Enjoy Reading
How to read with your child For most of us, reading aloud isn’t part of everyday life, so the thought of reading a story to your child may be a bit daunting. But don’t let this put you off – your children will be enjoying themselves too much to criticise your performance!
When should I start reading with my child? It’s great to read to your child from the earliest months. Cuddle close and sing nursery rhymes, read a story with lots of sound effects, or play peek-a-boo along with a book. This shows your baby how important books are to you, that books come with a loving adult and that books are fun and exciting. Top tips for reading with your baby • To a young baby, ‘reading’ means holding them in your arms, exploring a soft book. • Start reading with your baby when they are around three months old. Remember that for babies reading is like play – let them wave the book around. • Once your baby sits up, choose light, sturdy board books with rounded corners, bright pictures and textures to feel. From six months, babies love lift-the-flap books. From nine months, introduce noisy sound books. Be guided by what makes reading fun for you both. • Use the pictures as well as the words. Babies learn by doing: as baby reaches for the pictures, say the words to help build vocabulary. Be relaxed about what books mean to a baby - a five-minute bouncy sing-song game with an open book is still reading!
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