You have a shelf full of award winning children’s books and yet your child or one of the children you care for wants to hear the Monster at the end of this Book for the thousandth time. Sound familiar? If so, and you can hardly stand to hear yourself read the words one more time, take heart! Hearing the same story over and over is not only cherished by young children, it’s a powerful way to develop their cognitive, emotional, and linguistic skills. Recent research has emphasized the profound benefits of repetitive reading including how it builds brain power and fosters essential skills in an engaging and accessible way. Let’s explore a few ways repeated reading benefits young children:
Perhaps the most significant advantage of repeated reading is the development of language skills. According to a study by Hsin et al. (2020), reading the same book multiple times helps children learn new vocabulary and reinforces their understanding of sentence structure, syntax, and grammar. By reading a book multiple times, these elements become more familiar which supports children’s retention and deeper understanding of language. This is particularly beneficial for young children because it helps them connect spoken and written language, building their linguistic foundation from an early age (Hsin et al., 2020).
It also enhances comprehension skills. When children hear the same story over and over, they begin to anticipate and predict the plot which can foster greater engagement and participation in the reading experience. Plot predictability allows children to shift their focus to deeper aspects of the story including its emotional tone or the relationship between characters. This can build a more nuanced understanding of the material (Sénéchal et al., 2021). Repeated exposure to stories also helps children increase their memory and recall skills as they become more familiar with the content and the themes of a book (Sénéchal et al., 2021).
Reading a book multiple times offers social and emotional benefits as well. Hearing a favorite book multiple times provides children a sense of comfort and security which can support them to navigate emotional challenges and build empathy. For example, stories with themes of friendship, conflict resolution, or personal growth offer children tools for understanding their own emotions and relate to others (Vukovich et al., 2023).
Finally, repeated book reading builds familiarity which allows children to engage with it in various ways over time as they grow. Children often focus on a book’s pictures first, then they may follow the story or memorize parts of it, and then they may start to identify themes or motifs across different books. This progression enhances their critical thinking and analytical skills, preparing them for more complex narratives and learning experiences as they grow (Wang & Chang, 2022).
As recent studies continue to demonstrate, the simple yet powerful practice of repeated book reading is a foundational element of early learning. It offers a variety of cognitive, linguistic, and emotional benefits to young children including strengthening language development, enhancing comprehension, fostering social-emotional skills, and promoting security with the reading process.
Lynne Hall is a research associate at the Indiana Institute on Disability & Community’s Early Childhood Center. She holds a Master of Science in Education and an Indiana instructional teaching license (Early Childhood Education and Services; Elementary/Primary Generalist; Elementary/Intermediate Generalist). She formerly taught preschool in a variety of settings for over 15 years. Her expertise includes early literacy instruction, equitable strategies, and inclusive preschool classroom practices. Email her at hallma@iu.edu
References
Hsin, C. T., Wu, S. Y., & Chen, H. C. (2020). The role of shared reading in early language development: A meta-analysis. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 53, 126-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.02.001
Sénéchal, M., Thomas, E. M., & Monette, S. (2021). Repeated reading and early literacy development: Evidence from a longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(5), 916-928. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000425
Vukovich, J. M., Cummings, R. M., & Walker, S. L. (2023). Emotional development through repeated reading in early childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 17(1), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12355
Wang, M., & Chang, C. (2022). The benefits of repeated storytelling: Cognitive and affective outcomes in early childhood. Early Education and Development, 33(3), 456-473. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2022.2039051
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