1. First of all, reading makes kids empathetic and fosters emotional Intelligence by putting them in other people shoes, Epics are long soulful stories with stories of many characters involved within the main story. It is from another time in history yet relatable now and so gives a deeper perception of Human nature for the kids.
Emotional Intelligence and self-knowledge are core futuristic skills needed for our kids.
2. They learn and assimilate better with an adult guiding, questioning and discussing with them. This actively improves critical thinking, a skill that is scarce yet most sought after by all employers and even to be an entrepreneur.
3. They become better at listening, are entertained, get relaxed (this is testimonial from my Kaya kids logging in enthusiastically night after night without prompting from the parents).
4. Reading is one of the most effective activities for personal development by far to be practiced consistently and it distinguishes us humans from animals. Self-study is also one of the internal ethics (Niyama) prescribed in Yoga practice.
Iyama (External Ethics), Niyama (Internal Ethics) and Asana are the aspects of yoga most suitable for practice for the kids. However, these foundational practices are overlooked in most modern teachings of Yoga.
5. Besides these the academic benefits are huge like better vocabulary, writing skills, focus and concentration, knowledge, improved memory to mention just a few.