Things You'll Need:
- Book
- Bouncy chair
- Willing baby
-
Step 1
When reading to your baby, she will learn considerably more if she can see both your face and the book, so find a setup where this is possible. The easiest way is to put the baby in a bouncy chair and read next to her, creating a triangle between you, the baby and the book.
-
Step 2
Annunciate as you read, and use different voices for different emotions. This is an opportunity to overact and show with your face whether it is a happy moment or a scary moment in the book. Your baby will likely take some interest in the story, but will be more fascinated by the storyteller.
-
Step 3
By watching your face and the way your lips form words, the baby will gain important elements in early language development. You may notice your baby trying to make the same sounds or the same facial expressions. Take time to pause from the story to repeat a portion if the baby tries to mimic it.
-
Step 4
Even when a child is only a few months old, he is learning that the story is coming from the book instead of you. It is important for your baby to see you reading the words off the page, and flipping the pages left to right. This provides a very basic understanding of how reading works.
-
Step 5
Finishing the story is not important. If your baby wants to move on to something else, that's ok. Find the right times to read with your baby and never force your child to listen to a story if she doesn't want to. Reading should be associated with fun, not obligation.












Comments
Soren said
on 2/13/2008 Thanks, cconnell.
cconnell said
on 2/6/2008 Check your spelling!
CCrock said
on 12/13/2007 Great article. I find reading to my baby after feedings is a great time, she is alert, calm and interested in the book. Board books are great because babies can "inspect" them without wrecking it.
CCrock said
on 12/13/2007 Great article. I find reading to my baby after feedings is a great time, she is alert, calm and interested in the book. Board books are great because babies can "inspect" them without wrecking it.