Did you ever think that it was pointless reading to your newborn since they can’t comprehend? Well, you better have a rethink.
Science has proven that it is never too early to start reading to your newborn.
Parents who have engaged in this practice can testify that there are many benefits of reading to your baby as early as you welcome them to the world.
In this article, we are going to explore some of the key benefits of reading to your babies.
If you fall into the category of parents and caregivers who underestimate their babies ability to make sense of words from an early age, you may find this article very helpful.
Bonding
Bonding with your baby can be more than breastfeeding them and singing those sweet lullaby’s. You should also try reading.
Mary Ann, MD of reachoutandread.org says “Reading a book to your newborn is a one-on-one activity that you can really turn into a special time with your baby,” she adds “It exposes the baby to the sound of your voice, which is soothing for him.”
There is a recent study by the Journal of Development and Behavioral Pediatrics which discovered that reading to your newborn can actually help parents grow the level of intimacy between them and their newborn, especially in the following days and weeks after the baby has been born.
Develops Language Skills
While many parents speak with their newborn on a daily basis, the words that are being used tend to be quite repetitive.
This could stem from the fact that babies do not yet have the capacity to understand complex sentences at such an early age.
Reading books, however will ensure that the child has the right exposure to vocabulary early in life. They also get to have a variety of words covering various topics, which is a great thing since they are most likely not going to hear them very often in their early lives.
Children who tend to speak multiple languages are able to do so because they get a lot of help from reading.
Therefore reading to your babies is a good way to start them out on developing fluency and language skills.
Keeps Your Baby’s Brain Busy
Reading to your little one definitely has a positive effect on their brain activity and may play an important role in helping them develop their reading skills early.
Science, once again, has shown that specific regions of a babies brain are affected when they have been exposed to reading from an early age.
These areas of the brain that surge with activity has been shown to be critical for the development of a child’s language skills.
Develops Imagination and Creativity
Reading to your child from an early age is a sure way to help develop their imagination.
Imagination is a key component of our mental development – this explains why we tend to put our imagination to work when we read.
Assume that your baby is doing the same, even though they may not understand yet.
As they grow older and become accustomed to being ready to, they form a very strong imagination which impacts on their creativity.
You can also get them to guess what happens next as you read a story to them – a method of testing how well your child’s imagination and creativity is developing.
Helps Develop Empathy
Reading to your baby can help them develop empathy. By reading to your child, they can put themselves in the characters shoes, identifying and having a sort of emotional connection with them. Your child will begin to develop their emotions and have the capacity to be great individuals.