Anna Maria Richards
Reading with your child is a beautiful shared experience you can continue for many years to come. The sooner you start reading aloud to your little one, the sooner your baby can begin communicating with you and the world around you. Just because your baby may not understand what’s read, it doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t receive a tremendous amount of benefits. Read on to discover why reading to babies and infants is so essential.
Reading Helps Your Baby’s Brain to Develop
Reading aloud is important for the development of your baby’s brain. Hearing words helps babies and infants to build rich networks inside their brains. That means kids whose parents read and talk to them know more words by the age of two than children whose parents do not. The more words babies hear, the better and faster they will learn to talk. As well as teaching communication and vocabulary skills, a book can help your baby:
- To be introduced to concepts like letters, numbers, shapes, and colors.
- To build listening and memory skills.
- To become informed about the world around him or her.
- To develop socially and emotionally.
- To develop thinking skills by touching and pointing.
- To develop language skills by copying sounds, learning words, and recognizing pictures.
Encourage your family members and friends to buy books for your baby, so your little one can become excited by receiving books. He or she could then develop an enjoyment of books more quickly. Friends and family members could even include a storybook as part of a baby hamper gift box. You can buy personalized gift boxes from online stores like Milly & Henry.
Why it’s Important to Read Age-appropriate Books
If you want to reap the benefits of reading with your child during infancy, it’s essential to read the right books at the right time. Different ages have different stages of reading. Young babies will not understand what pictures in books mean, but they will love focusing on colors, shapes, and faces. You should, therefore, buy baby picture books for young babies. After about four to six months, your child will probably start showing more interest in books. Your baby will be able to grab and hold books, as well as chew them. So, choose a sturdy cloth or vinyl book. Also, books with bright colors and repetitive rhyming text are ideal for kids between four and six months old. As your child grows older, between six and twelve months, he or she will begin to understand how pictures represent objects. Your infant will also respond more to the words you are reading. So, read books tailored to your child’s age, and your baby will develop appropriately.
Reading to Your Baby Enhances Your Relationship
Shared book reading doesn’t just improve your baby’s brain functions. It can also enhance the quality of your relationship with your infant. Reading aloud encourages reciprocal actions, which can lead to feeling even more connected with your little one. It also gives you and your baby a regular time to have a cuddle.
