Reading with one's child, no matter how young he or she is, is a true example of quality time. It helps build a close parent/child relationship and stimulates the baby's emotional and intellectual growth in a variety of ways. When parents recognize these benefits of reading to infants, they should make a point of incorporating this activity into their baby's day.
Even a newborn infant can benefit from having a parent read to him or her at least once each day. The natural closeness of sitting together while sharing a story is an ideal way for the two to become closer. The baby will enjoy hearing the familiar sound of mom's or dad's voice and will also appreciate the cuddling that goes along with it.
Hearing words, even before the child is old enough to understand what they mean, plays a key role in vocabulary development. When babies hear a word, they are likely filing it away for later use, and they are also picking up other elements of speech like rhythm, inflections, and tone. Early introduction of sound and words has a direct correlation to later interest in reading independently.
Fundamental language skills are not the only area stimulated by reading to young children, it has also been found to improve their critical and mathematical thinking abilities. In the long run it will ultimately encourage an earlier use of words and speaking. When the baby reaches the age where he or she can recognize pictures and sounds, this will increase their interest even more in reading.
Stories also introduce children to the abstract concept of emotions and feelings. This is apparent not only on an explicit level in the narrative of the book, but is also implied by the tone of the parent's voice. The significance of the visual aspects of a book should also be acknowledged, as the baby sees various colors, shapes, letters, and patterns, it helps further their sensory and cognitive processes.
Although enjoying a story anytime through the day is good, it can be particularly helpful right before the child's bedtime. The sound of mom's or dad's voice is often conducive to a peaceful night's sleep for the little one, many young children even drift off before the story is finished because they feel so relaxed and secure, and it is the perfect way to calm down following a busy day.
Books selected for an infant need to be suitable for the child's age. The best picks are those which are more or less indestructible, made of materials such as cloth or vinyl or board books, since babies can be tough on them. They should feature simple verses, perhaps rhymes, familiar objects, bright colors, and even different tactile textures for the baby to touch.
As the child grows older, he or she will start to participate more actively in storytime and will begin to point out objects, imitating sounds, and responding with meaning to what is being read. All of this lays the foundation for the child to see books as something valuable and enjoy reading on his or her own.
Even a newborn infant can benefit from having a parent read to him or her at least once each day. The natural closeness of sitting together while sharing a story is an ideal way for the two to become closer. The baby will enjoy hearing the familiar sound of mom's or dad's voice and will also appreciate the cuddling that goes along with it.
Hearing words, even before the child is old enough to understand what they mean, plays a key role in vocabulary development. When babies hear a word, they are likely filing it away for later use, and they are also picking up other elements of speech like rhythm, inflections, and tone. Early introduction of sound and words has a direct correlation to later interest in reading independently.
Fundamental language skills are not the only area stimulated by reading to young children, it has also been found to improve their critical and mathematical thinking abilities. In the long run it will ultimately encourage an earlier use of words and speaking. When the baby reaches the age where he or she can recognize pictures and sounds, this will increase their interest even more in reading.
Stories also introduce children to the abstract concept of emotions and feelings. This is apparent not only on an explicit level in the narrative of the book, but is also implied by the tone of the parent's voice. The significance of the visual aspects of a book should also be acknowledged, as the baby sees various colors, shapes, letters, and patterns, it helps further their sensory and cognitive processes.
Although enjoying a story anytime through the day is good, it can be particularly helpful right before the child's bedtime. The sound of mom's or dad's voice is often conducive to a peaceful night's sleep for the little one, many young children even drift off before the story is finished because they feel so relaxed and secure, and it is the perfect way to calm down following a busy day.
Books selected for an infant need to be suitable for the child's age. The best picks are those which are more or less indestructible, made of materials such as cloth or vinyl or board books, since babies can be tough on them. They should feature simple verses, perhaps rhymes, familiar objects, bright colors, and even different tactile textures for the baby to touch.
As the child grows older, he or she will start to participate more actively in storytime and will begin to point out objects, imitating sounds, and responding with meaning to what is being read. All of this lays the foundation for the child to see books as something valuable and enjoy reading on his or her own.
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