Mandatory Essay: Why Kids Need To Read

Why Kids Need to Read Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States may be unable to comprehend a pamphlet about a medication that he or she is taking (“The Literacy Problem”). The ubiquitous reason for these individuals not being able to read such an important and relatively simple document is that they simply never read. This is a direct result of not reading as a child. Kids should be encouraged to read every day because reading helps them understand things, makes them smarter, and directly relates to academic success later in life. Reading heightens a child’s ability to comprehend new things. The more a child reads, the more advanced the child’s capability of fully understanding what he or she is reading becomes. In addition to gaining the ability to better comprehend what he or she reads, reading --whether it be fiction or nonfiction-- exposes and explains new ideas to kids. This exposure to new ideas is intrinsic to helping a child understand the world around him or her. Children can learn more morals from reading than by any other means. Reading enhances the intelligence of the reader in several ways. As children grow, they absorb information like a sponge. Reading nonfiction is a great way for a child to
Many of these people are concerned about children’s health, and they say that kids should spend their time outdoors and exercising rather than sitting around reading books. This argument is not valid because to reap the benefits of reading, a child only needs to read for a diminutive portion of the day. “Adding ten minutes of reading time dramatically changes levels of print exposure” (Educator’s Briefing - March 2008). Ten to twenty minutes of reading each day leaves ample time for exercising, hanging out with friends, or anything else that the child needs to do. Moreover, mental health is equally as important as physical health, and reading is great for the