Reading to dogs — or other support animals, from cats to lizards to beloved stuffies — can help kids build confidence and fluency while reducing stress.
Sound silly? We’ve got science to back up the benefits. Scholastic spoke with Linda C. Mayes, M.D., to understand the research behind reading support animals and learn how parents can encourage their kids to read to their pets.
Dr. Mayes is a developmental pediatrician at the Yale School of Medicine, where she leads the Yale Child Study Center. She’s also the author of The Educator’s Guide to Understanding Child Development.
Here’s what Dr. Mayes has to say.
What Is a Reading Support Animal?
“A reading support animal is a pet that a child reads to whether that is in the class or in the home,” says Dr. Mayes. “Instead of a child reading to a baby brother or sister, the child could be reading to a pet, such as a dog or a cat.”
Dr. Mayes says that there are extensive bodies of work on the benefits of human and animal interactions, as well as on how animals can serve in therapeutic roles. She notes that dogs are the most common type of therapy animal, “as it takes a particular temperament” to be successful in this role.
Want some dog-themed reads that your audience will appreciate? Try Pig the Pug, Noodle the Cavoodle, or Love Puppies!
How Can These Animals Support Readers?
From building confidence to developing fluency, kids can gain many skills by reading to dogs and other support animals. Plus, reading to a book buddy can really help kids develop a reading routine – something that will help them even after they leave read-aloud days behind.
Some of the benefits of reading to your dog come simply from reading aloud. However, there’s also the nonjudgmental and supportive aspect of making your pupper your child’s reading partner. Dogs are excellent at giving their people their full attention, something that can be enormously beneficial to kids during read-alouds.
They’re also terrific stress busters.
“Animals help reduce stress by offering humans a calming presence,” says Dr. Mayes. “This can help people feel more relaxed and present in the moment.”
“Reading to animals is an extension of this calming feeling,” she adds. “Specifically, children may feel anxious or scared when reading in front of others for fear of making a mistake. An animal is a non-judgmental and accepting presence.”
Reading support animals, Dr. Mayes says, will never tell a child, “‘No, you didn’t pronounce this right,’ or ‘Slow down, you are reading too fast.’ Animals can give children a chance to practice in a way that makes them feel better about themselves and more confident.”
Dr. Mayes notes that Scholastic research shows that “stories are a powerful mechanism for building resilience skills and helping young people develop empathy and cultivate other social-emotional skills. Anytime you can get a child reading, you help a child develop these powerful skills that will serve them through life.”
How Can Families Get Kids to Read Aloud to a Pet?
Some young readers struggle with reading aloud at home or in class, either because of shyness or lack of confidence in their reading ability. Having kids read to their pets (or a stuffie stand in!) can help with this, especially if parents are intentional about fostering opportunities to connect.
“Make the reading circumstance fun,” suggests Dr. Mayes. “Think of a time when you felt anxious. If you know you are going into a situation that you are dreading, you know you won’t do as well as if you were looking forward to it. If children have the experience that this is something they feel good about and enjoy, whether it is a human or animal attending to them, then they will more likely love to read.”
It’s OK if you feel a little silly encouraging your child to read to their pet, says Dr. Mayes. It can help to remember that even if the animal doesn’t understand exactly what they’re hearing, they’re still “in interaction with the child,” Dr. Mayes says.
Readers of all ages and reading levels can get in on the read-aloud action! With your assistance, littles can enjoy Clifford the Big Red Dog, while emerging readers will love BOB Books: Buddy to the Rescue Level 1 Reader.
What Kind of Environment Supports Reading Aloud to an Animal?
Your furry family friend may have no trouble focusing on their beloved human during reading sessions. But that doesn’t mean that your young reader will find it similarly easy to focus.
Dr. Mayes offers some practical suggestions to create an environment that’s supportive for read-alouds:
- Minimize distractions — turn off the TV and other screens
- Be mindful of other sounds
- Occupy other kids — ask a parent or family member to engage them, or ask them to go outside
Ultimately, if you can’t find a quiet place, Dr. Mayes says that’s OK.
“You could imagine a three- to four-year-old learning how to read in the back of a car, reading to a baby sister or brother in the car seat,” she says. “Encouraging them to read wherever you can is important not just for academic development, but overall development as well. We know from research that children who are frequent readers fared better in terms of their self-reported mental health.”
If Families Don’t Have a Pet at Home, Can a Beloved Stuffed Animal Suffice?
Not every family has pets. Some kids (and adults!) have allergies, others have circumstances that make it difficult to commit to a pet care schedule.
But even if you don’t have a furry animal at home, you can find a reading support animal that will work for your family. This might mean reading to a beloved lizard or fish or even pressing a stuffy into service as a dedicated audience.
“The principle is that anything that helps a child feel more confident and less anxious is going to be a good thing,” says Dr. Mayes. “The great thing about animals is that they are completely accepting. They won’t judge or correct a child. Essentially, a stuffed animal offers that same feeling.”
Dr. Mayes adds that the research shows that a commitment to literacy and a love of reading can support mental health, including self-esteem and empathy, as well as physical health and academic success.
Reading can also develop imagination: “When you think about the famous comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, Hobbes is an imaginary character. Calvin reads to him and they do all sorts of things together.”
“Imagination serves many roles,” Dr. Mayes says. “Cognitively, it helps children anticipate what might be before something happens and helps them create their own internal world. As adults, sometimes we daydream to help calm us. The same is true for children.”
Imagination can also help kids develop problem-solving skills and learn to manage their emotions.
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