Why are parents told to read to babies? I know it’ll be important later on, but meanwhile they can’t understand it, and there’s so much else to do.
Reading to babies helps them in several ways, even before they understand language, according to the U.S. Department of Education — and it takes only a few minutes a day. In fact, it can make the rest of the day easier.
Reading with a parent between play and naptime or bedtime can help a baby settle down. It can become a time he looks forward to, when the two of you feel close and comfortable. Board books for babies can stimulate his senses. And, finally, as the Department of Education says, being read to is “the single most important way for children to develop the knowledge they need to become successful readers later on”.
Some tips they give for reading to babies:
- Hold him in your lap or next to you.
- Stop reading if he gets restless.
- Don’t worry if you have to miss a day
- But do get back to your daily reading as soon as you can
These come from the booklet Helping Your Preschool Child, which can be downloaded here.
The content on this site is for information purposes only and should not replace professional consultation.