Some first-time parents are generally surprised to know how essential it is to start reading early to their newborns. Many believe that it is the last interest they would expect to be engaged in as an activity for their newborn, but it’s never too early to start reading with your child. It is a great reminder to parents that carving time for reading together has so many benefits, including helping your toddler learn to enjoy books and strengthening the connection between parent and child.
Healthcare practitioners are aware of these benefits and should urge parents to set an environment that encourages reading starting in utero. This message should be echoed with donations of additional books for lower-income families during regular WellCare visit and other checkups until fifth grade when fluency in reading is acutely noticeable and should be a part of the questionnaire until the latter years.
When parents engage in reading and singing with newborns and toddlers, such activities create new connections in their young brains. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, these connections build fluency in language, vocabulary, social-emotional, and literacy skills at a critical time in young children’s development and enforce the parent-child bond.
Parents are strongly encouraged to reading aloud for their children. The following tips are five creative ways that parents can engage in when reading aloud:
- Read often, every day or even twice to three times daily, if possible.
- Fifteen minutes daily for reading aloud segment is a worthy goal. Remember, it does not have to be fifteen minutes in once sitting, five minutes three times a daily work equally well.
- Choose a peaceful, comfortable spot in the home.
- Disconnect other distracting activities like the television. Just enjoy the time together – Remember, it is about creating habits that will pay off later.
- Make it fun while reading! Use different tones of voice to creating characters and intonation to make the story comes alive. Act the roles out with gestures and facial expressions.
A Few Helping Tips When Reading Aloud
When children learn reading skills in school, they often associate reading with work, rather than a fun activity. One of the best things parents can do is encourage children to read very early before, even considering schools. Thus, making time for reading aloud during infancy is a beautiful starting point. And reading aloud should not stop once they learned to read for themselves independently.
- Make it a routine to read to your young child every day, even if it is for just a few minutes. It is your bonding time together.
- Make your reading time exciting and fun. Do not force it if your child seems to lose interest.
- Allow your child to choose the book even if you have to read the same book repeatedly.
- Let your child read to you sometimes from a familiar passage that they may have memorized from having it repeatedly read to him.
- Ask your child about the book’s pictures or what they think will come next in the storyline. Their witty answers may surprise you.
- Make it a habit to read various children’s books, including poetry, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and others.
- As they grow up, try to follow your child’s general interests in their book choices.
- Joining the local library is a great way to stay current on book options and various books without purchasing them.
- Remember, reading brings excellent outcomes for a short-term investment that will pay remarkable dividends over the year
