Get Started on Reading to your Kids – Early!
Reading to your children
should start early. Really early. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
starting as soon as your children are born.
Reading stimulates brain
development and language skills, as well as fostering a closer emotional bond
between parents and children. Remember these tips:
• Read widely. Infants
respond to voices around them, so start out by reading anything that’s
handy—sports pages and cookbooks will do, as well as very simple picture books.
• Ask questions. As your
child grows older, get him or her involved. Ask them what they think will
happen next, or why a character behaved that way. You’ll start teaching some
basic critical thinking skills, and you’ll make the experience more enjoyable.
• Read every day. Make
reading a regular activity. Don’t just limit it to bedtime. Bring a book with
you to doctor’s appointments and the store so you can read while waiting.
