The idea of infants reading may seem hard to believe. It’s important for parents and caregivers to know that language and literacy skills begin early. You can even start building those skills before birth.
Early literacy skills are learned best through simple everyday moments with your child – reading or looking at books, talking and playing together. Children build literacy skills when they simply have time to play with and explore books.
Literacy is a process that builds over time, with each new skill adding to the one before. Literacy is not just a skill. It’s also a love of books and the special magic they can offer your child.
Ways your infant may play with and explore books:
- May calm down while a familiar story or rhyme is read
- May begin to explore books by looking at, touching or mouthing
- May seem fascinated with bright pictures or pictures of familiar items such as a baby, a dog or a crib
- May begin to identify a favorite picture – you may see your baby smile at or touch a favorite picture
What kind of books are best for ages 12 months and younger?
Chunky board books, soft cloth books, or bath books are great for this age so your infant can safely look at, chew on and read them with you. When you choose sturdy books like these you don’t have to say “no” or take the book away, which could build negative feelings about book play.
Infants explore the world through their senses — using their eyes, hands, and mouths.
Mouthing is not only normal, it’s also one of the first and best ways that infants learn about the shape, size and texture of the things they see in their world. Books, with their bright colors and moveable pages, are especially interesting.
What if my infant is too active for book time?
Build book time into your everyday life. This can include a story, rhyme, or song at bedtime. You can use a book to help your child move between activities, such as a book about baths before bathtime.
Look for words to read all around you – on food boxes and labels, on signs or buildings outside. It helps to leave books where your child can reach them and let them explore in any way they like, even if it’s only for a few seconds at a time.
Why does my child want to hear the same book over and over?
Telling the same stories and singing the same songs over and over may feel boring to you. But for a young child, learning happens with repetition.
When you read books, give each of the characters their own interesting voice. This gives your child the chance to hear different sounds, pitches, and tones of language. It also helps infants learn how to make sounds with their own voices.
Making up stories about daily events, singing songs about familiar people and places, and describing what’s happening during daily routines provides a solid start for learning early language skills, and these language skills boost literacy for your child.
It’s never too early to start teaching your child literacy skills. The goal at this age is for your infant to have enjoyable and positive experiences with books so they want to keep learning about them. Reading together can be a wonderful way to build your relationship with your child.
Learn more
- Read aloud to help your child learn to love books
- Help your 2- to 3-year-old learn reading is fun
- Newborn basics: Bonding with your baby
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Posted In Children's, Family Medicine, Parenting
