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Reading to your child is one of the most valuable things you can do as a parent. However, research has revealed that one in 10 parents of primary school children never read to them.

And the news gets worse; parents often stop reading to their children once they start school and begin to be able to read by themselves.

It has been found that a love of reading is one of the single most important elements that contribute to a child's academic success, ahead of wealth or class.

In light of this, you'd think most parents would be making the effort, but this couldn't be further from the truth. The average time spent reading with children is 10 to 15minutes, compared to an average of one hour and 29 minutes of watching TV.

Here we look at how children learn and develop through being read to, give you some tips on how to read to them and recommend some great books to get you started.

Why is reading to kids so important?
Reading to your children will encourage them to want to learn to read themselves. Books expose kids to stories and situations that might not come up in real life - so they're learning as they're listening.

Children learn to read by putting together letters that match up with sounds they remember. They learn the sounds that letters make - then they learn how letters join together to make words.

It's common for children to want to listen to the same story again and again. This might be a little difficult for parents, but it's actually an important developmental stage, as hearing the same story repeatedly builds confidence and familiarity with words and phrases.

Children love to get their parent's undivided attention - and when you read to them that's just what they get.

Research has also shown that continuing to read to children after they have learnt to read themselves will encourage them to have a continued interest in books, stories and reading.

When should you start?
Even babies love language; they adore being sung to or read to. So start early. Get your child used to having books around the house. Try fabric or board books for babies - you'll find they soon learn to turn the pages.

I don't have time!
Schedule story time into your day; perhaps two stories at bedtime, or after lunch. Vary who reads to your child, perhaps mum during the week, dad at the weekend, and ask grandparents to read whenever they visit. If you remind yourself how important it is, you should find the time.

I hate reading aloud!
Many parents worry that they're not good at reading aloud. Don't worry, your child won't notice. Plus, the more practice you get, the better you'll be. Try reading the book yourself before you read it aloud.

It's easier to read out loud it you're familiar with the story, plus you can make sure the book is suitable. Make sure you're both comfy and relaxed, curl up on the sofa together, or lie on the bed. Make sure your child can see the pages and illustrations as you read them.

Tips for reading aloud
- Read slowly
- Try and use different voices for different characters
- Point at the pictures as they become relevant to the story
- Ask questions about the pictures, such as 'where is the cat in this picture?' or 'how many rabbits can you see?'
- Follow the text with your finger as you read
- Get your child to join in with books they're familiar with - or books with recurrent themes
- Talk to them about the story - ask them what they liked about it
- Choose books with flaps, pop-ups, different textures etc to encourage the child to interact with the book and maintain their interest
- Join the library
- Joining your local library gives you free access to hundreds of books. Make visiting the library a part of your weekly routine - say on a Saturday morning - and let your children choose books that interest them. Most libraries run story times, where the children's librarian or a special guest will read aloud.

Learning to read
Here are some tips on how to help your child learn to read, while you're reading to them.

- Pick out rhyming words; for instance which is the odd one out - cat, mat, dog?
- Get your child to identify the first letter of each sentence, or ask them to pick out words that begin with certain letters.
- Point out words when you're out and about - for instance in the supermarket, or road signs.
- Follow the words with your finger as you read, so they can see which word you're reading. As they become more confident, follow the words with their finger.

The importance of reading is perhaps best summed up by prolific children's author Jacqueline Wilson: "What I want to do is to try as hard as I can to get others hooked on books. Read to children when they're very little. Even with a baby a totally simple book will help right throughout small childhood, so by the time they can read themselves they associate reading with fun and laughter. Adults shouldn't stop reading to children even when they can read themselves. They become hooked for life!"

* Research referred to was conducted by the publisher Pearson

- Lost for words: Help for parents