B edtime stories have long been anightly ritual looked forward to by children and parents alike. But

the tender time just before sleep sets inserves as more than an excuse for extracuddles and calming kisses. As it turns out, a regular reading routine can play a big part in helping baby achieve everyparent’s dream of a bright future ahead.

Wake up to reality“Reading aloud with young children is one of the most effective ways to exposethem to enriched language and toencourage specific early literacy skillsneeded to promote school readiness,”suggests a recent policy statement fromthe American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP). It recommends that pediatricians

promote early literacy development from a young age because of the lasting value of the cognitive, social-emotional andlanguage skills reading aloud builds.

“Babies are learning from the momentthey’re born, learning language, learningabout emotional give and take, learningabout the world,” says Perri Klass, MD,national medical director of Reach Out and Read and contributing author of theAAP’s policy statement. From the day

your baby arrives, reading aloud to her can stimulate optimal patterns of braindevelopment and strengthen parent-childrelationships.

And that kind of stimulation early on iscritical. You see, babies are born with nearlytwice as many brain cells as they need.“From birth to about age 3, our brain cellsrespond to stimuli from our environmentand make connections with and across the various lobes of the brain,” explainsCandace Kendle, PharmD, president andco-founder of Read Aloud 15 Minutes. Everychild. Every Parent.Every day., a nationalcampaign promotingthe importance ofreading from birth. By reading aloud,Kendle says, “You are feeding a child’sbrain, providingstimuli for buildingconnections betweenthe brain cells andallowing for complexthinking aroundletters, sounds, colors,dimensions, picturesand everyday objects.”

Around age 3, totsbegin shedding the excess unused braincells. So, “If you wait, it’s too late,” warnsKendle. Research shows that children whomiss out on the limited-time opportunityoften struggle with reading later on; children who are read to in their infancyand preschool years tend to have higherlanguage skills when they reach school-age and an easier time learning to read ontheir own.

Without doubt, early exposure to thewinning combination of brain-boostinglanguage and interaction that babies gleanas they sit on mom’s lap and listen to words,rhymes and stories is imperative.

Play with proseThe significant impact a certain familiaritywith Dr. Seuss and his comrades can haveon your tiny tot is clear, but the ins and outsof how to ensure your babe is receivingmaximum payback may be less so. Should

your reading list consist onlyof Caldecott Medal winners? Is the iambic pentameter ofShakespeare more likely tosecure a college scholarship?Does it matter that your snugglysack of potatoes couldn’t seemless interested? Rest assured

good mom | h e a l t h y b a b y

78 P N M A G . C O M M a r c h 2 0 1 5

Reading needn’t be reserved for the rocking chair. Exposebaby to literature throughout the day to reap lifelong learningadvantages. BY LAUREN BROCKMAN

Books beyond bedtime

PH

OT

O: ©

WA

VE

BR

EA

K, I

LLU

ST

RA

TIO

N: ©

CT

ER

MIT

/ IS

TO

CK

PH

OT

O.C

OM

If you read aloudto a child for 15

minutes every dayfrom birth, you will read morethan 450 hours

before she enterskindergarten.

Source: ReadAloud.org

�

�Reading aloud to a child—pointing to thewords, relating the words to pictures and toactual objects in the environment—is one ofthe best and most important things we cando for our children.

—Candace Kendle, PharmD, president andco-founder of Read Aloud 15 Minutes

that as long as you’re reading aloud and doing so often, “Thereis no ‘right,’” assures Kendle.

Klass agrees: “Reading to ababy should be comfortable forthe parent and baby—and evenfor an older child who comesalong and wants to join in. Finda comfortable place to sit, turnoff any screens in the vicinity,hold your baby on your lap, and make it a time of cuddlingand enjoying one another.”

Your time with tomes doesn’thave to be a formal affair, andyou don’t even have to read allthe words verbatim. “Point tothe pictures,” encourages Klass.“Name what you see, and elaborate: That’s a dog. What does a dog say? A dog says woof!”

