Creating the perfect reading nook is a great way to get your child excited about curling up with a good book.

Encouraging your children to read is very important for their development and education, especially these days when many people are more likely to watch a movie. Reading has numerous benefits for the brain. Envisioning plots and characters allows children to be creative and imaginative. It’s also a great way to expand vocabulary.

You don’t have to wait until your children learn to read before you start instilling the love of reading.

Some research studies have shown that reading to young children is highly beneficial for their language development and reading readiness. Creating a cozy reading nook is a step towards achieving this goal.

The importance of reading to your newborn

There’s nothing more pleasant than cuddling up with your baby and reading to them. Apart from boosting brain activity, reading is also a great way of bonding with your baby. Babies love the sound of a mother’s voice. It’s also a great way to establish a feeling of intimacy and strengthen the emotional connection. Babies can learn some basic emotional reactions from their parents, which helps with empathy development. Through reading, you’ll be able to use various tones and prosodic features for different characters and convey all kinds of emotions.

A research study using MRIs has found that kids that are being read to on a regular basis have more developed brain areas responsible for semantic processing. In other words, they can grasp the meaning of a word more easily and their oral skills are on a significantly higher level. There are also special books for newborns that will introduce them to colors and shapes. Show your child that reading is entertaining, not just a task for school.

How to choose the right place for a nook?

First of all, no matter how small your apartment is, you can always find a tiny spot to put a comfortable armchair and a bookshelf. The unused space under the stairs can be transformed in a wonderful reading nook, that both your kids and you will love.

A nook could also be a perfect, quiet place for breastfeeding, so try to create a snug little corner that you’ll enjoy, too. A bean bag or big, soft cushions can be a great idea for children’s room, while a colorful carpet would be a nice addition as well.

Make sure that this spot is in a way isolated from all distractions, including the TV or a computer. Lighting is important, too. It would be best to choose a room with a window that will provide natural light. If that’s not possible, you can always resort to some creative reading lamps. While your kids are still toddlers, it’s important to organize a nook in a manner that will allow you to curl up next to them with a good book.

How to decorate it?

Naturally, when decorating this space, you could also include your kids in the whole process. Color schemes should be bright and warm. Since this will be their reading corner as well, you could decorate it with their own artwork. Bookshelves should be kid-friendly. All the books should be accessible and within their reach. While your children still can’t read, it’s important to display the books so that their covers are visible. That way they will be able to recognize the book they want and easily find it.

Tents make excellent reading nooks because they’re cozy and quiet, allowing kids to read without any disturbances from the outside world. They also inspire imagination. Kids love to pretend that they’re in a castle, fortress or some magical place. Tents will easily turn into their favorite secret spots. As kids also love to play in their nooks, a creative kids’ toy basket could help you keep their toys organized, and it can be used for laundry, as well.

As you can see, a reading nook doesn’t necessarily have to be big or fancy. The point is in creating a nice place where you and your kids can read and spend some quality time together.

Where do you enjoy reading with your children?

Emma Lawson

Emma is a former teacher, constantly improving her skills both as a teacher and as a parent. She is passionate about writing and learning new things that can help you to lead a quality life. You can follow her on Twitter @EmmahLawson

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A photography project founded in late 2014 by Alexia Garcia, photographer a Alegares Photography. Breastfeeding World aims to promote breastfeeding and encourage new moms to nurse their babies through the art of photography and story telling.