Reading with one's child, no matter how young he or she is, is a true example of quality time. It helps build a close parent/child relationship and stimulates the baby's emotional and intellectual growth in a variety of ways. When parents recognize these benefits of reading to infants, they should make a point of incorporating this activity into their baby's day.
Shortly after birth, parents can begin reading to their new son or daughter. Simply hearing the familiar sound of the parent's voice and snuggling in their arms brings a sense of comfort and security to the baby, which helps create closeness and intimacy between the two.
Although at first, a baby will not have an understanding of what the words mean, the act of introducing these words can contribute a great deal to building a vocabulary. An awareness of the patterns of speech such as inflections, tone, and rhythm will also be picked up by the child as he or she listens. The more words they hear at this age, the easier it will be for them to learn to talk later on.
Besides the obvious connection to developing language skills, reading books to babies has also been found to stimulate their early mathematical and critical thinking abilities. It also helps the child learn to speak at an earlier age, babies who are less exposed to words, are often late talkers. As children gain an understanding of what they hear, they will start to respond in turn by showing enthusiasm.
Stories also introduce children to the abstract concept of emotions and feelings. This is apparent not only on an explicit level in the narrative of the book, but is also implied by the tone of the parent's voice. The significance of the visual aspects of a book should also be acknowledged, as the baby sees various colors, shapes, letters, and patterns, it helps further their sensory and cognitive processes.
Babies who have a regular "storytime" with mom or dad at a certain time each day, especially before bedtime, also tend to sleep more soundly through the night. It is a great way to unwind after a busy day's activity and can be very soothing. A tired baby may even drift off to sleep as he or she listens to the calming sound of the parent's voice.
Books selected for an infant need to be suitable for the child's age. The best picks are those which are more or less indestructible, made of materials such as cloth or vinyl or board books, since babies can be tough on them. They should feature simple verses, perhaps rhymes, familiar objects, bright colors, and even different tactile textures for the baby to touch.
Older babies will start to play a more active role in their own storytime as they begin to recognize pictures and sounds. They will point out and name objects, imitate sounds, and show a definite response to what they are hearing. These early literary experiences are essential for instilling a love of books and reading that can last for a lifetime.
Shortly after birth, parents can begin reading to their new son or daughter. Simply hearing the familiar sound of the parent's voice and snuggling in their arms brings a sense of comfort and security to the baby, which helps create closeness and intimacy between the two.
Although at first, a baby will not have an understanding of what the words mean, the act of introducing these words can contribute a great deal to building a vocabulary. An awareness of the patterns of speech such as inflections, tone, and rhythm will also be picked up by the child as he or she listens. The more words they hear at this age, the easier it will be for them to learn to talk later on.
Besides the obvious connection to developing language skills, reading books to babies has also been found to stimulate their early mathematical and critical thinking abilities. It also helps the child learn to speak at an earlier age, babies who are less exposed to words, are often late talkers. As children gain an understanding of what they hear, they will start to respond in turn by showing enthusiasm.
Stories also introduce children to the abstract concept of emotions and feelings. This is apparent not only on an explicit level in the narrative of the book, but is also implied by the tone of the parent's voice. The significance of the visual aspects of a book should also be acknowledged, as the baby sees various colors, shapes, letters, and patterns, it helps further their sensory and cognitive processes.
Babies who have a regular "storytime" with mom or dad at a certain time each day, especially before bedtime, also tend to sleep more soundly through the night. It is a great way to unwind after a busy day's activity and can be very soothing. A tired baby may even drift off to sleep as he or she listens to the calming sound of the parent's voice.
Books selected for an infant need to be suitable for the child's age. The best picks are those which are more or less indestructible, made of materials such as cloth or vinyl or board books, since babies can be tough on them. They should feature simple verses, perhaps rhymes, familiar objects, bright colors, and even different tactile textures for the baby to touch.
Older babies will start to play a more active role in their own storytime as they begin to recognize pictures and sounds. They will point out and name objects, imitate sounds, and show a definite response to what they are hearing. These early literary experiences are essential for instilling a love of books and reading that can last for a lifetime.
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