The easiest way to give your child a head start in life: Read to them.

I always knew reading to children was important but I never exactly understood why.

I got curious and was surprised with what I learned. Scientific studies showed a multitude of benefits:

• improved cognitive skills,

• increased vocabulary,

• enhanced creativity,

• improved empathy skills. 

And the most interesting part I found was that these results were regardless of socioeconomic background.

Being read to from a young age makes a difference on the future academic success of our children.

In fact, one study out of Australia found that reading to your 4-5 year old child every day had the same effect as if the child was almost a year older. It also found of the 4-5 year olds who were read to more frequently performed better on literacy and numeracy tests as 8-9 year olds.

We all know the saying 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away', maybe we can start adding, a book a night makes your child bright or perhaps something more inspirational- a book a night, keeps the imagination bright.