While the 6 weeks hold the promise of glorious sunshine – we must remind ourselves that we are in the UK and rainy days are inevitable! This doesn’t mean we should then glue our eyes to all the electronic devices in the house when you could instead grab a book…
Reading opens a whole host of opportunities for children and adults, including improving both mental health and cognitive functions. It also takes around 6 weeks to form a new habit – so this is the best time to start!
On the science side of things – reading to and with your child from a young age (6 months +) can help them learn to listen and pay attention by understanding the rhythm of language. As little ones grow, reading can widely expand their vocabulary beyond their years too, often pushing them a few years above their reading age!
Not only that, but reading can help children understand difficult concepts and emotions through characters and stories, teaching them valuable life lessons from the comfort of their caregiver’s arms as well as developing social and emotional understanding. On top of all that, a child’s creativity and imagination will be blown away through daily reading in the most fun way!
Parents reading with their children can also create a calming routine with their little ones, not to mention also sharing that daily bonding time together.
Children are not the only ones who benefit from reading – adults do even more so!
In a climate where mental health struggles are common, reading is proven to improve mental health in a wide variety of ways. Just like children, reading can aid adults when dealing with arduous situations by increasing emotional intelligence and personal awareness.
Not only that, but reading can also decrease the feelings of loneliness by building a sense of community and kinship for the reader by offering a “worldview of others”. The reader’s confidence and self-esteem increase, making it easier to make big life decisions and pursue life goals.
Even when the weather is beautiful, putting down the phone and instead picking up a book is a calming way to connect with nature and yourself while giving your mind a break from the constant chaotic influx of social media news. So, if you find yourself lounging by the pool or setting up in the local park – give yourself some screen-free time and dive into a book instead to truly relax.
Buttercup Bookshop in The Collective has a wide range of reading material for both children and adults – so make sure to kickstart a great habit this Summer and switch off with a good book!