When to start? What are the benefits? Survey results on 'reading aloud' to children released!

KADOKAWA Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President & CEO: Tsuyoshi Natsuno) operates 'Yomeruba,' a web media site that supports children's reading and provides information to children, parents, and professionals who work with children.

Reading aloud is considered beneficial for a child's development and parent-child communication. While many parents know it is good, they often have concerns: Am I reading it well? Why won't my child focus? Why do they keep asking for the same book over and over? To address these questions, we conducted a survey of 812 Yomeruba members regarding 'reading aloud.' We share the results and your comments on when you started, what benefits you felt, and more. ● Survey Overview ・Survey Topic: Survey on reading aloud to children ・Method: Internet survey (posted on the Yomeruba website) ・Target: Yomeruba members ・Period: February 1, 2026 – February 28, 2026 ・Valid responses: 812 ※When using these survey results, please credit them as [Source: Yomeruba]. ● Survey Summary ・Over 90% have experience reading aloud! ・'Before bedtime' is the overwhelming favorite time for reading aloud. ・A variety of picture books are popular as children grow. 【Survey Results on Reading Aloud】 1. Have you ever read aloud to a child? When asked about their experience reading to their own children, 49.9% said they 'used to, but not anymore' and 43.9% said they 'currently read aloud,' showing that over 90% of respondents have experience reading to their children. Additionally, regarding reading aloud for work or volunteering, 19.6% said they 'have done so in the past' and 9.5% said they 'currently do so,' indicating that about 30% of respondents have experience reading aloud outside the home. 2. When do you start and stop reading aloud?