When to Start Reading to Your Child

When to Start Reading to Your Child

Reading is an essential skill that all of us learn during our childhood. When you start reading to your child, you help them develop various skills. In this article, you will learn when, why, and how to read to your child.

When should you start reading to your child?

It is never too early to start reading to your child. Your baby started recognizing your voice when they were in your womb. They love listening to you sing and talk. The same holds good for reading. According to research, the sooner you start reading to your child, the better it is for their development.

Now you may wonder, “My baby won’t really understand anything that I read? What really is the benefit of reading to them so early?” or “My child is too young to attend to books”. Yes, it is completely natural to have these thoughts. Of course, your baby may not understand the stories that you read to them. But, reading is not the only skill that develops when you start reading to your child. There are so many added advantages of reading. So, don’t worry about your child’s age. No matter how old your child is, you can start reading to your child.

Why should you read to your child?

When you read to your child, you develop a very close and loving bond with them. This bond makes them feel safe and secure in their environment. This is very important for their emotional and social development. Reading to your child from a young age helps your child develop good language skills. When your child has good language skills, they would do better at school.

There are several benefits of reading to your child:

1. Developing a close bond with your child
2. Improved social and emotional development
3. Increased familiarity with sounds and words
4. Improved language skills
5. Improved child’s development of early literacy skills
6. Stimulates imagination and learning of the world around them
7. Improved interest and readiness for school
8. Better performance at school

How should I read to my child?

Here are some important tips that you can use when reading to your child.

1. Observe your child’s face

When you read, just observe your child’s face. They may laugh, seem more interested, and look at the book, etc. if they like the books for toddlers. Pay attention to these signs. This will help you understand what books your child is interested in. They may not be able to say it verbally but their facial expressions tell it all!

2. Pick a comfortable position

Ensure a comfortable position for your child before you start reading to them. You can hold your child in your lap as you read to them. If you are reading a bedtime story, you can lay in bed beside your child. This also creates a bond between you and your child.

3. Keep it interesting

It is very important to keep the reading interesting. Use age-appropriate books for your child. Allow your child to touch and turn the pages of the book. Let your child explore the books on their own. You can get books with colorful pictures. Nowadays many soft cloth books are available. You can use these as well.

4. Make reading a routine

Read to your child every day. Try to read at least one story or book every day. Also, select a specific timing to read the book. This will get them interested in reading and develop early literacy skills.

5. Use your creativity

You can get creative in many ways. Use sounds and gestures when acting out the characters in the book. You can act out the emotions as well. Also, you may use hand puppets or toys to act out stories. You can also substitute your child’s name in any of your child’s favorite storybooks.

6. Be patient

Always be patient with your child. Do not stop reading in between the story. You can stop reading when your child wants to stop or when they fall asleep. Happy Reading!

Download our worksheet Learn to Read and Write