A new survey conducted by YouGov for the non-profit Read Aloud 15 Minutes finds that fewer than half of parents read aloud to their children every day, and only 34% do so for at least 15 minutes. Fewer than one in 10 parents reported reading aloud daily for 15 minutes from birth, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Read Aloud 15 Minutes is a national non-profit organization that is working to make reading aloud every day for at least 15 minutes the new standard in child care. “The place to address the readiness crisis in this country is at the beginning,” says Dr. Candace Kendle, the non-profit’s president and co-founder. “Every parent reading aloud to every child for 15 minutes from birth.”
The survey underscores that most parents – 59% – believe in the benefits of reading aloud, but it also highlights the fact that many parents don’t make it a priority. Nearly 40% of parents who aren’t reading aloud said they just “can’t find time in the day.”
Other key findings:
For more details about the survey and to view the full survey report, please click here. Visit www.readaloud.org for a variety of resources and tips for reading aloud.