Think your baby is too young to reap the rewards of reading? Think again. Research shows that it’s never too early to start reading to your baby.

Reading to your Baby enhances Bonding

Reading to your baby, no matter how young he is, is a great way to develop a close and loving bond. Your baby will love the undivided attention, and cuddling up together will make him feel safe and secure, which is important for his social and emotional development. The time you spend cuddling together with a book would help him associate reading with love and comfort for the rest of his life.

Preparation for Independent Reading

Reading to your baby sets the groundwork for independent reading. While your baby doesn’t understand what you’re saying, he can still pick up the rhythm, tones and inflections of your voice which better prepare him to eventually start reading on his own.

It boosts brain power

Children who were read to as babies have a larger vocabulary, better grammar and more advanced mathematical skills, than other kids their age.

It exposes them to visuals

From 0 to 3 months, your child will start focusing his or her eyes on simple patterns on the pages. Reading picture books presents your baby with a variety of shapes, letters and colors that she will begin to recognize as the months go on.

It shows them that reading is fun

Making it a part of your regular family routine will teach your child that reading is something to be enjoyed, not a chore that needs to be done for school. That attitude will foster a love of reading that will take her through school and into adulthood.

Tips for success

Set up a daily routine

Establish a daily reading time when you are most likely to be relaxed and able to give your baby your full undivided attention, such as at the end of the day just before bedtime.

Repetition makes it happen

Repetition helps your baby to build his language skills, so look for stories that use the same phrases again and again, or just read your baby’s favourite stories to him often. To keep him interested, vary the pitch of your voice, or use different voices for different characters.

Take an old-fashioned approach

Some modern baby books have buttons and music that babies enjoy. However, research shows that these may distract your baby from the words and images in the book and not improve your child’s comprehension and literacy skills. Your voice, and being close to you, are two of your baby’s favourite things, so seeing and hearing you read will be much more fascinating to him than anything else. Therefore, avoid e-books, DVDs and other modern devices. Take the old-fashioned approach and buy regular print books for your baby.