Reading to your baby

It's never too early to read to your baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends reading aloud daily to your baby starting at 6 months of age. By then he or she will really begin to enjoy looking at what you are reading. But Jim Trelease, author of the Read Aloud Handbook, says that you can start as early as your child's a newborn. So why would you read to your newborn? Apart from the obvious that your child's vocabulary will start to build up it will also improve his communication skills and is good for their growth and development.

I started reading to my baby at about 3 months. You can start earlier than that, if i knew i would have. When Ibrahim looks at the book, he wants to eat them but he certainly enjoys the colorful pictures in the book and if i am reading a story he tries to grab the book. I love when he follow the pages when i turn them as if he totally understands with whats going on. When i was looking for material to read to him, i came to know the benefits your baby will get from reading as he grows up. Entertainment is part of taking care of your child, just as you hand them their favorite rattle to keep them busy, reading should be another one. Make reading fun, you can improvise like i sing his favorite song when i show him pictures of farm animals. He loves "Old McDonald", perhaps the sound of EE-I-EE-I-O fascinates him :).

For the first few months, your infant will be picking up on the rhythm of language, rather what you reading, he wouldn't understand a single word you will be saying:) but as he hears you speak in a routine he will start to enjoy. So when it comes to reading materials, anything goes, children books, a magazine, or even a novel. Your baby may be fascinated by pictures with bright colors and sharp contrast, though, so stock up on picture books.

Links to check out. I pasted the one for newborns to 6 months but the main site has sources for other age groups too.

-> http://www.babycenter.com/0_starter-library-for-newborns-to-6-month-olds_6606.bc

Recommended Reading:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_reading-to-your-baby_368.bc

Bye for now. Happy Reading