Baby Talk - 7/4/19

Reading to baby provides the following benefits.

• One-on-one time – Reading to your newborn provides a special time for you and baby to bond. Additionally, your voice is soothing to baby.

• Preparation for reading – Although baby does not understand the content of what you are reading, the rhythm, tone, and inflection of your voice is perceived by baby.

• Exposure to emotions – The inflection of your voice as you read to baby expresses your emotion – the sound of excitement, surprise, or even the voice of a character.

• Visual perception – Over the first few months of life, newborns gain the ability to focus on patterns, colors, and shapes. Looking at picture books allows baby to develop visual acuity.

Baby will listen and watch as you read, so if you tire of baby books, you can really read anything to baby. Occasionally, my mom would read her textbooks to me since she was in graduate school when I was a baby. I loved it!!

What suggestions do you have for reading to baby? Please, share.