Curl Up with a Good Book

Research shows that children who use books from a very young age become better readers.

Choose books with bright, colorful pictures. Books with a few simple pictures and a few simple words on a page are great for your baby now.

Look for books that can stand up to wear and tear. Choose plastic, cloth, or coated cardboard books.

At first, your baby may enjoy sitting on your lap and listening to you name the pictures.

Babies learn most from real life. Find books that have pictures of other babies doing everyday activities such as eating, sleeping, taking a bath, and playing. Find books with simple pictures of things that your baby sees often, such as apples, shoes, keys, cars, dogs. Show your baby the real object and the picture in the book.

Babies like to play with their books. They chew on the books, try to turn the pages, squeal, and slap the pages. They like to hear the same book read to them again and again and again. Find time every day for sharing books together.

Want to Learn More about Child Care and Development?

Check out this Web site: Zero to Three for Parents on development in the first three years of life.

If you have questions, contact your local Extension office.

When reading this newsletter, remember: Every baby is different. Children may do things earlier or later than described here. This newsletter gives equal space and time to both sexes. If we write he or she, we are talking about all babies.

Credits: This newsletter was adapted from Extension Just In Time Parenting Newsletters in California, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Tennessee, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin.