READING OPENS ALL DOORS

10 BENEFITS OF READING

1. Kids who read often and widely get better at it.
This is pretty much just common sense. After all, practice makes perfect in almost everything we humans do and reading is no different from anything else. 
2. Reading exercises our brains.
Reading is a much more complex task for the human brain than, say, watching TV is. Reading strengthens brain connections and actually builds new connections.
3. Reading improves concentration.
Again, this is a bit of a no-brainer. When we read we have to sit still and quietly so we can focus on the story. When we read regularly, we develop the ability to do this for longer periods.
4. Reading teaches us about the world around us.
Through reading, we learn about people, places and events outside our own experience. We are exposed to ways of life, ideas and beliefs about the world which may be different from those which surround us.
5. Reading improves our vocabulary and leads to more highly-developed language skills.
We learn new words as we read but also because we unconsciously absorb things like how to structure sentences and how to use words and language effectively. 
6. Reading develops our imagination.
This is because when we read our brains translate the descriptions we read of people, places and things into pictures. When we’re engaged in a story, we’re also imagining how the characters are feeling. We use our own experiences to imagine how we would feel in the same situation. 
7. Reading helps us develop empathy.
It does this because when you’re identifying with the character in the story, you’re feeling what he or she is feeling.’
8. Children and teens who read do better at school.
And they don’t just do better at subjects like reading, English and History. They do better at all subjects and they do better all the way through school. 
9. Reading is a great form of entertainment.
A paperback book or an e-reader like the Amazon Kindle doesn’t take up much space so you can take it anywhere and you’ll never be lonely or bored if you have a book in your bag. You can read while waiting in a queue, while waiting for a friend who’s running late or during a flight delay at an airport. 
 10. Reading relaxes the body and calms the mind.
This is an important point because these days we seem to have forgotten how to relax and especially how to be silent. The constant movement, flashing lights and noise which bombard our senses when we’re watching TV, looking at a computer or playing an electronic game are actually quite stressful for our brains.
When we read, we read in silence and the black print on a white page is much less stressful for our eyes and brains
So there you have it – the Top 10 benefits of reading! 
Adapted from: http://www.best-books-for-kids.com/benefits-of-reading.html

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