Christmas is approaching and it is already time to buy gifts for the children. Parents, who are already looking for gifts for their children, know this well. In fact, according to a consumer study carried out by DaWanda, an online market for hand-made products, 29% of Spaniards have chosen this year to give original gifts, 19% have chosen clothing, 15% will give away products electronics and 12% have chosen other types of items. Another survey, this time carried out by holaMOBI, ensures that this Christmas one out of two parents plans to give their children a mobile device.

In general, to choose a children’s gift, most parents look among the items that children have asked Santa Claus and the Kings Magicians or decide to satisfy the needs of the little ones, even if they are not part of their requests. However, there is a very special gift that is not usually included in letters to Santa Claus and the Three Kings and that most parents overlook, despite being an educational and economical alternative: books.

Why buy your child a book for Christmas?

1. They enhance social skills

A study carried out by researchers at the University of Toronto revealed that books stimulate social skills and, especially, empathy. In practice, reading encourages children to put themselves in the place of the characters to understand their inner world, a skill that little by little they learn to transpose to the real world. In fact, said study found that children who read more frequently have an easier time putting themselves in the shoes of others, listening to them and being more understanding.

2. It favors concentration

Reading not only involves the organs of sight, but also different cognitive processes. In fact, when children read, different brain areas responsible for recognizing words and giving them meaning are activated, in order to understand them within the general context. It is a process that requires maintaining focused attention on reading and, therefore, a wonderful exercise to develop concentration in children from an early age.

3. They stimulate creativity and imagination

A study carried out at the University of Washington affirms that when children read, the same areas in their brains “turn on” that would be activated if they executed the action in reality. In fact, another piece of research published in the journal Psychological Science revealed that children can mentally simulate the situations they read in books, an exercise that favors their imagination and creativity, while enriching your arsenal of experiences and knowledge.

4. They improve language

This has been shown by research carried out by the University of Essex, in the United Kingdom, which found that the earlier children begin to read, the more they develop their language skills. In fact,early reading has been shown to stimulate the growth of the brain’s gray matter and increase the number of neurons,which favors expressive language, both verbal and written.

5. They develop learning

Books not only allow children to appropriate new knowledge but also stimulate the cognitive processes that are the basis of learning. In fact, it has been shown that children who read often are able to better understand abstract concepts and recognize cause-effect relationships more easily than those who do not read frequently. This is because reading stimulates the neural connections involved in the development of abstract thinking.

Three children’s books that you can give your children for Christmas

1. The little (and big) emotions of life, by Montse Gisbert

This is a very simple but at the same time very profound children’s book that deals with human emotions. Its common thread is a story that is based on situations of everyday life to give way to the representation of different emotions. Without a doubt, it is a very suggestive and particularly useful work to help children understand and deal with their emotions as well as those of others.

2. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

What child has not tried to measure the love they feel for others? It is a natural tendency that encourages little ones to quantify feelings, and this book is a perfect tool to teach them that love is much more than a simple sum. It is one of those stories that is read from cover to cover. end in the blink of an eye and that will leave you with a beautiful lesson about love and feelings.

3. Gloria Fuertes Anthology for Children, by Gloria Fuertes

This is one of those lib rivers that will immediately captivate the little ones. It is a fun compilation of verses, rhymes, stories and musical games that they will surely learn quickly. In addition, the book is illustrated with beautiful drawings that invite you to embark on an imaginary journey. Without a doubt, it is an excellent excuse to introduce the little ones to the world of poetry.