Create a Habit of Reading : Why and How

Reading to a baby could seem pointless since they can't show that they understand anything, but it's plenty of advantages. once you read to your baby from a young age, you're helping to develop their communication skills, listening abilities, memory, and vocabulary. Reading to baby with different voices, expressions, and gestures also helps your baby’s emotional and social development. Additionally, it builds a bond between you and your baby, teaching them that reading is a vital skill and quite enjoyable.

Different books at different ages

Incorporate the habit of reading into your kid right from birth. For the primary few months, babies just enjoy the way your voice sounds. Reading anything, including books with text that rhymes, may be a good selection. When your toddler is young, they are doing not understand any pictures or words, but the colors, shapes, and patterns will hold their attention. As they get older, they'll want to participate within the reading. Use this guide to choose on books to read:

Four to 6 months

A baby will start showing interest within the book. they'll try and grab it and will put it in their mouth. Books that are sturdy and have bright colours and photos are a wonderful option for this age.

Six to 12 months

Gradually, your baby will understand that images within the book represent objects and show a preference for particular ones. they're going to start to form sounds as a response to the reading. along with your help, they'll turn the pages too. Select books for baby that have different textures, pop-ups, and openable flaps.

12 to 24 months

They will actively attempt to participate within the reading. Read books about babies favourite topics and ones that contain different textures and flaps to open. explore for picture books and books about their daily activities.

24 to 36 months

You may be ready to introduce books with paper pages now, as hostile books that have thick pages product of cardboard or paperboard for younger kids. they'll start to grasp the concept of reading and like repetitive ones, so that they may read together with you.

How and when to read?

Tips for reading to your baby include:

• In the early months, hold your baby close while reading. Later, the baby might have some space to maneuver.

• When your baby is young, reading for some minutes is enough, but as they grow, increase the quantity of your time spent reading.

• Read their favourite books repeatedly. Babies don’t get bored with stories they love.

• Keep books in places they will reach easily.

• For older babies, point to the alphabet and emphasise sounds and pictures. Explain the words related to them.

• Choose books as per the baby’s age and help them understand things like colours, shapes, animals, sounds, etc.

• Try to correlate the photographs to things they see in standard of living.

• Show enthusiasm while reading. Use different voices and expressions to read.

• Choose a snug and quiet time to read, like before heading to bed. this may give some downtime between playing and sleeping and set a routine to instil a habit of reading books.

Should i take advantage of audiobooks?

Children get distracted easily without visuals, so audiobooks might not excite them. the most effective thing is to read yourself because the baby learns to talk by gazing your lips, mouth, and gestures.

Is reading from a screen okay?

Avoid reading from screens just before bedtime, and keep it to a minimum otherwise too, because the blue light from the screen will keep your child awake. you'll use a physical book before bedtime instead.

Post-reading activities

Engage in some fun activities after reading, such as:

• Discuss the topics within the book.

• Allow your child to be creative and retell the story in their own way.

• Draw or ask your child to draw the objects and characters they see within the book.

Reading along with your baby is important for his or her development. Just remember, seeing you enjoy reading a book into adulthood will reinforce their desire to read from a young age.