Reading with baby
By The Book Trust
Reading with babies and young children is a fantastic way to develop their language skills, encourage a love of reading, forge a closer relationship and help them to understand the world. Research shows that babies and toddlers who love books increase their potential to do well at school and have increased confidence, communication skills and concentration.
It's never too early to start reading with your baby. Singing and reading to them when they are in the womb is a wonderful way to relax you both and get them used to the sound of your voice.
Even when they are very little and can’t understand the words, sharing a book is a lovely opportunity to share special time, pointing at the pictures, getting to know each other’s facial expressions, helping to develop their language and engagement skills and building a routine that will be looked forward to throughout their childhood. Furthermore, studies demonstrate that children who are read to from a very young age tend to display greater interest in reading when they are older. A child’s imagination is unleashed as a parent conveys the excitement and magic of an unfolding story.
Here are some ideas for engaging babies with books
* Sing to your baby like no one else is listening! Your baby will not care whether you know the words or can sing in tune.
* Sharing stories and rhymes. Fun is infectious! All babies love smiles, cuddles, clapping and tickles. Don’t be afraid to talk in funny voices – it’s great to make your baby giggle!
* Listen out for and respond to baby’s gurgles and noises. They are baby’s first attempts at communication.
* It’s good to say the same thing again and again. Babies pick up familiar words and learn to say them themselves.
* You can share books anywhere, on the sofa, in the bath, on a train, or at bedtime.
*Join your baby’s world. Sit on the floor and read, play and talk together.
Here are some great books to read together:
That's not my Frog... by Fiona Watt, illustrated by Rachel Wells (Usborne)
This sturdy touch and feel book features a succession of colourful frogs, from one with silky feet, to another with bumpy spots, to another with shiny toes. Children will enjoy naming the different bold colours used in the illustrations and also looking out for the tiny white mouse, who appears somewhere on every page - even snorkeling at one point! This is a great book for sharing with a very young child on a one-to-one basis and each spread offers a different tactile, interactive experience for the reader.
The Big Night-Night Book by Georgie Birkett (Red Fox)
Babies can join in with the refrain of 'night-night' and can touch the soft fur of a toy giraffe, move aside the curtains to look out of the window and pull the cover over the baby in the cot. They will also have fun spotting the teddy bear hiding in a picture on every page.
Hug by Jez Alborough (Walker Books)
Bobo the chimp wanders sadly around the jungle looking for someone to hug, but all the animals are already cuddling someone else. With minimal text, the reader is encouraged to explore the wonderful illustrations, which speak volumes about Bobo's feelings. A lovely board book, which will surely provoke lots of hugs!
Roar! by Margaret Mayo, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe (Orchard Books)
If it is to withstand plenty of revisiting an ideal book for toddlers need to be sturdy and also capable of retaining the child's interest time and time again. With its appealing animal characters to slot into the correct environment, Roar! is a huge favourite amongst parents and young children. Each of the eleven creatures is depicted in double-page spreads, where text and picture intertwine to inform us about family groups, their homes and their behaviour.
For more tips on sharing books with your baby and for book recommendations visit the Booktrust website www.booktrust.org.uk