Reading together is a small ritual with unusually broad benefits. It slows the evening down, gives parent and child a shared focus and builds positive associations with language and books.
Imagination and understanding grow together
Following a plot trains memory, prediction and cause-and-effect thinking. Meeting different characters also helps children see that other people may want, know and feel different things.
The relationship is the foundation
No special performance is required. A familiar voice, a few questions and the willingness to pause are enough. Whether the story comes from a printed book or is created for that particular evening, the lasting value is the time spent together.