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.
Reading aloud to a baby as soon as he or she is born is a great ritual to incorporate into the child's routine. This important time spent in the close company of the parent serves as an ideal opportunity for bonding and intimacy to develop. The child has the full attention of mom or dad and will grow to look forward to snuggling up for a story every day.
Although at first, a baby will not have an understanding of what the words mean, the act of introducing these words can contribute a great deal to building a vocabulary. An awareness of the patterns of speech such as inflections, tone, and rhythm will also be picked up by the child as he or she listens. The more words they hear at this age, the easier it will be for them to learn to talk later on.
Fundamental language skills are not the only area stimulated by reading to young children, it has also been found to improve their critical and mathematical thinking abilities. In the long run it will ultimately encourage an earlier use of words and speaking. When the baby reaches the age where he or she can recognize pictures and sounds, this will increase their interest even more in reading.
Children also develop a concept of what emotion is when they listen to a story being read. There is no better way to convey feelings than through the descriptive nature of the written word, and hearing tales of characters experiencing various emotions helps children conceptualize these abstract ideas. The visuals such as colors, patterns, shapes, and letters presented also play an important role in the baby's sensory development.
Babies who have a regular "storytime" with mom or dad at a certain time each day, especially before bedtime, also tend to sleep more soundly through the night. It is a great way to unwind after a busy day's activity and can be very soothing. A tired baby may even drift off to sleep as he or she listens to the calming sound of the parent's voice.
Building a personal book collection for the child is important. Books should be suited to the baby's age, generally the younger the child, the more indestructible his or her books should be since babies are known to be tough on them. Many are made of durable vinyl or cloth for this purpose. Young children are most captivated by simple verses or single words, colorful illustrations, and in some, different textures.
As the child grows older, he or she will start to participate more actively in storytime and will begin to point out objects, imitating sounds, and responding with meaning to what is being read. All of this lays the foundation for the child to see books as something valuable and enjoy reading on his or her own.
Reading aloud to a baby as soon as he or she is born is a great ritual to incorporate into the child's routine. This important time spent in the close company of the parent serves as an ideal opportunity for bonding and intimacy to develop. The child has the full attention of mom or dad and will grow to look forward to snuggling up for a story every day.
Although at first, a baby will not have an understanding of what the words mean, the act of introducing these words can contribute a great deal to building a vocabulary. An awareness of the patterns of speech such as inflections, tone, and rhythm will also be picked up by the child as he or she listens. The more words they hear at this age, the easier it will be for them to learn to talk later on.
Fundamental language skills are not the only area stimulated by reading to young children, it has also been found to improve their critical and mathematical thinking abilities. In the long run it will ultimately encourage an earlier use of words and speaking. When the baby reaches the age where he or she can recognize pictures and sounds, this will increase their interest even more in reading.
Children also develop a concept of what emotion is when they listen to a story being read. There is no better way to convey feelings than through the descriptive nature of the written word, and hearing tales of characters experiencing various emotions helps children conceptualize these abstract ideas. The visuals such as colors, patterns, shapes, and letters presented also play an important role in the baby's sensory development.
Babies who have a regular "storytime" with mom or dad at a certain time each day, especially before bedtime, also tend to sleep more soundly through the night. It is a great way to unwind after a busy day's activity and can be very soothing. A tired baby may even drift off to sleep as he or she listens to the calming sound of the parent's voice.
Building a personal book collection for the child is important. Books should be suited to the baby's age, generally the younger the child, the more indestructible his or her books should be since babies are known to be tough on them. Many are made of durable vinyl or cloth for this purpose. Young children are most captivated by simple verses or single words, colorful illustrations, and in some, different textures.
As the child grows older, he or she will start to participate more actively in storytime and will begin to point out objects, imitating sounds, and responding with meaning to what is being read. All of this lays the foundation for the child to see books as something valuable and enjoy reading on his or her own.
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