01 Jun READING TO BABIES
WHY READ TO BABIES?
Reading aloud to your baby helps. Through story time interactions, your baby will develop abilities — including language and social skills — to later advance his/her school learning. Plus, story time fosters a close emotional relationship between you and your baby. Ruth Anan, Director of the Early Childhood Program at Beaumont Hospital says babies learn to associate books with the pleasure of being with parents, and this pleasure will translate to a love of reading.
Starting to read to your baby at birth is ideal to establish a habit of reading but by 6 months you should begin reading to your baby daily. Although your baby is unable to make sense of what they hear at this age,their brain still receives stimulation. This early exposure to language will help your little ones become successful readers and writers. (yay!)
So set aside time every day to read with your baby, regardless of how old they are. There is no time limit to how long story time should last. For your little baby, the most important thing is the interaction with you — your voice, your embrace, and your scent. These components stimulate learning in babyhood.
By the age of 2 years, your child starts to expand his vocabulary. So, it’s very important that you carry out story time in a way that helps him/her learn more words. Research also shows that for children to become readers, they should talk and listen a lot. When your child listens to you read, he/she learns to recognize some speech sounds that make up the words and will later imitate the sounds and tones. The National Institute for Literacy suggests that even baby talk contributes to a child’s ability to understand language. And children who are not encouraged to talk often have problems trying to read.
Your child might not be able to sit still for long, and that’s normal, so for now, don’t force it. Try engaging your child in an interactive, enthusiastic reading and his/her ability to focus will grow.
Here are some tips from psychologist, Ruth Anan, to keep your child’s attention while reading:
1)Read before bedtime; it’s the time children learn to be less active.
2)Find books that stimulate your baby.Incorporate some movements, such as rocking, that harmonize with rhymes from a book.
Books can enhance overall knowledge by teaching concepts your child isn’t exposed to in daily life, such as fishing or farming. They also introduce your child to the logic of problem solving and creates moral awareness.
Studies suggest that being sensitive and responsive to a child’s cues is a key element in building a sense of security in a young child. Gaining an insight to your child’s interests helps you make the story-reading process more pleasant. Spending time with your child in a relaxed, pleasurable, shared activity such as reading, sends a message to your child that you like to do things together. Ultimately, your child will learn to feel safe and develop trust that fuels learning.
With all that being said, here at Boutique carousel we love to read! Some books in stock that will help your baby develop a passion for reading:
Dear Zoo
My First Words Sequin Book
My Sparkly Sequin Book
Wash Your Fins, Baby Shark
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
Paddington Treasury Book
HAPPY READING!
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