My dad always bragged about the many books he read as a kid (Marvel comics, James Hadley Chase, Famous 5, Trompie, Westerns & Hardy Boys amongst others). As a child, my favourite reads were postman pat & his black & white cat, the adventures of Peter Rabbit and later – a collection of fairytales (gifted to me by my aunt @_fowzia_s), the adventures of Roald Dhal, Nancy Drew & Enid Blyton that became my most prized possessions. In high school I read all the Harry Potter books @jkrowling_official -I’ve been a potterhead since. The library was one of my favourite places to visit and on my recent trip to the UK, I found myself sitting in the @britishlibrary – without any real purpose or reason – wondering if all the knowledge between its walls would magically be absorbed into my brain if I stayed long enough. It was such a treat. I love the smell of books.
🔹Reading engages multiple brain functions simultaneously. It allows your mind to process events that are happening through the words and separates the sound of the word into pieces for comprehension.
🔹Reading allows you to immerse yourself in the character’s experience and feel what they are feeling -this is called grounded cognition. It increases empathy and relaxes the brain.
🔹Reading improves fluency which is more than just pronouncing the word but rather the speed, accuracy, emotion and meaning of what you are reading.
🔹Reading gives you the ability to understand that each individual is unique in their values, belief systems, dreams & desires, and their intentions as described by the author.
🔹Reading fosters connection and inspires educational and imaginative conversations with your child.
🔊 Moms & Dads, please also keep in mind that infants and toddlers listen to what is being said around them – using the brain to store the sound of the words and build a vocabulary, even if they don’t know how to use it yet. By the time they start to read most children will recognise the words and the sound of the words and will know what it means.
📖 P.S the benefits of reading a physical book far outweigh reading on a screen, especially if you are reading before bedtime.