I was browsing in
a used bookstore recently with my adult son when he spotted
a tattered copy of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shove. His
eyes lit up as he paged through it. "Remember when
we used to read this? I loved this book."
Reading aloud is one of the most important pre-literacy
activities we can share with our children. In my last column
I discussed the importance of talking with babies from the
time they are born. Talking to babies develops their ability
to distinguish different sounds. Reading aloud is the next
step in raising readers because it benefits young children
in several ways.
First of all, reading aloud is fun. Tiny babies like the
soothing sounds of a familiar voice reading. Even when they
prefer "eating" their books they are beginning
to make the mental connection we want. They're associating
reading with comfort, security, and enjoyment. That link
is a great foundation for raising readers, and, as my son
proved, it can create fond memories that last for years.
There are technical benefits as well. Children start to
associate marks on a page with language. They also pick
up the basics, like reading a book from front to back and
left to right. These things may not seem important, but
they are all building blocks for reading.
Here are ten tips for reading aloud to infants and babies.
Read to your child every day. It can become a great
habit.
Cuddling is critical. This creates those memories of
warmth and closeness.
Keep the stories short. Don't force a baby to sit until
you finish a book if she is letting you know she has lost
interest.
Let your baby take the lead. She may prefer to flip
or chew on the pages. No problem. Remember that fun is
the goal. Sturdy board books or soft cloth books can take
a lot of infant handling.
Don't shy away from poetry. The rhyming and rhythm are
great for babies.
Choose books with very simple pictures.
Relate the words to the pictures on the page. Tapping
or scratching the picture can draw your baby's attention.
Be a ham. Read with excitement and expression. Use different
voices and sound effects and don't hesitate to act out
stories and nursery rhymes.
Editorialize. Books for babies shouldn't have a lot
of words. So don't just read what's on the page. Expand,
embellish and relate the story to real life. "The
dog in the picture is black, but Mrs. Johnson's dog next
door is white."
Make it interactive. If you ask a baby a question, remember
that any sound she makes is a brilliant answer!
Books throw open the doors to the world. The adventure
begins long before a child starts to read herself. It begins
with the fun of hearing stories read aloud.
