5 reasons we read books with our babies and toddlers
Reading with your baby or toddler shapes language, learning, and connection. Here are five reasons to make books part of every day.
As adults, we love reading books. They can take you off to an imaginary world or on a great adventure. You can help your little one develop a love of reading too by sharing books with them from the start. Reading with your baby or toddler can have a significant impact on their development. Here are five reasons it matters so much.
Reading builds a strong foundation for language
Reading exposes toddlers to many basic elements of language. Not only do toddlers build their vocabulary through reading, they also hear a variety of sentence structures and learn to connect the words with the pictures they see.
Reading develops cognitive skills
Books allow little ones to experience new ideas, concepts, and information. By reading with your baby or toddler you are introducing them to new words, shapes, and colors. It also develops your little book worm’s memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills.
Reading cultivates a love of learning
By creating a fun reading experience you are building positive associations between books and learning. Babies and toddlers are curious creatures, and reading with them only furthers their desire to learn.
Reading encourages imagination
There are endless book ideas and endless adventures. Through stories and illustrations, toddlers begin to create mental pictures and develop their own stories. That is the foundation of imaginative thinking and play.
Reading enhances caregiver bonding
Nothing is more special than cuddling with your little one and reading a book. This shared experience strengthens the bond between you and your toddler.
Try these phrases while you read
Talking about the pictures is just as powerful as reading the words. Try a few simple phrases while you turn the pages together.
- Look, a dog!
- Uh oh, all gone!
- Big truck!
- Where's the baby?
- More book?
- Bye bye, bear.
Reading is full of benefits beyond the immediate moment. It is simple, but it sets the stage for a lifelong love of learning while enriching your little one’s language, cognitive, and emotional development.
So take out those books and snuggle up. Happy reading!
