I’ve spent years watching children learn. If I could give parents one piece of advice, it’s this: read with your child for 20 minutes a day. Not flashcards. Just 20 quiet minutes with a book.
It Builds Imagination and Thinking
When a child reads, their mind goes somewhere a screen can’t take them. They picture the dragon, the ocean, the stranger’s face – all on their own. That habit carries over into how they play, draw, and solve problems. Kids who read often also think ahead better. Ask one what happens next in a story, and you’ll get a real guess, not a shrug. That’s practice in reasoning, and it shows up in how they handle tricky problems at school.
It Grows Their Words
A child who reads 20 minutes a day hears about million words a year. I don’t need a study to prove it – I hear it in my classroom. Kids who read a lot know more words, and it shows in how clearly they speak and write.
It Builds Kindness
This is the part that moves me most. When a child feels what a story character feels – their fear, their joy – something shifts in how that child treats others. Kids who read tend to notice faster when a friend is upset, and they respond more gently.
It Calms and Builds Curiosity
Reading time is often the calmest part of the day with children. The fidgeting stops, the noise fades. It’s also a spark for curiosity – kids come in the next day wanting to talk about something they read. Every book, fact or fiction, opens a door to something new.
It Shows Up in Test Scores
All of this adds up. Better words, sharper thinking, wider knowledge – it eventually shows in grades. I mention this not to add pressure, but because it confirms what I already see in the classroom: the habit works.
Why I Still Recommend It
Twenty minutes isn’t much to ask. But it’s one of the most powerful habits I know – for a child’s mind, their kindness, and their peace.
Twenty minutes really is enough.
By Reshma Gowramma Machamada
Educator at KALS.
