Reading had clearly been on my brain this week! And, that includes reading with Augustus. I haven't written about this yet, but we start reading to our babies at birth! Even from his earliest days, we have been sitting together and reading books.
Even small babies love to listen to the sound of another's voice well before they have the ability to sit and comprehend an entire book. Baby's learn to speak from hearing and watching you talk. As, Lynne Lawrence explains in the book Montessori Read and Write, "Through focus on her language environment your child acquires the ability to reproduce the sounds of her mother tongue with all its nuances, dialects and intonations."
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Favorite Baby Books include Creature Colors | Mama and Baby | Black & White | Pinhole Press Family Book | Smile | I Hear
Reading to your baby doesn't have to be complicated or daunting. But, it can feel a little awkward reading at first. I know when Henry was a baby, I always felt weird reading to him before he could interact or understand the words I was saying. Here are some things to keep in mind that I have found to help me!
Tips for Reading to Your Baby from Birth
Follow the Child. Follow the baby's lead for how long to read, don't feel like you have to read an entire book each time.
Make it Simple. You don't have to read all the words, simply paging through books and talking can work.
Avoid a Power Struggle. Make it about connecting, not a power struggle -- especially for older babies or younger toddlers that are starting to just want to move and may wiggle away.
Keep on Reading. Reading aloud is great even when your baby is busy moving in and out. Let them listen even if they aren't able to physically sit still through an entire story.
Pick the Right Book. Pick content rich books at a variety of levels and make them accessible to your child. Let your baby pick books as soon as they are able and respect their choice {even if its the same book 100 times in a row.}
"The more linguistically rich her environment the greater is the opportunity for development." Lynne Lawrence
The more you read, the easier and more enjoyable it will become. So, get reading! Do you read to your baby?
This post was week 30 of my Montessori baby series featuring Augustus.
