It’s never too early to start. While 6 months may seem young to read to a baby, it is actually in these first months and years that early reading skills are developing. Literacy starts with a love of, and interest in, books. The goal at this age is for your son to have pleasurable and positive experiences with books so that he wants to keep learning about them. So go ahead and provide your child with chunky board books or soft cloth books that he can safely look at, chew on, and read with you.
You probably know that it’s important to read to your child. You also may have heard that starting earlier is better. But maybe you feel a little silly reading aloud to an infant? Or you can’t figure out how to keep your 6-month-old from eating the corners of the book, or get your toddler to sit still and listen? We’ve all been there. Although it seems babies are too young to enjoy being read to, they’re learning something new at every stage.
Reading is an addiction that parents should encourage well before their baby's first birthday. The bonding experience is unbeatable, says Patricia Cowan, national program coordinator for Reach Out and Read, a project that gives children books during medical checkups. When you read to children, they're getting your full attention, and that's what they just love. Nothing -- no TV show or toy -- is better than that.
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