“Babies and toddlers are enriched by books. Even more important, the relationships between very young children and their parents are enriched by books. Books (can) provide a source of mutual pleasure for parent and child that is likely to last a lifetime. We introduce infants and toddlers to books not simply because of what they will learn from them, but so that they will grow to love them. It is a gift beyond measure.”
-Jeree H. Pawl, Ph.D
When should I start reading books with my child?
Today! It is never too early to start exposing your child to books. Books are a wonderful way to introduce children to new words, increase attention, and help build a child’s understanding of the world.
Your child will have the most success if you can make books part of your everyday routine. You can decide to read books as part of your nap and bedtime routine, in the car, at the grocery store, in the bath, and whenever you will most likely remember to make it an everyday habit.
How can I help my child become interested in books?
Try to have fun! When your child is engaged and enjoying himself he is learning. Remember that kids learn through playing, so books need to be viewed as another way to play.
Follow Your Child’s Lead: let your child decide how long you should be reading (a few minutes at a time is just fine), how much of a book you should read (you don’t have to read to the end of the story), and which parts of the book to read (you don’t have to go in order or in any order). Reading will be a lot more fun if you focus on what your child is interested in instead of what you think your child should be interested in.
Talk about the Pictures: you do not have to read all (or any) of the words to tell a story. Ask your child what he sees, look at what your child is looking at, and talk about the pictures that your child is interested in. Just asking “what’s that?” can get really boring…for you and for your child, try asking “what do you see?” instead.
Bring the Pictures to Life: pictures can be hard for a child to understand, they are a lot more abstract than the real object or action they represent. When you are reading try to bring the pictures to life: pretend to “eat” the berries, “wash” the boy’s dirty hands, “pet” the soft kitty, etc. These types of games will help your child comprehend what the picture means.
Let Children Turn the Pages: babies may not be able to turn the pages of a book but an 18-month-old will want to give it a try, and a three-year-old can certainly do it alone. Remember, it's OK to skip pages or go in any order. *Board books are especially great for encouraging a child to turn pages.
Create Books Together: your child may be a lot more interested in a book if it has pictures of him or his family. You can use basic dollar photo books and add pictures of family members or favorite toys or games to capture his attention. Another fun idea is to make a color book by having fun with crayons, markers, and paints.
Let Children Turn the Pages: babies may not be able to turn the pages of a book but an 18-month-old will want to give it a try, and a three-year-old can certainly do it alone. Remember, it's OK to skip pages or go in any order. *Board books are especially great for encouraging a child to turn pages.
Create Books Together: your child may be a lot more interested in a book if it has pictures of him or his family. You can use basic dollar photo books and add pictures of family members or favorite toys or games to capture his attention. Another fun idea is to make a color book by having fun with crayons, markers, and paints.
Keep It Simple: For young children it is generally best to stick to books that are not too overwhelming or overstimulating. It can be confusing for a child to pick out specific objects on a very busy page of pictures, or to focus on a book and the language of the book if they are too caught up in the extraneous bells and whistles (lights and sounds).
What books are the best for helping my child engage?
It generally depends on the child’s age and experience.
Infant: 0-6 months
- Books with simple, large pictures or designs with bright contrasting colors (black and white and red are great colors for newborns).
- Stiff cardboard, "chunky" books, or fold out books that can be propped up in the crib (they also make great teething toys).
- Cloth and soft vinyl books with simple pictures of people or familiar objects that can go in the bath or get washed.
Baby: 6-12 months
- Board books with photos of other babies (babies love faces!).
- Brightly colored "chunky" board books to touch and taste.
- Books with photos of familiar objects like balls and bottles.
- Books with sturdy pages that can be propped up or spread out in the crib or on a blanket.
- Plastic/vinyl books for bath time.
- Washable cloth books to cuddle and mouth.
- Small plastic photo albums of family and friends.
Young Toddlers: 12-24 months
- Sturdy board books that they can carry.
- Books with photos of children doing familiar things like sleeping or playing.
- Goodnight books for bed time.
- Books about saying good-bye and hello (sturdy flap books are nice).
- Books with only a few words on each page.
- Books with brightly colored, engaging illustrations.
- Books with simple rhymes or predictable, repetitive text.
- Touch-and-feel books (you can talk about fuzzy, rough, bumpy, etc.).
- Animal books of all sizes and shapes (animal sounds are such fun!).
Older Toddlers: 24-36 months
- Books that tell simple familiar stories.
- Simple rhyming books that they can memorize.
- Bed time books.
- Books about counting, the alphabet, shapes or sizes.
- Animal books, vehicle books, books about playtime.
- Pop-up books, pull-the-tab books, touch-and-feel books.
- Books with humorous pictures and words.
References:
Choosing Books for Babies and Toddlers, www.zerotothree.org
Choosing Books for Young Children, Read with Me, www.rif.org
Tips for Sharing Books with Babies and Toddlers, www.zerotothree.org
Types of Picture Books to Improve Your Toddler’s Language, K. Scanlon, www.blog.asha.org
