Why is reading important in early childhood?

Reading aloud and sharing stories with your child when they are young can help them develop literacy skills and learn about the world around them.

Having fun with words

Children learn words and language skills from listening and engaging in stories, songs and conversations. By reading aloud, sharing stories and singing with your child, you are helping them become familiar with words and sounds. This will develop early literacy skills and help them to go on to read successfully later in life.

Your child will pick up on your voice changes and expressions, so make sure they sit close to you when you read. They will also learn how to hold a book and gently turn the pages by watching you. As you read, try pointing out details in the pictures, asking questions or using funny voices.

Learning through stories

Engaging in a story is also a great way to get your child talking about what they are seeing and thinking. It can help them to understand emotions and feelings and learn the difference between 'real' and 'make believe'​.

Stories can also help them to deal with new or frightening experiences. For example, a book about going to the dentist or hospital can help your child learn what to expect in this situation. Having a conversation about what happened after a scary part in a book can help your child understand how to deal with certain events and position you as a role model.

You can encourage your child to become involved in story time by asking your child to choose the books they want to read or joining group story-telling sessions at the library.

Access the State Library for Queensland’s First 5 Forever Stories for Little Queenslanders​ picture books​ and accompanying Story Time activity kit​ for more ideas and learning possibilities​

Making story time fun

Reading aloud gives you a chance to be silly and joke around with your child while helping them learn and grow.

Putting on funny voices or changing the storyline lets you shake up story time, creating quality moments and making learning fun. It can be a great way to encourage kids to look forward to reading with you.

Goofing around can make special time for you and your child to bond and shows that reading is important. By showing that you enjoy story time, you are helping your child develop a love of reading too. Using different voices and being dramatic also shows your child how words can be used differently to make new meanings.

Keeping the interest

Using funny voices and plot twists helps to keep your child’s interest in the book and reading.

You can encourage your child to join in by:

• suggesting ideas for the story line
• choosing how a character’s voice sounds
• repeating words back to you
• using gestures, clapping and acting out events
• using funny facial expressions.

Your child can try to mimic your actions and voice or come up with some of their own.

Focusing

While getting active and excited can keep the interest, it’s important to have quiet and calm reading opportunities as well. This allows your child to focus on the words and sounds and develop their literacy skills.

Location, location

Using different locations to read with your child can also help keep things fresh. You could go outside or bring a book to the beach or to the shopping centre. Reading a book with places and events that your child can relate to can be a great way to start conversations about the story.

Before you start

• Let your child choose the book.
• Find a quiet place where you can sit side by side.
• Make sure you can both see and touch the book.
• Look at the front cover and title and talk about what the story might be about.

While reading

• Use your funny voice, jokes and sense of humour.
• Read slowly and take your time to discuss the images or talk about what is happening along the way.

After the story ends

• Your child might want to flip back through the book to explore different sections or ask questions.
• Ask them what was their favourite part or what they would change in the story.

Having trouble choosing what to read? Check out some ‘must reads’ on the Premier's Reading challenge website.

Why reading is important for babies and young children

Sharing stories, talking and singing every day helps your child’s development in many ways.

Reading and sharing stories can:

• help your child get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills
• learn to value books and stories
• spark your child’s imagination and stimulate curiosity
• help develop your child’s brain, ability to focus, concentration, social skills and communication skills
• help your child learn the difference between ‘real’ and ‘make-believe’
• help your child understand new or frightening events, and the strong emotions that come with them
• help your child learn about the world, their own culture and other cultures.

Sharing stories with your child doesn’t mean you have to read from the book.

Just by looking at books with your child and talking about them, you can be a great storyteller and a good model for using language and books. Your child will learn by watching you hold a book the right way and seeing how you move through the book by gently turning the pages.

Reading stories with children has benefits for grown-ups too. The special time you spend reading together promotes bonding and helps to build your relationship with your child.

You can start reading aloud to your baby as early as you like – the earlier the better. Your baby will love being held in your arms, listening to your voice, hearing rhyme and rhythm, and looking at pictures.

Reading isn’t the only way to help with your child’s language and literacy development.

Telling stories, singing songs and saying rhymes together are also great activities for early literacy skills – and your child will probably have a lot of fun at the same time. Sometimes your child might enjoy these activities more than reading.

You and your child might like to make up your own stories or share family stories. Your child will learn words and develop language skills from the songs, stories and conversations you share together.

Reading to your child in other languages

You can read, sing and tell stories with your child in whatever language you feel most comfortable speaking.

