Reading with Your Baby

Starting Early

It’s never too early to start your baby on the road to reading success. Language development is key. Babies are attuned to their parents’ voices before birth, and love to listen to their parents from birth on. The human voice is soothing to infants and they will become quiet and more attentive when their parent speaks directly to them. You can use this interest to set the groundwork for reading success. Be sure to talk to your baby in your own language, whatever that language might be. It is more natural, making it easier for you to express yourself. There will be time for your child to learn English later on.

Talk, Talk, Talk

It’s very important as well as educational to talk with infants as you take care of all the routines that are part of everyday life, such as feeding, diapering, bathing and rocking your child to sleep. As you change his diaper, tell your baby just what you are doing. Most parents automatically use a highpitched voice to talk with infants, and this is a tone that babies respond well to. Tell him you are going to change him, that you are taking off the dirty diaper, that the wipes will feel a little cold, and that he will soon feel clean and dry.

Sing Sing With Your Little One

Singing can help your child to develop language early and help with reading success. By hearing and learning simple songs like nursery rhymes, your child learns about rhythm and rhyming, two important concepts in early literacy. As your baby grows, she will soon begin to mimic the sounds you make as you sing. If you sing, “Twinkle, twinkle, little____,” she will say her version of “star.” Soon she will be supplying the last word of each line in the song; that is, all the rhyming words. She will have great fun learning in this way, and as soon as she is able, she will say endlessly, “again” or “more.” Using a rattle, a set of bells, or a toy drum, beat along to the rhythm of a song to further help develop his or her reading potential.

Books Are Wonderful Toys

Many books are available with pictures of infants and toddlers doing the things they do everyday. Babies love to look at pictures of other babies. Point to the pictures and tell your baby what the child in the book is doing. Watch as he sees the pictures, and talk about what you both see. Babies also love to see pictures of animals and hear the sounds that they make. Some of their earliest words and sounds may be these animal sounds. When very young, position your child on his tummy on the floor with an open book beside him so he can see the pictures. This gives him “tummytime”, so important for physical development.

As your baby grows and becomes able to hold onto things, give him books made of safe and durable materials, such as board books, cloth books and plastic books that can be used in the tub. You can even make little books with photographs of your baby and his friends and family. He will love to look at these special books. You might want to save them for special sharing times.

Make Reading Fun

Share books and reading activities with your baby when she is awake, alert and happy so that reading and language development are always good experiences. Avoid putting any pressure on your child and do not try to extend an activity when she is tired, hungry, uncomfortable, or bored. You will be amazed, as she grows, that your baby will learn to love books, will bring you favorite stories again and again, and will begin to take an interest in letters and words, as she begins to understand what the reading process is all about.