Have you heard of the “Million Word Gap”?
An Ohio State University study found that children whose parents read five or more books to them a day before entering school had been exposed to 1.4 million more words than kids who were not read to. Even children who were only read to once a day were exposed to 290,000 more words.
This vocabulary exposure prepares kids to learn critical reading skills. As roughly half of parents have reported to not read or read very seldom to their children, this “Million Word Gap” could explain critical differences in literacy development.
That trend is why days like today matter so much. Today is National Family Literacy Day: a whole day dedicated to increasing awareness around the importance of reading as a family.
Reading to your kids is an incredible way to bond, have fun, and develop those crucial life skills. Best yet, with the help of the library, reading is free!
So, today, we have a few tasks for you:
✅ Make sure you have a library card.
✅ Incorporate reading into some part of your daily routine.
✅ Spread the word to friends and family that today is a day to celebrate reading.
✅ Carve out some time today to read a little extra as a family!
Happy National Family Literacy Day!