Babies are born ready to learn, explore, and discover. Make reading an important part of their world. Here you’ll find out ways to read with your baby.
The best part about reading aloud is that you don’t need any special tools or a lot of money – just you, your baby, and a book!
Read just a few pages at a time. Babies have short attention spans, so it’s okay to put the book aside if your child loses interest.
Choose brightly colored board books that have pictures of familiar objects, like animals and shapes.Pick board books that have pop-up characters, different textures to feel, flaps to lift, and holes where babies can poke their fingers through.
Cuddling while you read helps your baby feel safe, warm, and connected to you. Use voices and big gestures (like pointing and waving) while you read to help keep your baby engaged. If you’re having fun, chances are your baby will have fun, too.
Make reading a part of your daily routine – before bedtime, after naps, and even during bathtime.
Don’t have a book to read? No problem. Making up and sharing stories is as beneficial as reading, and your baby will love it just the same. And you can talk and tell stories during feeding time, changing time, and even bath time.
Parent Tip: Babies often like you to read the same book over and over again! Although it can seem repetitive to us, it’s comforting for your baby and helps build brain connections by experiencing the same words and pictures.
