The Joy of Reading

Another extraordinary gift you can give your child is the gift of books. Begin reading stories and nursery rhymes to your child as early as possible.  Rhyming helps babies have fun with words and sounds.  This helps your baby develop language and communication skills from an early age.  Children love songs full of repetition, rhythm and repetition.  

Children enjoy being with their family members and what better opportunity to provide a warm, nurturing experience between the child and his mum, dad and siblings?

There is evidence that reading aloud to your child actually stimulates the growth of the baby’s brain.  The brain cells turn on with these experiences and the connections between brain cells are strengthened. This is just as vital to the child’s development as providing good nutrition and fastening seat belts.

The book ‘Babies Need Books’ by Dorothy Butler is worth purchasing for ideas and advice on reading to babies. 

This publication even includes books we can read with babies of just a few months as well stories to read to one-year olds.  Butler believes that if you read with your child from the beginning, and talk about the book, you lay a foundation for discussing things, ideas, experiences and feelings, which are such important aspects for a lasting relationship.   Each chapter in the book is devoted to a particular age range.  Since Dorothy Butler is from New Zealand, some of her suggestions may be unfamiliar but her general advice is helpful and insightful.

Children fall in love with books because of the memories created when they snuggle up and listen to stories with someone they love. The importance of reading to our children from a young age cannot be emphasised enough. Help your child to fall in love with books!

Kathy Bennett

Montessori Partnership Tutor