Using a language you’re comfortable with helps you to communicate more easily. It also helps to make reading, singing and storytelling more fun for you and your child. Your child will still learn that words are made up of different letters, syllables and sounds, and that words usually link to the pictures on the page.

Don’t worry if English isn’t your child’s first language. Being bilingual actually helps your child learn English when they start playgroup, kindergarten or school.

Dual-language books are a great resource, and many children’s books are published in two languages. If you speak a language other than English at home, reading dual-language books with your child might also help you become more familiar with English.

Another option is to read a book aloud in English or listen to an audio book in English and then talk about the story with your child in whatever language feels most comfortable.

If you like, you can talk about the pictures in the book instead of reading the words. Could you and your child make up a story together? Do what you can and as much as you’re comfortable with.

When to read, sing and tell stories with your child

Bedtime, bath time, potty time, on the train, on the bus, in the car, in the park, in the pram, in the cot, when you’re in the GP’s waiting room ... any time is a good time for a story! You can make books part of your daily routine – take them with you to share and enjoy everywhere.

Knowing when to stop can be just as important as finding the time to share a story in the first place. Pay attention to your child’s reaction to the story, and stop if your child isn’t enjoying it this time. You can always try a book, song or story another time.

If you don’t have a book or can’t make up a story on the spot, don’t worry. There are many other ways you and your child can share letters, words and pictures. For example, you can look at:

• packages at home or in the supermarket, especially food packaging
• clothing – what does it say on the t-shirt? What colour is it?
• letters and notes – what do they say? Who sent them?
• signs or posters in shops, or on buses and trains – point out signs that have the same letters as your child’s name
• menus – it can be fun for older children to look at menus and work out what they want to eat.

You could check out our storytelling videos. Let storyteller Anne E. Stewart introduce you and your child to ‘Mook Mook the owl’, ‘The crocodile’ and ‘The old lady and the mosquito’.

Tips for sharing books with babies and young children

• Make a routine and try to share at least one book every day. A reading chair where you’re both comfortable can become part of your reading routine.
• Turn off the TV or radio, put your phone on silent, and find a quiet place to read so your child can hear your voice.
• Hold your child close or on your knee while you read, so your child can see your face and the book.
• Try out funny noises and sounds – play and have fun!
• Involve your child by encouraging talk about the pictures, and by repeating familiar words and phrases.
• Let your toddler choose the books when they’re old enough to start asking – and be prepared to read your toddler’s favourite books over and over again!

If you have older children, they can share books with your younger children, or you can all read together. Taking turns, asking questions and listening to the answers are all important skills that will help children when they start learning how to read.

Just reading for a few minutes at a time is good – you don’t always have to finish the book. As children grow, they can usually listen for longer.

What sorts of books to read with your child

As a broad rule, young children often enjoy books, songs and stories that have good rhyme, rhythm and repetition. In fact, one of the ways that children learn is through repetition and rhyme.

Choose books that are the right length for your child and that match your child’s changing interests.

For a guide to what might suit your child, you can look at the following articles:

• Reading with babies from birth
• Reading with babies from 12 months
• Reading with toddlers
• Reading with preschoolers.

You can also vary the books and printed materials you read. Picture books, ebooks, magazines, instruction manuals, TV guides and letters can all be interesting and engaging for your child.

If you’re interested in ebooks, look for ones without distracting games or animations. And it’s important to enjoy ebooks with your child, rather than leaving your child alone with a device.

If you want to try new books or magazines without much cost, you could arrange book swaps with friends, or with other parents at your parent group or early childhood centre.

Using your local library

Libraries have a lot to offer. Getting to know your local library can be a part of learning about and loving books.

You can borrow great children’s books for free from your local library. This means you can have plenty of books in your home for your child to explore – and it won’t cost you a cent.

Taking your child to the library and letting them choose their own books can be a fun adventure. You can talk about and plan your trip to the library with your child, and get excited together. You could ask your child, for example:

• How many books will you choose?
• How many books can you find by your favourite author?
• Will you borrow books that have animals in them?
• Do you have a favourite book you’d like to borrow again?
• How many days will it be before we go to the library again?

Libraries also offer story times and activities for young children. Going along to these sessions is a way to help your child get familiar with the library, have fun and enjoy books and stories. Some libraries offer these sessions online.

Libraries often have audio books, dual-language books, ebooks and magazines. You can listen to audio books in the car or as a family at home together.

Just contact your local library for more information.

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