It’s never too early to introduce your child to the wonderful, imaginative world of books, even to babies as young as 6 months of age! We can go on forever just listing the important benefits of reading to a child – which we all know – but we would rather just skip this part and jump into the “How To part”! How to make a child love reading?
Here are a few tips from personal experience from one mother to another!
Start early:
If you are a new mom, you will realize soon enough that YOU are your child’s’ best source of entertainment, nope all the stuffed animals, play mats and toys are not enough. Children need your undivided attention, they yearn for your voice and your constant babbling amuses them so you might as well grab a book and play into that long one on one chat!
Cuddles and more Cuddles:
At this stage, what appeals to your baby is your tone of voice, he doesn’t understand the words just yet but he definitely enjoys the cuddles.
Read your heart out:
Enjoy it! If you are having a good time reading, so will they!
Let them choose:
Let them develop a curious nature by allowing them to choose the books they would like to read, this could be about pets, cars, dolls or princesses. Living their fantasies and finding answers in books are essential steps for building a good reading habit.
Reading Space:
Make a big deal out of that small little reading corner, make it fun and invite their friends for story time.
Make books available:
Let them start their own library from home. Fill those bookshelves with their favorite colorful books and take advantage of screen time to make reading interesting with read along stories on ABCmouse.com and Starfall.com
Use the school library:
Encourage them to use the school or nursery library. Visit the Library often so that they learn to associate reading with fun.
Bedtime Ritual:
Make this story time special with abundant hugs, kisses, favorite pillows and wonderful books. Hold on to this habit for as long as they allow you too and enjoy these moments no matter how tired you are .. trust us …they pass by so quickly.
Here’s to a good head start! Check out the 10 most popular baby books according to the American Library Association
- The very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wisebrow
- Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
- Brown bear brown bear what do you see by Bill Martin Jr.
- Away we go by Chieu Ahn Urban
- In the Tall Tall Grass, by Denise FlemingBright
- Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
- You are my baby by Lorena Siminovich
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr
- Baby’s very first black and white book: Babies by Stella Bagott