Reading to Infants and Toddlers - What and How to Read to Your Baby

I've always heard that it's important to start reading to children as early as possible, in order to pass onto them a love of reading. Being a complete book lover myself, I'm enthusiastic about the idea of getting kids to read! But at first I had a hard time finding books to read to a very young child. Reading to a baby or toddler is a lot different from reading to a preschooler. When you read to a preschooler, the child is usually interacting with you... asking questions, making comments, pointing things out, reminding you that you skipped a page, guessing what will happen next, etc. But littler kids... well, they just don't get into the plot of the story as much as bigger kids do! So what, and how, exactly, do you read to a baby?

After trying to read to one-year-old Hayden, I realized a few obvious things. First, books for babies and toddlers should be sturdy. Board books are great! Second of all, they should be simple. Remember, when it comes to the smallest readers, an engaging plot is not nearly as important as fascinating pictures, textures, sounds, etc, that will capture the baby's attention.

I haunted libraries and bookstores for a while, looking for things to read to Hayden. Here are some of her favorites!

Peek-A-Who? by Nina Laden. This board book plays on the baby game of Peek-A-Boo, by changing it to phrases like "Peek-A-Moo!" and "Peek-A-Zoo!" The reader opens flaps to see what is peeking out at him. This text is so simple that I can now read it without being anywhere near the book, but it was delightful to Hayden! When I read it to her, I put a ton of emphasis on the last syllable of the Peek-A word, causing Hayden to burst into smiles and giggles. She also was happy to discover that she could make the "oo" sound herself! And the best part is at the end, when the phrase, "Peek-a-YOU!" reveals a little mirror! This book is definitely one of my, and Hayden's, all-time favorites for reading to babies and toddlers.

Peek-A-Boo Kisses, by Barney Saltzberg. Continuing the popular "peek-a-boo" theme, this book contains cartoon animals covering their eyes. The little reader has to lift the flaps of the animal's arms to reveal their face! Its also a touch-and-feel book, so the reader gets to feel the cuddly kitten, squeak the squeaky mouse, etc. Hayden absolutely adored this book, too, and she would kiss every page. And, once again, there is a mirror on the last page, allowing the reader to see herself! Hayden loved this last part, and would give her own reflection a big smooch every time.

That's Not My... series, by Fiona Watts. This is a whole series of books in which the narrator seems to be searching for an item, such as a dinosaur, a doll, a teddy bear, etc. Each page shows an item that is not quite the right one. The refrain is, "That's not my ---!" followed by an explanation of why. "His horns are too rough!" "His nose is too bumpy!" This is a touch-and-feel book, so the reader gets to feel the textures being mentioned on each page. In the end, the happy narrator always finds what he's looking for. I've checked out each one of these books that our local library offers, and Hayden loves them all!

Photo Baby Books, by Tom Arma. This series of books shows photographs of babies wearing costumes with different themes. There's Baby Bugs, Funny Farm, Water Babies, Zoo Crew, etc. The series has been criticized for its weak use of text, but remember, with babies, text and plot aren't the most important things to consider. Hayden loves looking at the pictures of the babies, and will kiss them and talk to them as she looks at the photos. When reading books like this aloud, you don't have to stick to the text! You can simply talk to the baby about the photos, saying things like, "Oh, look, that baby is a ladybug! Say, `Hi, ladybug!'"

Start with these books, and you'll find that you're off to a good start at getting your little one to love reading. Some more tips? Keep your baby's books in a place where she can easily see them and get them for herself. A low shelf in the living room or playroom is a great spot for books! That way, they'll catch her eye often. As your baby learns to crawl and walk, she'll start bringing you her favorite books! Also, offer books to your baby as much as you can. Read in a happy, friendly voice, and make reading time a comfortable, loving time to be together.

Happy reading!