From Ronda’s Front Porch to Yours
This week marked the first official week for children to be out of school in Scurry County. Parents are looking for activities to keep children entertained and engaged. This can still be especially challenging with current social distancing guidelines, however there are many activities families can enjoy together.
Summertime is a great time to begin a summer reading program for all ages of children. Childhood literacy has so many benefits and can also provide a great form of entertainment. Literacy is an essential element to a child’s development and opens the door to a brighter future. Let’s look at some statistics from the Literacy Project Foundation to support the need for childhood literacy.
• Currently, 45 million Americans are functionally illiterate and can’t read above a fifth-grade reading level.
• 50 percent of adults cannot read a book written at an eighth-grade reading level.
• 1/3 of fourth graders reach the proficient reading level.
• 25 percent of students in U.S. school systems are able to perform basic reading skills.
Reading is proven to assist with brain and cognition development.
Did you know the following statistics?
• By age 2, a child’s brain is as active as an adult’s brain.
• By age three, the brain is more than twice as active and stays that way for the first 10 years of life.
• Cognitive processes develop rapidly in the first few years of life. The brain is roughly 85 percent developed by age 3.
• According to the Department of Education, generally the more students read or are read to for fun, on their own and at home, the higher their reading scores.
• Children who are read to at least three times a week, by a family member, are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading, compared to children who are read to less than 3 times a week.
Reading also helps develop social and cultural awareness. You might be surprised to know the following statistics;
• 37 percent of children arrive at kindergarten without the necessary skills for lifetime learning.
• One-in-six children who aren’t reading proficiently in 3rd grade don’t graduate from high school on time.
• A child is 90 percent more likely to remain a poor reader at the end of 4th grade if the child is a poor reader at the end of first grade.
• About half of children between birth and five years are read to every day by their parents or other family members.
Why not start a summertime adventure and tradition of reading. It is easy and can be fun. For more resources and tips for a reading with children visit us on our Facebook page at Scurry County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.