There are many benefits to growing up bilingual. Not only do you have a unique ability to communicate in more than one language, but you can easily integrate into other communities. Moreover, you also have more employment opportunities, and you can get certifications that illustrate your fluency in languages. Furthermore, you can use these certifications on your resume, making you a more appealing candidate for many businesses. As our world becomes more globalized, there’s a higher demand for bilingual or multilingual speakers. Bilingual speakers also have various other benefits. Studies show bilingualism promotes executive brain function. Enhanced brain functions allow bilingual speakers to organize, plan, and concentrate while blocking out irrelevant information.

Moreover, there are benefits to growing up bilingual instead of picking up another language later in life. Children who grow up exposed to two languages develop cognitive advantages that aid them. Studies show that these children develop better accents, more diversified vocabulary, and higher grammatical proficiency. In addition, they also have better skills in real-time language processing.  

Why You Should Read Bilingual Books to Your Kids

Reading bilingual books to your kids, or encouraging them to read bilingual books, can have several benefits. Here are some ways these books can prove fruitful:

Primetime for Language Learning

While it’s never too late to learn a new language, studies show that ages 2 and 5 are the prime time for language learning. These ages are the period where children are most impressionable to external input. Therefore, you should consider utilizing this time to help your child become bilingual.

Enhancing Vocabulary

Books are an excellent way to enhance your child’s literacy skills and help them develop a more diversified vocabulary base. Research shows that just fifteen minutes of bedtime reading can make a big difference in your child’s vocabulary. Reading bilingual books allows them to develop vocabulary in both languages. Moreover, bilingual books can help them understand syntax and grammar across languages. In addition, children can assess different concepts and sentence structures in language and learn how to transition between languages fluently.

Better Problem-Solving Skills

According to a study by Harvard University researchers, bilingual books can help your child develop better cognitive and problem-solving skills. According to the study’s findings, when faced with a problem, children who speak two or more languages are likelier to find more solutions to the problem compared to their monolingual counterparts.

Increased Empathy

Learning a second language gives children an insight into a new culture. Children who learn a second language will learn about the countries it’s spoken in, the food people living in those countries consume, and more. Gaining such insight can help broaden a child’s mind and makes them more open-minded. 

In addition, reading bilingual stories allows your child to envision themselves in the character’s shoes. They can learn to see the world from the character’s perspective, thereby raising their empathy. Studies also corroborate this notion as findings reveal that children who speak two languages are more empathetic.