Baby Talk - Reading to your Child

Reading to your little one on a regular basis provides several benefits. The research shows that it is never too early to start reading to your child.

• Quiet reading time easily equates to bonding time with you child. This is a special time that allows you to give your undivided attention to your child. In addition to exposing baby to the sound of your voice, reading provides a certain level of intimacy with your little one.

• Over the first few months of life, as baby’s eyes are developing and beginning to focus, “reading” picture books provides visual stimulation. Baby is exposed to various patterns, shapes, and colors, which over time, allows for easier recognition.

• Ample research indicates that the more words a baby hears, the better prepared to start reading on her/his own. Children who were read to have larger and more advanced vocabularies. One study that I researched estimated that children who are read to every day are exposed to approximately 78,000 words each year, which is 1.4 million words heard during story time over their first five years of life. Impressive!

• When reading becomes part of the family routine, it conveys that reading is fun. I was always surprised as I went through school and even today, when I hear people say they hate to read or that it is a chore. I personally find it quite enjoyable!

In a pinch, you can read anything to newborns and still gain these benefits. My Mom was in graduate school and working full-time when I was born, so near midterms and finals she read her textbooks to me. I did not seem to care, smiling, cooing, and “listening” as she read to me!

What suggestions and experiences have you had reading with your little one? Please, share.