important to learning)

Some of our favorite books right now are Little Owl’s Night, LMNO Peas, 123 Peas, Mighty, Mighty Construction Site and Good Morning, Good Night.

Sara Mitchell is the brand manager at Camp Fire First Texas. She is responsible for graphic design, social media, digital communications and the production of Camp Fire materials. Sara enjoys seeing children participate in and learn to love the same programs she was involved in as a child. She is a 3rd generation El Tesoro camper and participated in Camp Fire youth programs as a child. Sara also earned her WoHeLo Medallion – Camp Fire’s highest youth honor. Sara is an active member of the Greater Fort Worth Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the Waxahachie Rebekah Lodge, a fraternal service organization.