Reading with young children is a fun, powerful social-emotional experience!
Secure relationships & connection. Shared reading is shared precious time together. Sitting close, using a warm voice, and following a child’s lead builds attachment, trust, and a sense of safety—key foundations for emotional wellbeing.
Emotional awareness and literacy. Stories introduce feelings in context. When adults name emotions (“He looks worried,” “She feels proud”), children learn to recognize, label, and understand emotions—their own and others’. This supports empathy and perspective-taking.
Communication & self-expression. Books give children language for big feelings and experiences they may not yet know how to express. Talking about characters’ choices helps children practice expressing thoughts, needs, and feelings. Reading stories also stimulates the imagination/creativity.
Self-regulation & calming. Reading develops skills for managing emotions. Stories help children begin to develop ways to settle their bodies and navigate emotional challenges.
Social understanding & problem-solving. Stories model friendships, conflict, repair, and kindness. Reading stories helps children learn about the world and builds social problem-solving skills.
Identity& belonging. Seeing themselves—and others—represented in books supports positive identity development and belonging. Let’s children know they are no alone in their feelings
Visit your local library for a great new book to share with your child. Your children’s librarian can help you find a book or check out the listing of book recommendations from PA’s Promise for Children to meet a specific interest!