3 Tips on Reading to Your Baby (and What Books To Read)

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While selecting books for small children may be easier than for older children, sometimes it may feel difficult picking books for babies and very young children who cannot read – or even talk – on their own yet. As this post from the Nashville Public Library points out, many parents have hesitations reading to their babies due to the fact that the baby seems distracted, doesn’t understand the story, or even wants to put the book in their mouth instead of listen to it. Despite the fact that infants may not have the verbal processing skills yet to know what you are saying, research shows that it is very important to read to children at this age. In fact, 80 percent of a child’s brain is developed by the time they turn 3 years old, and reading to a child early on in their life is a big indicator of their success in school later and for the rest of their life. The Nashville Public Library offers helpful recommendations for picking out books for your baby, how often to read aloud, and how to use the speed and tone of your voice to jump-start your baby’s literacy growth. What resources have helped you share a love of reading with young children? Share this and any other information you would like with us by clicking the “Send Us More” button in the News You Can Use section on the Lead With Literacy home page.