Reading To Your Infant
The day your baby comes into the world, he starts to learn. All of the conversations and interactions you have while caring for your child; playing with him and singing songs and lullabies assist in developing language skills. When you read with your infant, you are introducing her to a love of books and reading early on.
The following ideas are a handful of suggestions you can use to prepare your child to become a successful and happy reader. By trying these tips you will soon recognize what works best for your child.
Cuddle up while you are reading:
While you are cuddling with your child and thumbing through a book with him, he will begin to associate reading with warmth, security and your interesting reading voice. This is a great method to build your baby’s interest and love of reading while feeling safe and secure inside your arms.
Choose appropriate books for your new born:
The very best books for young babies are those that are bright and bold figures or with high-contrast illustrations as they are easier for young babies to comprehend and will hold their attention. Also, books made with cloth or “board books” with sturdy cardboard pages are easier for any baby to take handle safely. You may also want some soft plastic ones for bath time.
Always keep books within your baby’s reach:
Babies need books that are at their finger tips to allow them to hold and look at them. The first thing a baby will likely do with a book is what they do with their toys; put them in their mouths, that is what babies are designed to do. So put those “chewable” books at their reaching level and the others may be elevated to a higher shelf.
Continuously communicate with your baby:
Name and describe fruits and other items when shopping at the supermarket, comment on the weather when taking a walk, and relate the pictures in books to what you have observed on your outings. Ask your child questions. Your baby will learn words, ideas, and how language works by hearing you converse.
Your baby’s coos, gurgles, and sounds call for a response:
Sounds are your baby’s way to communicating with you and are the fundamental steps toward speech. Encourage your baby’s attempts to mimic you; the more your baby practices making sounds, the more clarity she or he will develop. Babies love appropriate animal noises like mooing, barking, honking, and meowing, therefore as you read picture books about animals, make the animal’s sound.
Take every opportunity to develop your baby’s hands:
Baby’s hands will grow strong and agile and able to turn pages with practice, so continually encourage him to use them by letting him pick up dry cereal, crackers or peas with his fingers. Teach your baby to touch and name his features and body parts, and identify the toys he is holding.
Follow a regular routine with reading and other activities:
Routines are soothing and give security to babies as well as developing the skill of predicting what’s going to happen next. This will be vital when your child is older and begins to read independently.
Singing songs and reading stories over and over is supportive:
Reading your child’s favorite book over and over and constantly singing their favorite songs is fun for them and can strengthen their language development in addition to engendering positive feelings about reading and singing.
Observe your baby’s response:
Notice how your child reacts to books as you read to him or her. You may notice that your baby is not interested in the book; stop and choose another book, or perhaps a better time to read. Reading should always be a pleasurable experience for your child.
Learning to read is the foundational step to success in school as well as in life. Begin early to expose your child to the reading of books in a loving, secure and exciting way. When the time is right these children will be developmentally ready and will enjoy reading on their own. So many educational benefits and so much enjoyment in life is dependent upon the ability to read and comprehend. If your child enjoys reading it will propel him or her to become a successful life-time learner.
Category: Uncategorized
