Research shows that there are numerous benefits to doing so.<\/p>\n * Shared reading promotes early brain development<\/strong> and promotes bonding between parents and children, according to the AAP.<\/p>\n * By age three years, children who experience language-rich environments have a vocabulary of nearly 1,100 words<\/strong>, whereas children without these experiences possess only approximately 500 words, according to Families in Schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n * As early as the first months of life<\/strong>, children\u2019s experiences with oral-language development and literacy begin to build a foundation for later reading success according to studies by Duke & Carlisle, 2011; Dickinson & Neuman, 2006.<\/p>\n * Language and literacy development begins at birth and gaps in achievement appear well before kindergarten entry<\/strong>, according to a study by the National Governors Association in 2013 that you can find here.<\/p>\n Getting ready for school is something often seen as applying in kindergarten and higher grades, but you can get young children into the action by reading aloud to them.<\/p>\n Reading with them is an important part of preparing for preschool. “It is crucial that every child be exposed to the age-appropriate books and reading materials before they enter preschool,” said Francie Alexander, Chief Academic Officer at Scholastic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scholastic offers these tips for preparing for preschool<\/strong>:<\/p>\n * Talk about what you\u2019re making for dinner or buying at the grocery store (so many signs and letters at the grocery store!)<\/p>\n![\"Image](\"http:\/\/betweenusparents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/ID-100172119-1.jpg\")
<\/a>