Key Points:
- Reading with your baby can significantly improve their language skills and strengthen the emotional bond between parent and child.
- Reading to children at an early age can teach them about communication and boost listening, vocabulary, and memory skills while introducing them to the world.
- When selecting books for infants and toddlers, it is important to choose books with big and colorful pictures of familiar objects, simple sentences, and stories about everyday life.
- Children’s books can be found at local libraries, bookstores, and online, and parents should choose books based on their child’s interests and maturity level.
Taking a couple of minutes a day to read with your baby will dramatically increase their language skills. But not only that! Reading children’s books is also a great bonding activity that will strengthen the emotional ties between you two. Here you can find some other benefits of reading with your child.
Benefits of reading at an early age
- Teaches them about communication.
- Gives your little one information about the world.
- Boosts listening, vocabulary, and memory skills.
Plus, adding reading to your daily routine will increase the odds of your child enjoying reading in the future and becoming a reader themselves. You can read before naptime and bedtime. It’s important to find the right book, keeping in mind that it fits your child’s interests, maturity, and reading level.
Basic things to look out for in children’s books
Infants and toddlers (0 – 2)
- Look for books with big and colorful pictures of familiar objects.
- They should be written in short, simple sentences, and may include rhymes that are fun to read aloud and easy for your little one to eventually imitate.
- Choose thick cardboard, plastic, or cloth books. These are usually perfect for small children to handle and experiment with (and they’ll survive it because they can easily be wiped clean).
- Think tactile. Stimulate your child’s senses with books with different textures or scents like soft or scratchy. You can also look for fold-out books you can prop up.
- Find stories about everyday life and events like bedtime, baths, or mealtime, especially if they’re illustrated with photos of children who are your child’s age or a bit older.
- Stories that review basic concepts like colors, shapes, letters, and numbers are always good to have around.
- Finally, think about your child’s passions and look for books about them! What plots will they enjoy the most? You can also reread the books your little one enjoys since probably they will be asking for that book many times!
Where can you find these children’s books? They’re everywhere! Get to know the children’s section of your local library or bookstore, or simply order them online.
And if you want to know what strategy to follow when looking for books for older children make sure to check out this article.
