Reading aloud may seem simple, even ordinary, but its impact on a child’s development is extraordinary. In a world filled with screens, distractions, and fast-paced routines, the act of sitting down with a book and reading out loud creates something rare and powerful. It creates connection. When an adult reads to a child, they are not only sharing words on a page. They are sharing time, attention, emotion, and presence. Long before children can read independently, reading a