Disappointing number of parents not reading to children

A fifth of parents with young children cannot see the point in reading when their little ones cannot walk or talk, it has been revealed.

The survey, which All Top Books carried out on parents with offspring under the age of five, also found that 25 per cent of mums and dads do not have time for, struggle with, or do not enjoy reading with their children.

He added that the survey results were "disappointing" and "concerning" and stressed that reading will enable children to "grow, develop and bond with their parents".

Children as young as four months old can show an interest in books, while those who cannot talk can often make the sound of an animal when they see its picture, he claimed.

Youngsters whose parents have read aloud to them often display a superior level of language and literacy at school than those whose have not, a study in the Archives of Disease in Childhood reported.

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