The Importance of Reading to Your Child, Toddler, and Baby - Why?When?How?

When we moved to London, my child was five months old. I got stunned by all the variety of things and activities London had to offer to us free of charge. There were two things all the practitioners were insisting on: the importance of reading and singing songs to your child. At that moment, I couldn’t understand how it is beneficial to attend children’s centers and sing or read together until I actually visited one.

Today reading to my child is an integral part of our life. We read every day for 2-3 hours minimum first thing when we wake up, multiple times during the day and it is an absolute must to read a bedtime story. This stage comes when your child reaches 24-36 months old.

Reading very short stories or storybooks is, indeed, the most incredible thing that happened to us. Believe it or not, the benefits of reading to children are fantastic. Reading with kids enhances language skills, develops all languages you speak at home in one go, improves the imagination of creating new stories, characters, and even teaches dreaming. I can’t stress out how important it is to read, so let me break it down age-by-age from birth to three years of age and share all the benefits of reading with kids.

Check age-by-age guide to reading to your baby, including benefits of reading to children and toddlers.

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Facts about Reading to Your Child

The Importance of Reading: Why is Reading Important for Child Development

First of all, it is important to read to children because they get your full attention which is incomparable with any other activity. So, you give your child exactly what he needs and love.

Secondly, you replace possible screen-time to reading to a toddler, where your baby learns ten times more than watching a cartoon or animation.

The level of bonding that you experience having your baby sitting on your lap is magical. This quickly progresses to a very positive addiction. Reading together is great for building a strong and loving relationship with your child.

Baby reading is also a great way to immerse them in the sounds and rhythms of speech, which is crucial for language development.

The routine of sharing stories and baby rhymes will help your child to communicate and will support their wellbeing.

Choose the best option for you:

Black and white books for newborns
Best books for 1-year-olds
Best books for 2 and 3-year-olds
Russian children’s books (available on order now)
Spanish children’s books

You can also find free books for kids here.

Benefits of Reading to Toddlers: How Does Reading Affect My Toddler?

According to a new study, researchers found that it is crucial to read aloud books for toddlers because reading to toddlers can boost vocabulary and reading skills four years later, before the start of elementary school.

Remember: nothing develops your child’s language skills better than

Reading
Rhymetime
Singing
Talking a lot and expressing yourself verbally

Studies have also shown that children who were read to as newborns have a larger vocabulary, as well as more advanced mathematical skills, than other kids their age. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics found that kids who are read to every day are exposed to around 78,000 words each year—over five years, that adds up to 1.4 million words heard during storytime.

There’s also a direct link between how many words a baby hears each day and her language skills. One study found that babies whose parents spoke to them a lot scored higher on standardized tests when they reached age 3 than children whose parents weren’t as verbal.

When to start reading to my baby?

The sooner you start the better. Some moms select books to read to baby in womb because the mother’s relaxing voice lowers baby’s fetal heart rate. Also, it helps the mother to release and cope with stress. There are no specific books to read while pregnant for the baby. It can be a baby rhyme time, story book, or something that you enjoy reading at the time.

When your baby is born, hold her close and talk, sing, read. By three to six months of age, you will start noticing that your baby enjoys looking at mirrors and pictures of faces, shapes, and colors. She will begin to make sounds, reach out, and touch the pictures. Choose books with interesting pictures and textures too.

Where to find books for my child?

Visit your local library where you can borrow books for free.
A lot of libraries run Storytime sessions and kids’ activities. Check with your local library the schedule and enjoy Rhymetime or Storytime together.
Ask your health visitor for ideas on how you can support your baby’s development by sharing books together.
Check these great lists of English books specifically for newborns, 1-year-olds, and 2-year-olds.
Choose your set of amazing classic Russian books and order them here today.
Find your favorite Spanish book for your child.

How to read to toddlers? Tips to help you enjoy books together every day

In the funniest way possible! Dive deep into the story, make the characters live, and enjoy acting. This is what kids love the most because they still have the power to live in the imaginary world, unlike adults.

Choose somewhere away from the noise, television, and mobile phones.

Take time to look and talk about the pictures.

It doesn’t matter if your baby chews books to start with. Soon they will enjoy helping you turn the pages and ask what these characters’ names are.

Use animal noises or sound effects. These help to bring the story to life and make you both laugh!

Remember: kids copy everything! It is so fun to watch them repeating sounds and noises after you.

Share your stories and rhymes with siblings and other family members to make it more fun and enjoyable.

It doesn’t matter if you are not a great reader yourself because just listening to your voice is already comforting enough for your baby.

Check our little project “ReadTogether” on IGTv and participate in the contest with us, or follow our stories on Facebook.

Did we convince you reading with your child yet? If yes, then support our project and send us your video reading best baby books for all the children in the world.

Read our Age-by-Age Guide to Reading to Your Baby from birth up to 36 months, and make sure you pick the right toddler books.

ENJOY READING WITH KIDS!

I hope these activities keep your little ones entertained!

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