The Lasting Impact of Bedtime Stories

September 9, 2025

Reading to children is a valuable practice that offers multiple developmental benefits beyond just storytelling. Research shows that daily reading significantly impacts language development, with children who are read one book daily hearing approximately 290,000 more words by age 5 than those not read to regularly. Additionally, reading supports cognitive development, strengthens parent-child bonds, and helps children develop crucial social-emotional skills including empathy and emotional regulation.

Who is affected

Babies and young children who are read to
Children who are not read to regularly (experiencing fewer words)
Parents who read to their children
Children developing language, cognitive, and social-emotional skills

What action is being taken

Parents are reading books to their children at bedtime and other times
Researchers are studying the impact of reading on children's development
Niyoka McCoy is sharing information about the benefits of reading to children
Children are experiencing language development through exposure to words and stories

Why it matters

Children read to daily hear 290,000 more words by age 5 than those not read to
Children read five books daily hear 1.4 million more words than those never read to
Reading builds a foundation of knowledge for school readiness
Reading together creates secure attachment bonds important for brain development
Reading develops social-emotional skills, particularly empathy
Reading helps children understand and manage their emotions
Reading creates meaningful memories and deepens parent-child relationships

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint