Books and Babies: Developing Readers
by Julie Sawyer
Early Childhood Consultant
Williamsport, PA

It is never too early to begin reading to children! As you spend time reading to the infants and toddlers in your care you are helping to develop their understanding of words. As language develops, a lifelong love for books can also be developed.

Research confirms something we already knew: talking to young children is very important. After birth the process of "wiring" the brain begins. Repetition forms the connections in the brain; using language with babies helps shape their brains for language.

The development of language is an amazing accomplishment! Babies begin life with the ability to perceive and reproduce sounds from any language. Yet by about 6 months of age the brain has been wired for whatever language baby hears daily and their babbling is in the sounds of that native language. During the first year babies move from coos to babbling and then produce their first words. The language experiences of babies are profoundly important. Children deprived of early language experiences never seem to develop typical skills.

While children work on their own timetable in developing language, there are warning signs of possible problems that should concern the provider. These include a history of ear infections, not using words by the age of two years and being unable to understand the speech of a three-year-old.

You may find it helpful to establish reading rituals. For an infant it might be reading in a comfy rocking chair or at a particular time during the day's routine. If you work with toddlers you might establish a "story quilt" where a small group can sit and listen to stories, a soft reading corner or a transition song that signals storytime.

When reading to infants and toddlers, look for books with the Three R's: rhyme, rhythm and repetition. For the youngest children the sounds of language are especially important. Infants will respond more to the rhythm of your voice than to the actual words of the book. Toddlers will want to mimic the repetitive phrases they hear.

A few tips regarding reading to infants:

• Babies like photos of other babies.
• Choose books that reflect daily experiences (families, familiar objects, food).
• Use your voice as a tool-vary your tone to keep their interest.
• Keep reading pleasurable-stop if baby becomes fussy.
• Read favorite books over and over again.

Toddlers are curious and assert their independence. They want to see the pictures and turn the pages. This can lead to strange stories-reading from back to front, for example! Toddlers are natural mimics, so look for books with lots of repetition. Reading to toddlers is an interactive experience. They will enjoy books that provide them opportunities to use their favorite word or to repeat a phrase.

Children who are beginning to talk love to name familiar people and objects. Read books that reflect their daily lives, stopping to talk about the pictures. By using your right hand to hold the extra pages you can release just one at a time for your toddler to turn by herself.

Try sitting down with one or two interested toddlers. Others will likely be attracted to the story and join the group. If you will allow the toddlers to come and go you may find that storytimes become longer and longer. You will be well on your way to developing lifelong readers!

Here are a few of the many wonderful books to share with infants and toddlers. Many can be found in board book format or other formats designed for very young children.

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

The Three Bears by Byron Barton

The Gingerbread Man by Eric Kimmel

Shake My Sillies Out by Raffi

I Like Me! By Nancy Carlson

Jamberry by Bruce Degan

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree by Eileen Christelow

Five Little Ducks by Raffi

Big Fat Hen illustrated by Keith Baker

Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat by Gene Baer

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting

Inside a Barn in the Country by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Barnyard Banter by Denise Fleming

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins

"More More More", Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams

Flying by Donald Crews

Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert

Do You Know New? By Jean Marzollo

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? By Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle

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