The Benefits of Reading

Developing Empathy

I have a theory that the reason some Nigerian politicians are so ruthless is that they didn’t read enough books when they were younger. One of the most powerful benefits of reading is that it teaches children to step into the shoes of the characters they encounter in books. From an early age, readers connect with relatable characters.

Expanding the Imagination

When reading, children build pictures in their minds. You’ll be surprised how detailed their story maps can get. When you read to children, they take the details from the book descriptions and build entire worlds of images.

Worlds Outside their Own

When I was young, Cyprus was little more than a holiday destination. It was when I read Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak that I came to gained insight into the religious and historical context. I often tell people that it is impossible to form a reading habit and not learn something new from every book.

Improving Word Power

There are so many words in our word banks that we have no idea how we absorbed them. Every book is a secret dictionary. Through repetition and even the use of refrain, through the combined power of illustrations and words, children pick up new words and their meanings without even knowing how it’s happening. Buy your kids a notebook so they can keep a record of the new words they are learning.

Problem-Solving

As a former school teacher, I have seen firsthand how reading helps develop critical thinking skills. Pupils who read are much better at identifying and thinking through problems. Sometimes, they have encountered a similar problem in a book, but, more often than not, it is because reading demands that the apply their cognitive skills.

Once a Reader, Always a Reader

I come across people every day who tell me that they were voracious readers when they were young but they now struggle to read non-work-related texts. This is often due to mild anxiety and fear of failure. The only way to get reading again is to go back to the habit you loved by picking up a book in your leisure time. Get a good book and start with 20 minutes of reading a day. When I struggled with reading, I turned to audio books.