I began reading to my children while they were still in the womb. I am an avid children’s books lover. Reading to my children has always been a part of our life. It is never too early to begin reading with your child. There are great benefits from reading to your baby.
Babies are full of curiosity and learning. The world is new to them and they want to discover it. What better way for your child to learn about the things around him than from reading books? From being read to, babies learn to listen and respond to language. They learn to look at pictures and focus on detail. Babies learn to connect words to pictures. When exposed to books, babies increase fine motor skills by learning to grasp and hold books and turn pages. Many books also allow books to learn various textures. When you read to your baby, your baby begins to associate books with a very comfortable and special experience.
Not all books are suitable for babies. When choosing a book to read to your baby, you should consider the following:
· How is the book made? Babies like to explore items through taste and touch. Choose books that can withstand your baby’s exploration. Vinyl, cloth, and board books are appropriate for babies. Choose both large and small board books. Smaller books are easier for your baby to hold but he may find the large pictures in bigger board books appealing.
· What content is in the book? Naturally, your baby will not need a lot of text. At this stage, pictures are far more important. Choose books that have bright, vivid pictures. Babies like pictures of faces, animals, and everyday objects that they have seen. Many books for babies have one picture and a label for the picture on each page.
Related Articles
Finding Books for Family Storytime
Top 10 Read-Alouds for Infants and Toddlers