Instill the Value of Reading
Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his needs, is good for him. —Maya Angelou
Your baby may not understand everything you are reading, but they are listening & learning from simply observing how you read. According to Nemours Children’s Health by the time “babies reach their first birthday they will have learned all the sounds needed to speak their native language. The more stories you read aloud, the more words your baby will hear and the better they'll be able to talk.” Our story time parent & me classes are a part of young children’s first introduction to reading. Our curriculum incorporates scarves, puppets, & props that make reading fun! Our instructors even tie in an activity based on the book to make their experience interactive & exciting.
3 Tips in How to Instill the Value of Reading in your Babies
Make Reading Fun
Sing nursery rhymes, make funny animal sounds, or bounce your baby on your knee — anything that shows that reading is fun.Incorporate puppets, music instruments, or scarves to bring the story to life. Add your own fun & silly character voices as well. Children learn by imitation. When they see their parents read, they will be curious and will want to imitate. Habits and enthusiasm are always contagious.
Cuddle While you Read
Reading time makes for the perfect child & parent bonding time. Bring your baby close sit them on your lap, lay them down on the bed, or even read under your child’s favorite fort/tent. Children love to hear their parents’ soothing voices and watch their expressions for cues. This habit creates a sense of routine and security for them, which will ensure they continue enjoying reading as they grow older. In addition, to everlasting memories they will form. Always remembering parent bond during reading time.
Make Reading Interactive
When selecting a book for your young child lookout for rich illustrations, pop-up books or books with 3D images are an ideal buy. Books that have textures for your child to engage sensory stimulation are perfect babies. The association children will make between visuals and the limited text would help them learn new words and expressions during the reading time. Take breaks throughout the story and point things out, allow them to practice turning the page, or even holding the book. The more senses you engage during reading time the better. Your child might not sit down during the duration of reading time and that’s okay! Incorporate movement to keep them engaged. Point out actions the characters might be doing. For example, “Do you see how the character is eating their food? Let me see you eat food?” All while mimicking the motions.
The possibilities are endless when instilling the value of your child. Start early and more importantly have fun along the way.
Oh Gosh Kids Studio
Oh Gosh is a kids activity based company. We create experiences that encourage families to create, imagine & play. We offer parent & me sensory classes, arts & crafts private group bookings, and offer activity boxes. The age range for our activities are from 6 months to 6 years old.
Oh Gosh’s parent & me story time class curriculum incorporates scarves, puppets, & props that make reading fun! Our instructors even tie in an activity based on the book to make their experience interactive & exciting.
Our exciting sensory classes are hands-on project-based classes for your little ones to explore textures, colors, and even scents. Every project comes with all the “tools” and play activity prompts for tons of fun.
Follow us on instagram @ohgoshkid and sign up for our emailing list to stay connected on the next parent & me class. All private group bookings can be sent to info@ohgoshkids.com.