Learn About The Developmental Benefits Of Reading To Infants

By Karina Frost


Books offer even the very youngest children a wealth of stimulation and fundamentals of learning, which is why most experts agree that reading to babies from the very start is very advantageous to their development. Not only does it facilitate their understanding of the world around them, but one of the other benefits of reading to infants is that it also serves as a perfect opportunity to for the parent to bond with the child.

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.

Hearing words, even before the child is old enough to understand what they mean, plays a key role in vocabulary development. When babies hear a word, they are likely filing it away for later use, and they are also picking up other elements of speech like rhythm, inflections, and tone. Early introduction of sound and words has a direct correlation to later interest in reading independently.

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.

A regular nightly "storytime" can also help the child sleep better, and the parents too for that matter. The sound of the parent's voice will naturally relax the baby after a busy day full of activity, and in many cases the child will nod off before mom or dad even finishes the story.

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.

Parents will notice that eventually, the child will start to participate more during storytime, as he or she becomes increasingly aware of the world around. Older babies will imitate sounds, identify objects, and respond to what he or she hears. These early literary experiences set the stage for the child's future love of books and independent reading habits.




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