Reading to Dogs Can Benefit Children
With the increase in children learning from home, parents may utilize their dogs as additional resources for teaching. Yes, it’s true! Research shows that there are benefits to children when they read to their four-legged friends. Below are some reasons to consider incorporating your dog into your child’s reading routine.
- It helps make children comfortable. Some students feel self-conscious and uncomfortable while reading. The good news about dogs is that they offer an environment of happiness and safety for your child. Dogs are non-judgmental and comforting. Children feel relaxed and confident when they read to dogs.
- It helps improve reading abilities. Reading to a dog may improve reading skills and abilities by allowing the child to comprehend the content quickly.
- It helps build self-confidence. Did you know that reading to a dog has improved children’s confidence in areas outside of reading? Increased involvement in school activities and decreased absenteeism in students were seen in a study after they participated in a program regarding reading to dogs.
- It helps improve sentiments towards reading. Children who read to dogs show an increase in their enjoyment of reading and motivation to read overall, even when the dog is not present!
We do not believe that there have been any studies showing whether dogs like being read to. However, reports suggest it helps children practice reading while building empathy for pets. This should be enough to let you know the benefits of children reading to dogs. Have your child read their favorite book to their four-legged friend and see the benefits for yourself!
