You have heard about it, and you are probably thinking of doing it, but you are not sure how to start reading to your child. Do you pick them up, select a book, and start reading or precisely what do you do?
Every parent has heard of the importance of reading to their child. Like us, you must have heard that starting early is essential. But that does not stop you from feeling a little silly while reading to an infant; neither does it reduce the frustration that comes with trying to get your toddler to settle down for a story.
We have been there, but one thing we have learned is they learn something new at every stage, which makes reading vital for their brain stimulation and development. Before we discuss the benefits of reading to your little one, let’s first demystify the issue.
Why read to your baby?
Parents have different goals when they start reading to their kids. But reading to a four months old is said to increase the chance you will continue reading together when they are older.
Reading is also an excellent way to develop your child’s language root in their brain even before they begin speaking! The more words your little one hears the more words they learn, and the faster they learn the words.
Reading is a one-on-one activity you can turn into special time with your little munchkin from the time they are infants. The sound of your voice is soothing for them, and reading is an excellent way to expose them to it. Reading helps foster intimacy with your baby and makes the bond you have tighter.
When should you start reading to your baby?
This question is relative. We started reading to our son immediately after he was born, but some parents prefer to start when their babies are at least four months old. It boils down to your preference. These general guidelines of the type of books to read will come in handy in helping you choose the right age and the right books for your baby.
Birth to six months
During this age, it’s best to start with chunky board books, soft fabric books, and vinyl bath books. You might think that your little one is too young to understand the story, but they enjoy the sound of your voice and the company.
You will notice them start to smile, widen their eyes, and calm down when they know its storytime. As they grow, your kid will want to explore the book by grabbing it and chewing its corners. Also, your little one may not have the patience to listen to the full story. If they start to look away, arch their back, close their eyes or cry, it’s time to stop and do something different.
Six to nine months
These kids tend to enjoy short, simple stories that are filled with colorful illustrations. Broad books are typically perfect for them. Your little one will also be more deliberate in their interaction with books. they will want to open and close, and mouth the book.
By month nine, they will be able to recognize certain books and pictures, and if a book is their favorite, they will light up when you pick it. This is a clear sign of their interest. It shows they are interested in exploring books, which is great.
Nine to eighteen months
Kids most prefer broad books with simple stories full of rhymes and repeat phrases. Toddlers love stories with pictures of other babies and one with familiar objects such as shapes and animals. If you have been reading to them, your little one will probably have a go-to book she loves.
This stage is perfect for engaging your child in the reading session. Since they can speak and express their opinion to some extent, ask them simple questions about pictures. For instance, where are the froggies? Watch if your little one can identify or gesture.
Eighteen to twenty-four months
Longer stories with intricate plot work for kids this age. Humor and sill rhymes are still a great idea and will be welcome. Kids this age love to be on the move, so don’t be surprised if they keep running away during reading time and coming back to listen.
You can connect your little one’s energy with the story by asking them to hop like a rabbit. Your kid will also label objects in the books and even exclaim when they see something familiar. A great way to include your munchkin in the reading process is allowing them to turn the pages and discuss what is happening in the picture before you move along. Keep asking questions about the book.
Twenty-four to thirty-six months
By this time, your little one is ready for books with regular pages. They are also more open to books with an engaging plot. Non-fiction stories about animals, season, professions are of great interest to your child. Because their brains are more developed, ask some complex questions such as how the little girl is felt when her friend refused to share the doll.
By age three, most kids can recite the story and tell you what’s happening in the picture. Toddlers still love repetition, so don’t be surprised if they want to hear the same story every time.
Why is reading to your baby important
Supports their cognitive development
Reading is proven to help a child’s cognitive development, which is the emergence of the ability to think and understand. Cognitive development also includes the construction of the thought process, remembering, problem-solving, and decision-making process.
Reading to your child provides a background knowledge helping them make sense of what they see, hear, and learn. Research shows that it’s the talk that surrounds reading helps your kid bridge what is happening in the story and their own lives.
Improved language skills
Reading helps in language acquisition and literacy skills. Reading stimulates your child’s brain, allowing them to understand the meaning of language which comes in handy by building key language, literacy, and social skills.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that more than one in three American kids start kindergarten without the skills needed to learn. However, reading is found to help your munchkin connect visual imagery with an understanding of what’s happening in the picture as their brain activity is fired up.
