Reading to children enhances their lives
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We all pretty much know that reading to your young child is a good thing for both of you, but some of us balk at the thought of reading to a baby – prenatally!
But it is true; the research shows that babies in utero can hear sounds, and especially like their parents’ voices. Reading a book to them establishes a relationship even before birth that can put the child on a track to lifelong reading, and, therefore, learning.
And when the baby is born and you have a young infant in your arms, it may feel a bit odd to read to this tiny being. But their brains are already growing and they are learning things even at this young age, and they are especially attracted to the rhythms and singsong sounds that nursery rhymes and early books provide.
Jack and Jill went up the hill . . . three blind mice, three blind mice . . . the itsy bitsy spider went up the waterspout . . . I do not like them, Sam-I-Am . . . one can’t help but finish those lines, right? This is early learning that we remember all our lives.
Some of the benefits of reading to your child include:
• Closeness and security – snuggling in to read a book makes a child feel safe and loved, and can be a nice way to end a day of activity and transition to bedtime.
• The basics of how to read a book – if a child has never been around a book, they do not know that you turn the pages from right to left, and turn each page as you go. Believe it or not, some children reach kindergarten without this basic skill. If they already have it, continued learning comes easier and faster.
• Speaking skills – by listening to you read, children are learning the basic sounds that form language, and are eventually building their vocabulary. Even when they pretend to read and are just jabbering, this is an important developmental step – praise them and let them know you enjoy having them read to you, too!
• Better communication – toddlers are more likely to express themselves and to understand differences in others if they are introduced to a variety of books. By seeing the interaction of characters in books they are also learning important social skills, and are introduced to new concepts and ideas.
• Enhanced concentration – though they may initially be squirmy, once children get into the routine of being read to, they enjoy it and as they are able to understand more and more, and as you talk about what is taking place in the book, they can learn to really think and absorb information at their own pace.
Bookstores stock books that are suitable for all ages – from black and white books for newborns, to board books for infants and toddlers, to imaginative and fun books for your growing child that speak to his/her specific interests.
But don’t forget libraries, either. Introducing your child to the world of books offered by our local libraries (not to mention the fun story hours) can set your child on a path to a lifelong love of reading — for free.
And this may be a perfect time to start.
“’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house … ”
