Reading with babies aged 0-1
Babies won't understand stories but this is considered to be the best time for children to learn about books.
- You don't have to wait for your baby to reach a certain age before starting to read to him/her. Start now!
- Make sure that you are comfy and relaxed - both of you - and sit so that your child can see the book the right way up as you read.
- Make sure your child is familiar with holding a book and turning pages by letting them play with books. They will probably try to break or eat them, but don't be angry; this is an important part of learning what books are all about.
- If your child is grumpy or unhappy, you could comfort him/her by reading a book. The sound of your voice can help soothe a baby.
- For babies that don't understand what you say, it doesn't matter what you read. Choose books that you enjoy reading so that your baby can enjoy the sound of your voice and hear the rhymes of different types of language.
- There are different kinds of books to help develop your babies' skills - noise; picture; colour; soft and pop-up books. The effort of focusing on pictures develops eye muscles and each time they hear a particular word, it imprints more strongly in their brain.
- Read Picture-and-Word books in order to teach and practice your child's first words.
- For young children, children's books with rhyme, rhythm and repetition are excellent.