Find Out About The Benefits Of Reading To Infants And Introducing Books At An Early Age

By Karina Frost


One of the best ways a parent can spend time with their child is to read to them. Babies love the sound of their parents' voices and the closeness associated with sharing a book together. Besides this there are also other benefits of reading to infants, it stimulates their ability to learn and understand the world around them in numerous ways.

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.

Even when the baby is too young to understand what is being read, he or she is still being exposed to a variety of words, which helps build a vocabulary. It also makes him or her aware of the basic elements of speech such as the tones, inflections, and rhythm patterns present in the words being read by the parent. Children who are introduced to sounds and words early, are more likely to read on their own when they are older.

In addition to boosting a young child's rudimentary language skills, it has also been connected to stimulating their critical thinking and mathematical skills. Children who are read to often from infancy on, have been shown to speak earlier and have a better grasp of linguistic concepts than those who are seldom read to. Eventually, as the baby gains an understanding of the sounds and pictures, he or she will begin to respond with interest and excitement.

Listening to a book being read is a good way for babies to begin to understand what emotions are as well, as there hear about the feelings story characters have relating to their experiences. This can effectively help materialize this abstract concept for young listeners. The visual aspects of a book such as letters, shapes, patterns, and colors, are also beneficial to the baby's sensory and cognitive development.

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.

Choosing appropriate books for the baby's age is important. There should be plenty of colorful pictures, simple verses that rhyme, and possibly textures, those which familiarize children with a variety of objects are good choices. Since babies can be rough with books, they should be made of a relatively indestructible material such as cloth or vinyl.

Parents will notice that eventually, the child will start to participate more during storytime, as he or she becomes increasingly aware of the world around. Older babies will imitate sounds, identify objects, and respond to what he or she hears. These early literary experiences set the stage for the child's future love of books and independent reading habits.




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