While forcing children to read can make them hate it, reading for pleasure can be actually very beneficial for kids.
New research from UK and China claim that kids who read for pleasure when they're young tend to have better cognitive abilities when they're older.
Let's find out more.
Reading for pleasure is great
Kids who enjoy reading for fun when they are young tend to succeed on cognitive tests and have overall better mental health when they become teens, according to a new study of more than 10000 young adults in the US.
Specialists from the UK and China have found that reading for joy for about 12 hours every week was the best amount, and it was closely linked to better brain structure.
Reading is a skill that needs to be learned, and it develops and becomes stronger over time.
Lots of people were involved in testing
The study used the necessary data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development cohort, analyzing interviews, various tests, various assessments, and also brain scans.
The results clearly showed that early readers performed better on most cognitive tests, had overall better mental health, and spent less time on screens.
The researchers recommend parents encourage early reading to promote development and long-term reading habits.
