How important is reading during the EYFS?

Do you know that children experience faster development within the first five years of their lives than at any other time in their natural lives?

It’s a fact that helps explain why this period is referred to as the ‘foundation years.’

The skills nurtured during this period allow you to create a stable foundation for the child to base the rest of their life.

Try to think of it as attempting to give them a head start to formal learning!

While on the subject of starting things, you should note that parents and teachers play a crucial role in nurturing literacy skills during these early years. It’s why there’s a need to use the Educater EYFS software to track and monitor their daily progress.

Importance of Early Reading for Young Children

1. It Helps to Develop their Young Brains

The brain starts making connections from a very young age. When stimulated, these connections serve as the basis for the kid’s intellectual ability and learning.

Put simply, reading to a young child helps in stimulating these brain cells. Each time you do so, the connections become stronger and allow them to connect with more brain cells.

Stimulating the brain cells from an early age allows the child to become a better communicator, reader, and listener. It also instils a lifelong love for learning.

2. They Gain a Deeper Understanding

A book can take you anywhere: to a different country, another city, or even an alternate universe. Reading a book allows a child to learn about new events, places, and people.

These are things they couldn’t otherwise learn. It gives them a deeper understanding of their world and of the cultures that surround them.

It’s why reading is so important during the early formative years.

3. It Helps to Boost their Self-confidence Levels

Children experience a lot of psychological pressure when attempting to learn to read in school. You have to understand that they have social awareness, which is present from a young age.

Imagine how your child feels when they notice other kids picking up new skills, e.g., reading without struggling in any way!

It’s something that can have adverse reactions for their self-image as they continue to develop, emphasizing the importance of reading.

Parents who teach children to learn from a young age have an opportunity to do so in a fun setting and at their own pace.

They can foster a love for reading, which will help the kids to become confident, competent, and adept at reading in front of others.

4. It Assists in Building Stronger Relationships

When a parent reads with their child regularly, they gradually begin to form a stronger relationship.

It offers them an opportunity to engage in a regular shared event that they can both look forward to.

Conclusion

Reading is a rewarding, fulfilling, and powerful activity. Books act as a comfort and friend for the kids and serve as a teacher that can teach them about the world, the different cultures in it, and even about themselves. It has numerous benefits for children.