![]() From the car seat in the back, you can hear you son go wild. As a jackhammer rips through the pavement, a backhoe lifts dirt from a pit. You are driving in the car and pass a construction site. Pretty soon, she will be able to leaf through the book and identify every picture. As you “read” the photo album, tell her stories of the fun things she has done with the person she’s looking at. Be sure to include lots of pictures of your baby, too. Your baby will love leafing through pictures of her loved ones. You may be surprised to find your baby leafing through a pile of books by himself as well.įind a plastic-coated baby’s photo album that you can put pictures into. Feeling too guilty to read while you’re baby is awake? Grab that magazine and relax! One of the top tips for building literacy in kids is to be a role model and show him how you love to read too. Your baby is happily amusing himself with a toy. You’re eyeing that magazine you had to put down when he got up from his nap. You can check out her favorites (at this age, stick with board books) and enjoy them together at home. ![]() ![]() Offer her a selection of books and see which ones she picks up, and which ones she pays attention to for the longest time. Once your child can hold books on her own, bring her to your nearest library. Your baby will start to imitate you, and your first “conversation” may ensue. Don’t be afraid to go over the top with weird noises as you read. Songs! No one loves funny sound effects more than your baby does. Try these activities to get your baby started on a journey to literacy.Īnimal noises. This will become an enormously satisfying ritual for him - and it builds a strong foundation for future success with books and reading. Encourage this! He will also begin to request his favorite books, which he will like you to read over… and over… and over again. He may ask questions, turn the pages back and forth, and ask you to read specific parts that interest him. Mother Goose and other rhyming books will delight her ears and train her to listen carefully to the sound of language.Īt this age, your child may want to “read” the books with you. You’ll enjoy pointing out pictures and describing them to your child, and your child will enjoy pointing to pictures and hearing you identify the images.Īt 18 months, your child will begin to have the patience for “real” story-time, cuddled up on your lap with a pile of books. Babies in the study who were not read to had only a 16 percent increase in receptive vocabulary.Īs your child begins to speak these new words she knows, now is the time to check out the plentiful “see and say” books. According to a study published in PEDIATRICS, babies who were read to regularly starting at six months had a 40 percent increase in receptive vocabulary by the time they were 18 months old. This is where early reading begins to pay off. He is probably also pointing at objects and saying “Dat?” His receptive vocabulary (the words he can understand) is much richer than his spoken language. Just enjoy playing with the book as if it’s a toy, and read as much as your baby will let you.Īt this age, you are beginning to hear your child’s first words. When you read to a young baby, don’t worry about finishing the book or even turning pages in the right direction. This is also the age to introduce books with fun textures and flaps - children love to explore with their fingers and mouths as well as their eyes. An additional 17 percent read to their children before they turned 2, and another 15 percent began reading before their children turned three. In a 2008 survey commissioned by Scholastic*, only 48 percent of parents reported reading to their child when the child was less than 1 year old. Many parents don’t see the value in reading to children this young. Reading to a baby can be hilarious - and it’s also bound to be frustrating for any linear-thinking adult. Some Babies Might Even: Enjoy longer picture books with a simple plot - especially if the plot has a pattern of repetition.įind out what kinds of books suit your baby based on her age.Some Babies Will: Enjoy simple board books with action language, and recall pictures, sounds, and phrases from their favorite books.Most Babies Will: Enjoy tactile books with flaps, mirrors, textures, and sounds.Babies do enjoy books for more than just a snack. and sticks it in her mouth for an after-dinner snack. ![]() Then, she brings the book up to her face. You let her hold the book herself, and she babbles excitedly. As you turn the pages of a sturdy board book, your baby seems so interested! She is grunting and grabbing at the book. It’s 20 minutes before bedtime, and you’ve decided to start a bedtime reading routine with your 6-month-old baby.
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