Fall in Love with Reading - Highlights for Children · that children put their coats on first and...

Help Your Baby Fall in Love with Reading

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Reading aloud really is one of the best gifts you can give your baby. It’s fun, free, and among the most effective ways to inspire your little one to become a lifelong reader. Reading aloud helps your baby learn new words, understand the difference between spoken and written language, and explore his larger world. In fact, reading to babies is so vital that the American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents to read to their newborns.

At first, your baby may not understand the words you say, but soon she will anticipate—and appreciate—the tone of your voice as you read with animation. She also will begin to associate reading with learning, delight, and comfort. She’ll love that close physical contact with you, which boosts the development of a secure emotional attachment, and she’ll look forward to your snuggle-up reading time as your special time together.

Hearing words helps to build a rich network of words in a baby’s brain. Believe it or not, by the time babies reach their first birthday, they will have learned all the sounds needed to speak their native language. The more stories you read aloud, the more words your little one will be exposed to and the better he’ll be able to talk.

When you read, your baby hears you using

Why It’s Important to Read Aloud

The more stories you read aloud, the more words your little one will be exposed to and the better he’ll be able to talk.many different emotions and expressive sounds, which helps foster her social and emotional development. Reading also invites your baby to look, point, touch, and answer questions—all of which promote social development and thinking skills. And your baby improves her language skills by imitating sounds, recognizing pictures, and learning words.

But perhaps the most important reason to read aloud is that it makes a connection between the things your baby loves the most—your voice and being close to you. Spending time reading to your baby shows that reading is a skill worth learning. And, if you read to your baby with joy and excitement, he’ll begin to associate reading with happiness—and a budding reader will be created.


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21IT’S JUST PLAIN SOOTHING.

Slot in time to read when you feel relaxed, have no interruptions, baby’s belly is full, and he’s alert and not cranky. Aim for low-key (not overly stimulating) time together. There’s no need to finish a book in a single session. You can skip around the text or just check out parts that interest your baby. If your newbie loses interest or gets fussy after a few minutes, put the book down and try again later.

IT CREATES TEACHABLE MOMENTS. Even the youngest babies respond to rhythm, rhyme, and repetition, which is why classic catchy poems (“Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” or “Jack and Jill”) are so appealing. Try short, rhythmic sentences with fun-to-say words or cute animal sounds to capture your baby’s interest.

IT LETS BABY PREVIEW EXCITING, NEW ADVENTURES. When you choose books about everyday experiences—a trip to the farm, fun at the park, or a drive to Grandma’s—you help your child make sense of the world around him.

IT MAKES LEARNING FUN AND STIMULATING. Many board books focus on colors, shapes, and letters instead of long, involved stories. Don’t bother to “teach” your baby at this point. Just encourage her to take in all the wonderful designs and pictures. There’s plenty of time for more challenging reading material later.

Hidden Benefits of Reading Out Loud

In addition to parent-child bonding, reading out loud has additional emotional benefits for you and your sweetie.


It’s a mantra you may have heard before: Read aloud to your children—early and often. But now it’s official. The American Academy of Pediatrics has begun urging parents to make reading a family activity starting in infancy. Of course, you don’t have to haul out the works of Shakespeare—the simpler the books are, the better. Yet this new advice does seem to point to a growing awareness that significant brain development occurs in the first three years of life—and the earlier you begin this activity, the more your baby will benefit.

Have a Newborn? Start Reading Reading connects the things your baby loves most—your voice and being close to you.

WHAT IS BABY LEARNING?Although it’s not obvious at first, as you read with cadenced tones, your

baby learns that words on the page go from left to right and that there is a word or group of words to describe each picture.

Point to the words on each page—that funny-looking combination of lines and squiggles. Use your finger to trace the words as you read them. Your toddler may soon memorize a rhyming text and even seem to “read” along with you as you go from word to word and from one page to another.

When your baby is developmentally ready, show her how to turn the pages one at a time—and praise her effort! The more you read, the more your child will learn about objects, animals, food, and actions. By a year and a half she may confidently be able to tell you that cows say moo and dogs say woof, and that children put their coats on first and mittens later. Show your little one how to handle books and treat them gently. And don’t be surprised if your cutie soon has a few special books she wants you to read over and over.

The earlier you begin this activity, the more your baby will benefit.


There are few things more adorable than a stack of colorful and engaging board books waiting at home for baby. But board books are much more than a design accessory. Ever since the American Academy of Pediatrics advised parents to ban television for children younger than age two—and more recently encouraged parents to read to

Tips for Happy Reading Time with Baby

their babies from birth—families are seek-ing to connect with their little ones over books. But what types of books appeal most to babies?

Enter board books, the durable—and less expensive—counterpart to traditional storybooks. According to experts, intimate moments spent sharing simple board books with baby help build listening and visual skills that form the basis for independent reading later on.

So what’s the best way to start reading to your baby and keep her interested?

Moments spent sharing simple board books with baby help build listening and visual skills that form the basis for independent reading later on.


For babies (ages 0–1)

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2SNUGGLE UP. Think of reading time as cuddle time—and make it a priority. Hold baby on your lap and read to him. He will associate reading with warm and cozy feelings.

KEEP IT SHORT. Look for books that have just a few pages and large, inviting illustrations or photos. This keeps baby engaged. Babies like looking at faces of people, familiar objects like balls or bottles, and especially photos of other babies.

MAKE IT PERSONAL. Use your normal voice. It’s familiar and comforting to your tot.

REPEAT YOURSELF. Choose books with rhymes and repetition. Babies love the way words sound.

POINT AWAY. Point to (and label) pictures—a kitty, a pup, a ball, a flower. Teach your baby that objects have names.

ENCOURAGE EXPLORATION. Babies learn by tasting and touching. Be sure to stash a collection of colorful, sturdy, age-appropriate books on your baby’s library shelf and allow her to “play” with them at will.


For toddlers (ages 1–2)

1USE YOUR FINGER. Use your finger to point to words as you read them. Demonstrate the process. Move your hand from left to right.

ADD SOME DRAMA. Help stories come alive by creating voices for all the characters.

MAKE IT PERSONAL. Chat about your own family, pets, or friends as you read about similar personalities in a story.

BOOST VERBAL SKILLS. Ask questions about the pictures, and encourage your toddler to ask you questions, too.

SAY YES TO MOVEMENT. Don’t worry if your toddler skips, romps, or tumbles as you’re reading. He may be moving, but the chances are he’s listening—so carry on.

MAKE BABY FEEL IMPORTANT. Substitute your child’s name for the name of the main character in her favorite story. Cast your little one as the featured player in a story you make up yourself.

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