Building in a bit of quality time for your children just before they go to sleep is a wonderful thing. It’s a ritual that brings calm, a moment just for the two of you. But honestly? Sometimes, you just don’t have the energy for that final story. We encourage you to still read it. Because it has so many benefits ...

By reading to your child, you stimulate a couple of things. The most obvious one? Reading to your child will enormously increase its vocabulary.

1. Language development

A child that is being read to at home, by its grandparents, the babysitter or anyone, learns an incredible number of new words. They hear how sentences are structured, and by the way you read to them, they also learn which emotions may go with a particular word.

Children can also ask questions about the story, which means they will start using the new words immediately. A fantastic bonus!

2. Fantasy

A book gives you the story but who’s to stop you from deviating from it? Perhaps you and your daughter get lost in a story and make up your own additional chapter. Or maybe your son doesn’t like the ending of the book and you come up with a different ending together.

In a nutshell, reading to your children encourages them to enter a fantasy world where anything is allowed and possible. Perhaps it would be fun to make drawings about the stories you read to them?

Long live creativity!

3. Connection with your children

Of course, development is important and coming up with your own bits is fun but perhaps the best thing about reading is the small moments together with your children. They don’t have to last more than ten minutes, the important thing is to take time for each other among the day's other activities. To connect with your child before it enters the land of Nod.

Your child gets on your lap, physically close to you, comfy and snug. Perhaps the room is slightly darkened and all you hear is each other and the story. And that’s when reading to your child becomes nothing more than one big, long hug with your favourite persons. And that’s our aim!

Like to read stories about Finn, the racing bird?
Or want to find out why Billy doesn’t like taking baths?
What is Otti frightened of?
And is Tika really such a joker?

Which one of these friends does your child resemble most?