Babies and Books

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under 18-24 months should not have any screen time at all, aside from video chatting (Pappas, "What do we Really Know About Kids and Screens?").  For children ages 2-5 years, they recommend a limit of 1 hour of screen time or less per day.

These recommendations are all the more reason to turn to books instead of screens at such a young age.

Of course we can't expect infants to read, but the benefits of reading aloud to them are endless, and in fact, begin from the very day they are born!

Here are some benefits of reading aloud to your baby:

• Learning language skills - Reading introduces babies to more and complex language than what they hear in everyday conversation.
• Bonding - Reading together provides the feeling of safety, love, and emotional connection.
• Emotional learning - In addition to babies looking at the pictures on a page, they observe your facial expressions when the character is sad or happy, etc.
• Establishing routines - Routines are a necessary part of a child's day and incorporating reading into the schedule can let them know, for example, that it's time for bed.
• School success - About one third of those who start kindergarten do not have the language skills they need in order to learn to read.  Reading to your baby is one huge way to set them up for success in school.

This list was taken from the Cleveland Clinic ("The Benefits of Reading to Babies").  They also go on to explain how and what to read to a baby, which include:

• Reading to them daily - Whether it's a few minutes at a time throughout the day or one long reading session, try to read to your baby every single day!
• Follow their lead - Finishing the story doesn't have to be the goal. If your baby wants to look at the same page repeatedly, let them!  Allow them to point to the pictures. Talk about what's on that page!
• Don't expect perfection - As your child gets older and more wiggly, they might not sit still to hear a story, however, they can still benefit from hearing you reading to them.
• Let them explore - If your baby wants to hold the book and it's upside down, that's perfectly okay. Let them explore the book in their hands.
• Pick the right books - Board books are appropriate for babies because they don't have pages made of paper that can tear.  These books are sturdy and have bright colors.
• Talk about it - Ask questions about what you see in the pictures. Talk to your baby about what is happening on the page.  You don't need to limit yourself to read only the text.
• Get ready to repeat yourself - Children often want to hear the same story over and over again.   Repetition is how they learn!
• Keep it going - Once your little one is not a baby anymore, they will be able to read words on their own!  When they are school aged, you and them can take turns reading aloud, back and forth, to each other.  Soon enough, they will be reading independently and on their own.

So ...the next time you walk past those board books on the shelves and think, "My baby is too young for books,"  Think again!

It is never too early to begin reading to your child!

Here are a few of my board book picks from our shelf at the library (titles and authors are listed below):

Off to the Park by Stephen Cheetham

Stir Crack Whisk Bake by Maddie Frost

A Pile of Leaves by Tamara Shopsin

Who's Hiding in the Woods? by Katharine McEwen

We Love Each Other by Yusuke Yonezu

Hello, World! Ocean Life by Jill McDonald

Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer

I Love Me by Sally Morgan

Global Babies by The Global Fund for Children

Big Dog and Little Dog by Dav Pilkey

You're My Little Cuddle Bug by Nicola Edwards

Making Tracks: Park by Cocoretto

Alphablock by Christopher Franceschelli

Countablock by Christopher Franceschelli

Dinoblock by Christopher Franceschelli

Baby Talk by Stella Blackstone

My First Busy Book by Eric Carle

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi

First 100 Words by Roger Priddy

I Love the Earth by Todd Parr

Holi Colors by Rina Singh

Works Cited:

Pappas, Stephanie.  "What do we Really Know About Kids and Screens?" apa, 1 April 2020,

        https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/cover-kids-screens. Accessed 21 Dec. 2021.

"The Benefits of Reading to Babies." Cleveland Clinic, 27 Oct. 2020,

        https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-benefits-of-reading-to-babies/. Accessed 21 Dec. 2021.