Children’s literature can be delightful,but there’s no need to limit your library.“Find a book, a newspaper, a grocery list,a catalog or anything with words to helpyou along,” suggests Kendle. The words (and pictures) on the page serve to spark the conversation. Once you’ve read thewords, expand on them. Direct baby’sattention to the corresponding pictures, or share a memory that relates to the topic

at hand. Impromptu reads are aterrific way to expose a child tobroad topics, like cooking, space,fashion, cars, gardening andbeyond, says Kendle. “The moreword-and-picture combinations,the more opportunity forexploring letters, sounds andword meaning.”

In fact, one of the key advantages of reading a book (or flier or birthday card) is thatit encourages you to use—andtherefore introduce baby to—words outside of your normalvocabulary, says Kendle. Youdon’t have to read from thedictionary: This is true of eventhe simplest books. It’s not likely you often talk about lemursor walruses, for example, but an

animal-themed board book will bringthem into the conversation, broadeningbabe’s exposure to language.

Remember that reading together isabout interacting with your baby, strength-ening your bond and piquing her interestin learning through words. “Your voice isthe most important voice in your baby’sworld,” says Klass, “and hearing that voicewill help your baby start to love books.” Goahead and try on different voices (even ifyour British accent is rubbish) and incorpo-rate ample inflection. “Once you understandyou are nourishing your baby’s brain andbuilding brain cells, you feel less foolish,”Kendle assures. Besides, baby will mirroryour enthusiasm, and you’ll soon find herexcitement and giggles to be contagious.

Feast on feedbackYou might be doing most of the talking atfirst, but don’t be too quick to think theconversation is completely one-sided.“Even infants will give you feedback,” saysKlass. “They’ll pay attention, respond tothe pictures or to your voice and generallylet you know that they’re engaged.”

As your baby grows, she may begin to coo back at you or mimic your facialexpressions. Acknowledge her by recipro-cating the sounds and faces she makes.When she’s old enough to respond, ask

her questions, suggests Klass, like “Where’sthe house? Who lives inside the house?”“Let your baby point, name the picturesand be part of telling the story,” she says.

Your little one might also begin to showinterest in the book itself by reaching for it or even gnawing on its pages. Switch tosturdier reads, like board books, that allowyour literary enthusiast to safely explorethem. The more involved she can be in thediscovery process, the better.

If you’ve got a squirmer on your hands,there’s no need to confine your busy book-worm to your lap. “Reading can also bedone while children play,” notes Kendle.“Not all children can sit easily when youfirst start reading. Let them play with toys,games and other books, [allowing them to]reach out to you when they hear somethinginteresting.”

Regardless of how the plot of your story-time unfolds, let baby write the ending.“Follow your baby’s cues,” advises Klass.“If she’s having a wonderful time, go onreading; if she’s had enough, try somethingelse, and maybe read again later.” The keyis to make it a frequent and familiar part ofbaby’s day. “As she grows, she is likely towant more reading—in part because shewill learn to love the books and in partbecause more reading means more of you.”P&N

good mom | h e a l t h y b a b y

According to Reach Out andRead (reachoutandread.org),little ones like …

• board books

• pictures of babies

• rhymes and songs from the same book over and over

• when you point at pictures

PH

OT

OS

: © G

RA

DY

RE

ES

E /

IST

OC

KP

HO

TO

.CO

M; M

AY

UK

O IS

HIK

AW

A

80 P N M A G . C O M M a r c h 2 0 1 5

“For very young babies, look forbooks with lullaby rhythms, storiesthat repeat and soothe,” advises PerriKlass, MD. “Rhyming books are wonderfulfor entertaining children and also helpthem learn how language works.” Colorfulpicture books with bold illustrations canalso be eye-catching for developing eyes.“Talk your way through a picture book,telling your baby about the pictures,naming the world around you.”

atipCreating a

predictableroutine, likereading afterbreakfast orbefore bed,helps yourlittle one

learn when toexpect storyhour. Withtime, she’ll

recognize thatbooks follow

baths andgrow excited

for what’scoming next.

DATE ISSUED TO

Check outyour locallibrary

Rhythmand hues

It might have been a while since you last visited a library, but thebrick-and-mortar book havens still have a lot to offer. Borrowyour favorite reads from childhood (and discover new favorites!),or attend a weekly storytime. Your baby will have a chance tointeract with other wee ones, and you may even meet somemama friends. Locate the library nearest you at atyourlibrary.org.

WHAT BABIES WANT