Reading daily to your child/children has great benefits.

• This is a special,close time for you both(or your family).
• Hearing stories encourages the love of reading.
• Through stories children learn about their culture and also other children's cultures.
• Watching a parent read teaches children how reading works; left to right and top to bottom.  They notice letters which make up words which are part of a sentence and that all this tells the story.
• Children who are frequently and consistently read to sometimes learn to read before starting school or are ready to learn when they start.
• Reading at bedtime calms most children ready for sleep.
• Hearing  a wide variety of stories assists with a child's imagination and also the development of empathy.
• The parent becomes aware of the child's developing interests.
• A child's vocabulary increases.
• Sharing stories about birth, death, hospital visits etc gives children the vocabulary and knowledge to ask questions or an opportunity for a discussion.

Stories can be fun, enjoyable, sad, happy, silly, scarey and/or informative.