vendredi 26 septembre 2014

Find Out About The Benefits Of Reading To Infants And Introducing Books At An Early Age

By Karina Frost


Books offer even the very youngest children a wealth of stimulation and fundamentals of learning, which is why most experts agree that reading to babies from the very start is very advantageous to their development. Not only does it facilitate their understanding of the world around them, but one of the other benefits of reading to infants is that it also serves as a perfect opportunity to for the parent to bond with the child.

Shortly after birth, parents can begin reading to their new son or daughter. Simply hearing the familiar sound of the parent's voice and snuggling in their arms brings a sense of comfort and security to the baby, which helps create closeness and intimacy between the two.

Even when the baby is too young to understand what is being read, he or she is still being exposed to a variety of words, which helps build a vocabulary. It also makes him or her aware of the basic elements of speech such as the tones, inflections, and rhythm patterns present in the words being read by the parent. Children who are introduced to sounds and words early, are more likely to read on their own when they are older.

Besides the obvious connection to developing language skills, reading books to babies has also been found to stimulate their early mathematical and critical thinking abilities. It also helps the child learn to speak at an earlier age, babies who are less exposed to words, are often late talkers. As children gain an understanding of what they hear, they will start to respond in turn by showing enthusiasm.

Children also develop a concept of what emotion is when they listen to a story being read. There is no better way to convey feelings than through the descriptive nature of the written word, and hearing tales of characters experiencing various emotions helps children conceptualize these abstract ideas. The visuals such as colors, patterns, shapes, and letters presented also play an important role in the baby's sensory development.

A regular nightly "storytime" can also help the child sleep better, and the parents too for that matter. The sound of the parent's voice will naturally relax the baby after a busy day full of activity, and in many cases the child will nod off before mom or dad even finishes the story.

Books selected for an infant need to be suitable for the child's age. The best picks are those which are more or less indestructible, made of materials such as cloth or vinyl or board books, since babies can be tough on them. They should feature simple verses, perhaps rhymes, familiar objects, bright colors, and even different tactile textures for the baby to touch.

Older babies will start to play a more active role in their own storytime as they begin to recognize pictures and sounds. They will point out and name objects, imitate sounds, and show a definite response to what they are hearing. These early literary experiences are essential for instilling a love of books and reading that can last for a lifetime.




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