Did you know that you can help your child—from birth—develop a love of words and reading? And it’s fun! As a parent, there’s a lot you can do to help your child create good reading skills.
Talk and sing to your baby. It’s not too early to introduce books, too. Even very young babies are fascinated by books. They like to flip through the pages and look at the pictures. Buy or borrow picture books make of baby-proof materials such as cloth or cardboard.
Toddlers like to name what they see in picture books. They love rhymes and short stories and often want to hear the same story over and over. Older toddlers and preschoolers will sit and listen to longer stories. Expose them to fairy tales, poetry and short “chapter books,” which may take more than one sitting to finish.
Show your baby, toddler or preschooler how much you enjoy books yourself. Read with enthusiasm. Ask questions. Snuggle up and enjoy this special time with your child.
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine; National Institutes of Health