Prepares your child for academic success
The more words your child has in their language world, the more words they learn and the stronger their leaning skills when they reach kindergarten. This prepares them better to read, and the better they read and understand, the higher the chance they will graduate high school.
Numerous studies have shown that if you read for your child before pre-school, you increase their chances to do well at school. When you read to your child, they develop five skills according to the University of Michigan.
- Phonemic awareness-they can hear, identify, and play with individual sounds
- Phonics– they can connect written letters with spoken sounds
- Vocabulary– they learn how to communicate effectively
- Reading comprehension– understand and get meaning from what they read
- Fluency– read accurately and quickly
These skills are encountered during elementary school, but reading help jumpstart their awareness and lays a building block for their success. Picture books, for instance, allow your child to focus on learning shapes, letter, and colors from a young age.
Creates a special bond with your child
When we started reading to our son, we noticed that he loved to cuddle during the session as he listened to my voice or my wife’s voice. This has helped foster a stronger relationship with him. It’s a great way to spend time with him and feel close to him.
We have used reading to set up regular event sharing time where we all enjoy the time. We generally read before afternoon nap time, and we have started noticing our son getting excited when he knows it’s almost story time. The cue is usually a bath and a song as we pick out a book from the shelve.
For older kids, you can use this time to share experiences with your child and talk about real-life issues and experiences they could be going through. Books are an excellent way to provide meaningful discussions about different topics.
Increased concentration and discipline
Little children find it challenging to sit still and listen, but regular reading sessions will encourage discipline and foster their concentration. Toddlers are especially notorious, but with a few tricks, you will notice a change in behavior as they learn to sit still and listen.
Besides strong self-discipline and a longer attention span, your child develops longer memory retention, which helps them excel at school.
Improves imagination and creativity
Children are born with the inherent capability to dream big and use their imagination. As you read aloud to your kid, they use their imagination to explores events, places, and people that are beyond their experience opening all kinds of new worlds for them.
Cultivates a lifelong love of reading
Every time you spend reading to your child, you send a pleasure signal to their brain, which associates reading with pleasure. This lays grounds for their success in life. According to development coaches, a person’s ability to expand their mind and strive for learning is critical to their success since learning is a minimum requirement for success.
Reading is the key to lifelong learning. Instilling this love by reading aloud to your child set them up for lifelong learning and success. Children who learn to value books are motivated to read on their own and will continue to do so throughout life.
How exactly should you read to your baby?
Pick a book, hold your baby, and read. Well, it’s not that simple. As kids grow, they are at different development stages, and your reading needs to reflect this. For instance, infants just want to hear your voice, so reading soothingly will work out great for them.
Toddlers, on the other hand, are more engaged, which might need you to use different tones and styles to demonstrate the different characters and actions in the book. An infant will cry when you exclaim a “boom” in the book, but a toddler will likely mimic you or laugh out loud.
If you are going to be reading before bedtime, be careful not to excite your little one too much. The more excited they are before bed, the harder it will be for them to fall asleep.
What if they want to chew on the book?
This is common with younger kids as they try to explore the world of books with their sense. They will reach for the book or try to grab it, which is developmentally appropriate. However, don’t encourage them to eat their books.
You can give your little one something to chew on like a teether or a carrot to keep their mouths busy, and their minds focused on the book. Does this mean they will leave the book alone?
Probably not, at least not the first few times. The more you redirect your child, the more the neurons in their brains make the connection that books are meant to be read and not eaten. Remember to go with your child’s pace. If they are too distracted, try reading a different time instead of forcing them to listen.
How often should you read?
There is no specific time stipulated, but it’s generally better to read every day. The more time you spend cultivating the reading habit, the more you and your child enjoy it. Your little one eventually learns to associate reading with pleasure, which makes reading time pleasant for both of you.
Warren Buffet, a successful business mogul, was asked the key to success and he pointed to a stack of books and said that knowledge builds up like compound interest. Books are a gateway to knowledge, learning, and entertainment. Learning never stops, but the first stepping stone is found in the stories you read aloud to your little one as an infant. While it may seem boring and a bother in the fast-paced world we live in, it is crucial to set aside some time to read to our kids.
The benefits greatly outweigh any challenge the process may pause as reading will impact your child’s life, even as an adult. We should strive to read to our kids as often as we can and use the time to teach them valuable life skills, as well as connect with them and share experiences.