The Importance to Reading to Your Children by Guest Blogger, Meghan Ames

This week I am featuring Meghan Ames, a Pediatric Physical Therapist with whom I have the privilege of working.  She is passionate about children—their growth, development and maturity. This is what she has to say about reading to kids!

The Importance to Reading to Your Children

Many parents think that their baby is too young to be read to. They think, “Why would I start reading to my baby when they do not understand what I am saying?” Believe it or not, there are multiple benefits to reading to your baby, even while they are still in utero!

Reading to your baby allows them to become familiar with your voice, builds a relationship between you and your child, teaches them about communication, introduces important concepts, improves their attention and listening skills, promotes thinking skills and social development, enhances memory, and expands their vocabulary. In 2014, The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement recommending reading to your child beginning at birth and continuing to at least through kindergarten. They stated that behavioral evidence has shown that children who are read to experience stronger parent-child relationships and learn valuable language and literacy skills. They also found that children who are frequently read to, have greater activity in brain areas supporting narrative comprehension and visual imagery, which are both important for language and reading skills.

Reading to your baby does not have to take up much of your time! Reading one or two pages or just pointing to the images on the page can be beneficial.

Here are some tips for making reading a part of your life:

• Make it part of your child’s bedtime routine
• Turn off the TV and create a quiet environment
• Use silly voices while reading, change the pitch of your voice for different characters
• Point to the pictures, name them, and talk about them
• Choose books with bright, bold, and high-contrast illustrations
• Keep books where your baby can reach them 
• Use interactive books (mirrors, flap books, slide and see, finger-trails, etc.)

Due to my passion for children’s literacy, I recently became an Usborne Book Consultant. Usborne has a variety of books for children from birth through young adulthood. All Usborne books have an educational component and make learning fun! Feel free to visit my page and take a look!

 https://1109131.myubam.com/616694

Feel free to contact me with any questions at meghancarter1689@aol.com. I would be happy to give you recommendations based on age, reading level, or interests.

Works Cited

https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Parent-Child-Reading-and-Story-Time-Promote-Brain-Development-Prior-to-Kindergarten.aspx

Blog Administrator:  Trisha Roberts

proeducationaltoys@gmail.com

www.proeducationaltoys.com

Copyright © 2017 TNT Inspired Enterprise, LLC, All rights reserved.

Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.