Why Read 20?

It’s Magic. Read to them and they learn to read.

There’s a LOT of research on this and it’s clear: if you read to a child at least 20 minutes a day three times a week from a very early age, he’ll:

• Be ready for school
• Get better grades throughout school
• Get a better job
• Be more likely to succeed in life
• Be happier as an adult, with higher self-esteem.

It’s also helpful just to talk with a child, tell him stories, and have him tell you stories. All of these things help him learn language skills, which helps him do better in school.

Kindergarten is too late!

Start as soon as he’s born. (Well, okay, maybe the next day.) Reading and talking with a child – even an infant – helps develop a healthy brain and lays the foundation for learning to read when he enters school.

A child’s brain develops at an incredible rate during the first three years of life. He’s developing basic thinking skills even when he’s learning how to roll over, crawl and walk. Those who are not exposed to letters, numbers, and social skills (like taking turns and saying “please”) start school a full year and a half behind other children. And when you start behind like that, it’s really hard to catch up!