According to a study led by Dr. Helen Norman at the University of Leeds, fathers who regularly engage in interactive activities like reading, drawing, playing, storytelling, and singing with their young children significantly boost their kids’ academic success.

The research analyzed data from nearly 5,000 families in England as part of the Millennium Cohort Study, focusing on children born between 2000 and 2002. It found that when dads spent quality time with their three-year-olds, those children performed better in school by age five, and continued to show improved scores in Key Stage Assessments at age seven.

Importantly, the study revealed that this positive impact held true across all backgrounds, regardless of the child’s gender, ethnicity, household income, or age in the school year. While mothers were found to have a stronger influence on emotional and social development, fathers had a unique and direct effect on educational achievement. The researchers emphasized that even small amounts of daily interaction, just ten minutes a day, could make a meaningful difference.