You may find it incredible that a baby that is only a few months old may benefit from reading, but there are many advantages to reading to your baby. It is a tool that promotes its development in more than one aspect and that will open the door to a love of books and reading.

First books

When your baby is only a few weeks or months old, reading does not have the same purpose or function as it does for older children. Your baby cannot follow the plot of a book nor understand what is happening to the characters. However, reading to your baby stimulates other vital aspects. It promotes listening skills and it increases the number of words the baby is exposed to, as the words in books for kids are not usually the ones used in everyday life.   

When your baby is but a few months old, you can sit him on your lap to read, so he can look at the pictures and photographs. Choose books with large illustrations and those that have human faces showing a variety of expressions.  Babies love to look at human faces. Books with flaps and different textures are also great when it comes to stimulating their senses.

An added benefit of shared reading is that it promotes intimacy and close contact while focusing on a common objective. Reading to your baby is also setting the foundation for an interest in books and a love of reading. This will be very beneficial for him when he is older.  

Why reading is good for children

Reading develops a series of thinking capabilities in children that prepares them to better face their future studies and real life. When a child reads with mom or dad, not only is he increasing his vocabulary, but also the comprehension of people’s behavior patterns (through the characters´ actions), drawing conclusions (the moral of the story) and understanding that there are different points of view (by means of the characters´ experiences).   

Your child will enjoy reading even more if you help him understand and practice the previous concepts. Reading does not only consist of repeating out loud the words that are written in the book, but in actively participating of the story. Some tips that may help you to get the most of reading to your child are:  

• Mid-story, ask him how he thinks it will end. This will develop his ability to predict an ending taking into account the facts he has at hand. Discuss what could happen to the characters after the story is over (will Snow White be happy? What will the dwarves do now that she is gone?).

• Help him improve his vocabulary, by guessing what a word he doesn’t know means, based on the context. Then, look it up in the dictionary to check if that’s correct.  

• Ask your child to describe in his own words what is happening in the store. That will help him improve his memory and clarify what he understands and doesn’t understand.   

• Ask him what the main concept or moral of the story is.  That is different from asking him to tell what is happening and to describe the plot. The concept behind Peter and the Wolf is that nobody believes a liar.  

• Ask him to tell you how each one of the characters´ point of view and motives are different. That will help him understand that there are different ways of seeing the world and empathizing with other people’s feelings.

Do your best to set aside some time each day to read with your child. Adapt the reading to your child’s age, and choose books together that you will both enjoy. First, read out loud and then ask your child to read to you, if he can read. Teaching your child to be a good reader is one of the best things you can do for him or her.