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Reading
together:
Nurtures an emotional bond.
Improves listening skills and
attention spans.
Helps children prepare for learning
to read.
Provides an introduction to art
concepts such as color and shape. |
Reading to
infants and toddlers
will develop a warm, nurturing bond that will promote optimal
brain development and is fun! A loving, stimulating home environment
will prepare your child for learning to read at the proper time.
What to read:
- Simple books with bright colors
and familiar objects.
- Black and white books are best
for newborns; infants are best able to focus on books with stark
contrast
- Bright, uncluttered pages with
illustrations showing common objects and scenes that are familiar
to infants and toddlers grab their interest, as do pictures of
animals and other babies
- Nursery rhymes are important
for their rhythm and vocabulary.
- The board book format with hard
pages and a glossy finish that allows the book to be wiped clean
is wonderful for infants and toddlers, who naturally put everything
into their mouths.
- Try some of these books
(and more) with your baby or toddler.
How to read
to babies:
- Begin when your baby is born.
- Find a comfortable place to
sit.
- Turn off the TV and radio.
- Hold the book so that your child
can see the pages clearly.
- Point to various things in the
pictures, talk about the pictures or the story, answer questions
or remark on your child's comments. Don't rush.
- Try again another time if your
child is fussy. It's OK for reading times to be short.
- Songs and fingerplays may help
maintain your child's interest.
- Read your child's favorites
again and again. Repetition is an important component of learning.
- Be enthusiastic, use lots of
facial and vocal expression.
- Relax and enjoy reading!
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