Raising Little Bookworms: Benefits of Educational Books for Children

Children start learning from day one by observing everything that goes around them. As they grow, they become even more curious about the world and soak in all the information they’re exposed to like a sponge. And today, children are more exposed to information than ever! But as we adults already know, having unlimited data easily on disposal can have both good and bad sides. While our children may be more informed than those a century ago, they will also be more aware of all the horrors in the world through exposure to news, whereas the internet might sometimes provide false information masked as facts.

Unfortunately, as parents, we can’t completely control all the things our children will be introduced to. And we shouldn’t. But what we can do for them is to increase their exposure to facts and information that will benefit them in the long run and help shape them into intelligent, thoughtful and useful human beings. And that’s where educational books for children can be of great help. Not only can they help children master reading faster and better, but they can also teach them important skills and virtues. Here are some of the greatest benefits of assembling a good educational book collection for your little one.

Improves Focus

It’s hard to keep a young child occupied. And when you give a toddler a book for the first time, after a few minutes they will probably start erratically flipping through pages or throwing it around. That’s totally normal. Don’t think that this reaction means your child doesn’t like books. It only means that they still haven’t developed the ability to focus and you should give them some time. So, at first, start gradually introducing books by sitting your child down and reading to them. By consistently reading to your child about subjects that are interesting, they will learn to sit still for longer periods of time and focus better.

Encourages a Hunger for Knowledge

Providing your child with books on different subjects, or even ones in different languages if you’re a bilingual family, can give them a more diverse exposure to information. You can choose an educational book on all kinds of topics from animals to plants, insects, dinosaurs, numbers, cultures or even biology and astronomy. This can make children more curious about the different subjects, and might even lead them to develop an interest in a particular topic.

Sets Children Up for Success

The more your children read, the more knowledge they gain. And knowledge is beneficial for all aspects of life. Children that read can have a good head start once they start school as they are likely to have more extensive knowledge on different subjects. Even if you are the one that reads to them, engaging with books give children the skills needed for when they start reading themselves. What’s more, children who have already been frequently exposed to books and reading tend to get accustomed to the school environment better.

Makes for an Educational Form of Entertainment

Video games, smartphone apps, Youtube videos – there’s plenty of entertainment that technology provides for children. While these options can be lots of fun, rarely do they teach children something useful. However, books were one of the main forms of children’s entertainment way before technology appeared. And today, they can be just as entertaining as tech devices if we just give them the chance. Considering the negative effects of too much screen time, choosing an educational book that interests your kid is a much better option to keep them occupied and engaged.

Helps You Form a Stronger Bond

For many people, the most cherished memories of their parents involve some kind of activity that they did together. If your work makes you feel too tired to go playing in the park, reading allows you to relax with your child and enjoy each other’s company. Instead of turning on the TV or watching a cartoon that doesn’t allow to engage with each other, reading can inspire long conversations with your child about the message and any potential questions that the educational book might raise.

Teaches Empathy

Besides teaching children facts about the world, there are also educational books that use stories to delve into more social topics, such as relationships, diversity, bullying and divorce. An educational book that deals with a more challenging topic, helps children build the emotional and mental skills to react to a similar theme in real life. It also makes them more open and allows them to put themselves in another person’s place by identifying with characters. As a result, reading and being exposed to a broad range of social subjects teaches children empathy towards people living in a situation much different from their own. And this can help protect them from prejudice and divisiveness later on in life.

Sparks Imagination

Although they may teach facts, educational books also encourage children’s imagination. For instance, an educational book on dinosaurs can encourage children to imagine a world before humans existed, where large animals roamed the earth. On the other hand, a book on robotics can lead them to imagine all the different possibilities the future can bring. In any case, reading books exercises children’s imagination, teaching them to think “outside the box” and to consider various possible outcomes to a particular situation, which can help them become better at problem-solving.