Reading aloud:

• teaches your baby about communication
• introduces concepts such as numbers, letters, colors, and shapes in a fun way
• builds listening, memory, and vocabulary skills
• gives babies information about the world around them

Here are some additional reading tips:

• Cuddle your baby while you read to help him or her feel safe, warm, and connected to you.
• Read with expression, pitching your voice higher or lower where it's appropriate or using different voices for different characters.
• Don't worry about following the text exactly. Stop once in a while and ask questions or make comments on the pictures or text. Your child might not be able to respond yet, but this lays the groundwork for doing so later on.
• Sing nursery rhymes, make funny animal sounds, or bounce your baby on your knee - anything that shows that reading is fun.
• Babies love - and learn from - repetition, so don't be afraid of reading the same books over and over.
• As your baby gets older, encourage him or her to touch the book or even to hold sturdier board books.

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