V read !!

Reading out loud with your little ones are one of the best ways to help them expand their vocabulary, imagination, creativity, a great way to build a good parent – child bond, and much more. The books we choose, the way we read and time we spend for reading, plays a major role. Most parents even wonder if we can start reading to very young babies, will they understand anything ? or whats the point of reading to babies this young??

I have also pondered with these questions, but as read and heard from many, it is said that, babies can be introduced to books right from the age of 3 months, and it benefits them in various ways such as building on their listening, communication, reading skills, and much more. Anyhow, not going into the science and facts behind this. And as of now I am not a parent with any expectations or anxiety as to how my little one will turn out to be or how her skills would develop and so on. Anyways, I did start doing my part of giving her the exposures as early on as I could.

I started reading with V at 4 months of age with one book and the same book for around 3 months. It was Eric Carle’s “Baby bear, Baby bear what do you see?” a board book, which had only one picture per page. I started showing her the pictures and singing the script to her. This became a daily routine, at least once a day, we would sit together and go through the book. It was very surprising to see her interest in looking at the pictures at that age. There had been days, were she would even cry when we reach the last page and I will have to start reading all over again and again. When V turned 7 months, the second book was introduced, Goodnight Moon, By Margret Wise Brown, and our bedtime routine was established. And then slowly few other books were introduced. Till date, any book that I take for V, its always been fun for her and me as we do the reading and singing and acting and all.

Tips for reading with kids

1. The seating:

Making the little one sit on your lap and reading is the easiest way, even better is when you are in front of your baby, so that you can see their face and they can see yours. This way, they can learn through your expressions, see how your mouth moves, they have double opportunity to imitate you, and the fun can be much more when you are able to see your little one’s face too. For very young babies who are not ready to sit, an option to try out is by lying beside them and keeping the book above or while holding the baby on your lap, hold them in a way that you both can see each other.

2. What to start with ??

It actually doesn’t matter. You can literally can read anything to a baby from a label on their formula cover to a news headline, sure they will listen to it. But a book which has big pictures or something to touch and explore would be more attractive to start with and easier to build the interest in books. A few books to consider would be :

1. The very hungry caterpillar – By Eric Carle
2. Baby bear, Baby bear, what do you see? – By Eric Carle
3. Polar bear, polar bear, What do you see? – By Eric Carle
4. Goodnight Moon – By Margret Wise Brown
5. The noisy books – by DK books
6. Touch and feel books – DK books
7. Self made scrap books

The list is endless, but these are the first few that came up in my mind now.

Children enjoy real images on books (something similar to a picture album). The best way to have that budget friendly, is to make a scrap book of their own pictures and the things they like and write down what is in the picture, in simple language. This can encourage reading as well.

3. Tips on How to read !!

a. Make the script into a song

When we start the process of reading, doing it in a sing song manner would be great way to catch and maintain their attention on the book

b. Manipulation of the script (Totally optional)

When introducing books to your toddler, you might find that, when you read the script to them, they might not understand most of it, or might not have the patience to sit and listen to the whole story instead you would see them interested in flipping through the pages, or biting the book or just shaking the book and you might be quiet apprehensive, whether to its the right age to introduce or not. It totally does not matter. (Kids should be allowed to explore the object (book) that they are introduced, but with adult support.)

Naming a picture while pointing to it, or making a sound or noise or an animated voice, that goes well with the picture or acting out the action related to the picture are some of the ways to kick start even before reading out the script. You are free to manipulate the script in whichever ways your kid would understand. Making stories short and crisp and easy to understand will encourage them to look in to the book more and more.

c. DO A lot outside the book

Acting out, using simple props that are easily available at home and doing a lot of drama while reading a book and afterwards in relation to the story that you have told is interesting and helps in retaining the story in mind (where in, retaining for young babies and toddlers, could be just in bits and pieces of the actions introduced and not necessarily the entire story) For example if you are reading a story about a lion, using a small toy of a lion to act out can add to the fun. While using props, you will notice that your baby will start to listen and imitate more rather than with just the use of script.

All these have helped me in person, and strongly believe it would help you too… Happy reading and happy parenting!!!