Creating an Engaged Reader from Birth
Have you heard of the studies showing that young children need to hear around 21,000 words PER DAY for optimal cognitive development. Yes, I said THOUSAND. Think about that, it’s not just for pre-schoolers, it applies to your non-verbal infants too! Are you making sure to converse with them throughout the day? You can respond to their little coos and gurgles as if they were “talking” to you. Another easy way to get those words in is to narrate what you are doing with baby throughout the day, ex: “now mommy is going to get you dressed! First lets put these pants on over your little toes” (then give their toes a squeeze or kiss").
And of course the best way to get words in is through READING! But have you ever stopped to think about how to set up your reading session with your baby so that they are fully engaged and able to focus? Check out these ideas for positioning your infant to make story time even better!
BIRTH - 4 MONTHS+
It’s never too early to start reading to your new baby. But these wobbly little newborns are still getting used to the outside world. They don’t yet have head control or perfect visual systems. In fact, initially babies see best in black, white and red! So, instead of sitting baby up in your lap where they have to concentrate on holding their head up, activating all their core muscles and making sure they don’t topple over, try reading to baby while you’re both lying on the floor! Now baby is fully supported in a position where they can focus on looking and listening. Tip: try using books with simple black and white images and just describe them to baby and make silly noises to accompany your story.
4 Months+
By 4 months your baby should be more comfortable on their belly after lots of tummy time! They should be able to push up through their forearms and lift their head and chest off the ground. Now that they are able to stay longer periods of time on their belly, try reading to baby in this position. Get down on your stomach next to your little one and get reading! Now is the perfect time to use those baby books with the crinkly pages, different textures and mirrors etc. Baby can start practicing weight shifting and reaching to touch the book while on their tummy (a preparation for crawling!).
6 Months+
At around 6 months your baby will probably start sitting up on their own. Now that they’re used to being upright, you can engage them in story time either sitting next to you or in your lap. You can start working on baby turning the pages themselves which they should start to do between 9-12 months. At around 12-18 months babies also start to point! This is an exciting milestone in their non-verbal language development as they are able to draw your attention to something. You can start modeling this early on during your story times by pointing out the items you’re reading about on the pages. Encourage your baby by saying “now what do you see here?” each time you turn the page.
It’s always fun to switch it up so try all of these positions with your older babies and see which one they seem most engaged in. My favorite tip for ensuring your child develops a love for books is to keep them in every room where your child plays and keep them at their level so they truly have unlimited access.