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Have You Read To Your Child Today?
© Copyright BabyClassroomAs parents, we're often told we should read to our children from an early age, but why? Some of them are too young to speak, let alone read. Why is exposing them to books so important?
"The evidence on reading to kids when it comes to its direct impact on reading achievement is actually very small," says Timothy Shanahan, Ph.D., president of the International Reading Association, a professional organization for reading educators. "When you look at its impact on language development and intellectual development, its impact is pretty wonderful."
In that case, it seems, the younger we start the better, but reading to young children, Shanahan notes, is more about interacting than actually reading.
"Some researchers even make the point that it's not the reading (that's beneficial), it's the interaction that goes on around the reading," he says of the conversations, questions and language play inherent in reading with very young children. "It's pretty clear from the evidence that those are an active ingredient in making this work well with children."
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when reading with your little ones:
Make Reading a Daily Event: Many families share books as part of their bedtime routine, but that doesn't mean you can't read at other times, too. Picking up a book can be a great way to calm a cranky toddler or spend a few quiet moments with your preschooler on your lap. Choose a special reading area where you can relax together such as a cozy rocking chair, a pile of pillows, or a comfortable sofa.
Ham It Up: Bring the story to life by reading with emotion, using different character voices, or making animal noises. Encourage your child to join in with animal noises and repeated phrases when she becomes familiar with the book.
Good Question: Interrupt the story often to ask and answer questions. Little ones can point to pictures as you name them, while beginning talkers can name the objects as you point. Ask older children questions about what's happening and what might happen next, and encourage them to ask questions and talk about the story as you read. "(Parents) need to talk to the child about the book and the pictures and the ideas and the words," says Shanahan, "but they also need to get the child to talk about it."
Have Kids Take The Lead: As your child grows, let him hold the book and turn the pages. After you read your child's favorites again and again, he might memorize the words and "read" to you or correct you if you miss a word. Encourage your child to tell you a story by "reading" the pictures in a book. "Some kids will actually guide their parents to how to help them," Shanahan says, "but some kids will be fairly passive and just sit there and enjoy it so the parent has to be a little more of an active participant pulling the youngster in."
Keep It Short and Sweet: Your little one's attention span is short and your reading sessions should match it. Feel free to condense the story to fit your child's interest level or read a page or two at a time. If your child loses interest, put the book away.
"A parent shouldn't panic if their youngster isn't terribly interested," says Shanahan."(Reading) in brief spurts and trying to extend those over time so the youngster feels more comfortable with it is very reasonable." And remember, much of your time will be spent talking, pointing and interacting with your child rather than actually reading.
Make It Real: Make connections between the books you read and your child's life. Talk about experiences your child has had that are similar to those in a book and things he has seen in real life that match a book's pictures. Seek out books your child will relate to, and help him understand and adjust to new experiences such as welcoming a new baby, visiting the doctor, starting preschool, or going on vacation by reading age appropriate books about those subjects.
Build Your Baby's Library: Create a library for your child on a low shelf or bin so he can explore them on his own whenever he's interested. "If you're talking about really young children," says Shanahan, "their notion of enjoying a good book is to put it in their mouth or to grab at the pages," so select board books and plastic bath books your baby can explore without destroying. Young children love colorful books with simple drawings or photographs of familiar objects and activities. Try to collect a variety of books on different subjects featuring different types of art. Pop-up books, lift-the-flap books, and books with different textures are all popular with young children, as are books that make noise and/or music.
As your child grows, look for books with rhyming text and lots of repetition so little ones can "read" along. "As they get older," adds Shanahan, "story becomes more important. Then it's not just language but also some narrative or some topic they're interested in."
Explore Everyday Reading: Show your child reading is an integral part of life by pointing out all the things you read every day, from signs, lists and labels to newspapers, cards and letters. Keep books in your car or diaper bag to read in restaurants and waiting rooms. Let your child hold a book as you shop for groceries or while driving in the car. The more positive experiences your child has with books, the more likely he'll be to become a lifelong reader.
At Baby Classroom, we've got loads of colorful and engaging books - including board, cloth, lift-the-flap and musical books - all perfect for little hands and little minds. After all, it's always a great time for reading!
Home > Resources > Articles > Have You Read To Your Child Today?
