One reason young children are encouraged to read is because reading has strong, positive effects on the brain. Reading increases concentration and memory, improves language abilities and even grows brain cells in children, according to Scholastic. And it's not just children who benefit: According to Dr. Robert S. Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center, reading slows the process of cognitive decline in adults.
Reading has a positive effect on the body as well. Reading a book can relieve stress better than listening to music or taking a walk, according to research performed at the University of Sussex. Michele Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise physiology at Auburn University, was quoted in "Reader's Digest" as saying that people who read while exercising tend to work out longer and harder. And children who read a story and play out an action in their head -- such as kicking a ball -- show improved physical ability to perform that action in real life, according to Scholastic.