Newborns like to look at bold, contrasting colors and patterned designs.
You might be thinking, “Should I really read to my newborn? She’s not old enough to understand the words!”
Yes, you should!
Reading with your baby is fun, easy, and cozy. Even better, you’re showing your baby right from the start that reading is a source of pleasure and knowledge. She’ll learn that when you pick up a book, she’s in for a treat.
Reading to your baby early and often sets the stage for later reading success. According to the National Commission on Reading, reading aloud to children is “the single most important intervention that parents can make in ensuring their child’s later reading success.”
Our Begin Smart experts are here to help. They’ll show you how your baby is growing and changing and get you off to the right start on reading together. Enjoy!
How Your Baby’s Developing
Your baby is figuring out her world.
Your baby is taking in sights, sounds, and smells at a rapid pace. Every new voice she hears and every new texture she touches is completely fascinating. She may not be able to respond, but she’s using this information to make sense of her new environment.
Your baby pays attention
to voices and responds to sounds.
In the first few months of life, individual words have little meaning to your baby, but the sound of your voice is full of meaning. Your baby learns quickly whether your voice is calm and comforting, or worried, or angry. The happiness and warmth he hears as you read allow him to think of reading as a source of joy.
Your baby is strengthening her developing vision.
Your baby has been able to see from birth, but if you had a newborn’s vision, you’d need some pretty thick glasses. It will take a few months before she can truly control focus and distinguish detail and color. By three months, her eyes will be coordinated and she can track an object’s movement smoothly.
Why Reading Is Important
Your baby will look at the pictures but may not reach out to touch the pages (yet).
Your baby is learning language.
Your baby may not understand every word you read, but she’s a fast learner. By four months, she’ll respond to her name, and a few months later she’ll recognize simple commands. When you read to your baby, you are helping her develop a bigger vocabulary.
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