Baby Reading Tips

 

Reading personalized baby books

Reading personalized baby books from as soon as they are born has shown to have a tremendous impact on a child’s developing brain, especially their language skills and vocabulary. When it comes to reading to babies, it helps to know where and how to start, so here are a few helpful tips:

Birth to 6 months: Since the vision of an infant is still developing during these early months, it helps to choose books with little or no text and big, high-contrast pictures. Books that have interactive elements like textures, fabrics, mirrors, peepholes, popups and other inserts can also help babies learn as well as stimulate their still-developing brains. For parents, even choosing to read a brightly printed magazine on glossy paper can make for good baby-reading time – since the words are not yet important at this stage, kids can still learn by looking and they can still benefit from simply spending time with you and hearing the tone of your voice.

7 to 12 months: Before they are a full year old, children begin to grasp language and may already have a very basic vocabulary. Even if they aren’t speaking yet, they likely have an understanding of some basic words. In this vein, picking books that are about just one object or person per age are best; hearing you name something your baby recognizes reinforces their vocabulary and helps them realize that the words are linked to the illustrations, so make sure to point to the right pictures at the right times!

Acting out what you read with your face, hands, and voice can help, too. Let your baby babble back to you in response. Doctors suggest that this “conversation” can help them learn to take turns and teaches them about focusing on the same thing as someone else while also boosting communication skills.

Reading Personalized baby Books

For both ages under the one-year mark, you may want to stick to baby baby board books or fabric books, something that can withstand your child playing with them – and this sort of behavior should be encouraged at this stage. Kids learn by feeling, and sometimes tasting, so when they are very young they will explore new objects by physically touching them or even trying to gnaw on them to get an idea for what they are and how they feel.

13 to 18 months: As kids get older, you can begin introducing books with more than one sentence per page. Also, acting out the story and really getting into the dialogue can be extra effective around this age. When reading animal noises, be sure to imitate their sounds. When your child begins to mimic you, they will also be learning. After a while, ask them what sounds the animals make and so on. Ask them where the animals/subjects are in the illustrations.

15 to 18 months: Your baby may be able to answer questions with a word, so give them the opportunity to identify images they know by asking, “What’s that?” If they respond, you can try adding adjectives, sounds, colors, or other things you can use to describe the image and further boost their vocabulary.

19 to 24 months: At this age, many toddlers find the familiar routine of reading as reassuring and calming, and they may find a similar comfort when it comes to the same familiar books as well. Around 18 months, children may begin to ask for the same book over and over and over. This can help kids develop a love of reading, but as they become more and more familiar with the same book it also allows them to learn new words on top of the ones they have already memorized.

7 Must-Have Baby Books for Girls

baby books for girls

If there’s going to be a new little girl in your life, baby books for girls are the ideal gift! Reading to children should begin at birth to instill a love of books and to help infants and children develop vocabulary skills.

The books you read to baby will draw smiles, giggles, and maybe even a few claps, pats, and gleeful bounces. And the best baby books for girls encourage her natural exploratory instincts as well as allowing her to be introduced to new characters, words, shapes, and colors.

Books should engage her curiosity, delight her, and make mom and dad happy, too! But baby books for girls go beyond cute, cuddly, and colorful and expand into interactive masterpieces to help her utilize all her senses.

Looking for a few good baby books for girls? Check out these fantastic titles!

1.    Baby Faces by Amy Pixton and Kate Merritt.

She will love looking at all the fun faces of these cutely drawn babies! Parents can imitate the expressions and encourage baby to imitate them, too! The best part of this book, though, is that she can chew on it without worry—Baby Faces is one of the titles in the Indestructible book lines. The board books are durable and, yes, nontoxic and washable.

2.    Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

This is a must-have book for all babies! Pat the Bunny encourages babies to touch and pet the cute white bunny. She will love exploring the furry textures and the adorable bunny found on every page!

3.    Touch and Feel Trucks by DK

Little girls shouldn’t be limited to pink and princesses, and this touch and feel book features awesome trucks that girls and boys might see every day. The textures are unique and encourage her to explore every page. She can even spin the cement mixer!

baby books for girls

4.    The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

This cute little caterpillar is also a baby book staple! Eric Carle’s illustrations are bright, bold, and oh so happy! She will love watching the little caterpillar eat through fruit, cake, and much more. Help her learn colors and numbers as you work through the book…and then watch as the little caterpillar turns into a bright beautiful butterfly!

5.    Any Personalized Books

A personalized book makes her a character in the story. She will love hearing her name and seeing her little face as you read through a personalized adventure. And with KD Novelties, they can go on adventures with characters from Sesame Street, Pocahontas, and even Scooby Doo and Garfield.

6.    Spots and Dots (Art Baby) by Chez Picthall

This book will draw her attention with high contrast images, as the book was created for babies aged 6 weeks to 6 months and is artistically designed to engage her visually. While wordless, the pictures have a way of speaking for themselves!

7.    Pop Art Baby by Mudpuppy and Keith Haring

Bold, colorful pop art designs are combined with words that are translated into four languages: English, French, Spanish, and German. Teach her about colors and other languages as she also explores all the bright and happy art.

Use books to help her explore the world and her senses. Baby books for girls should capture their imagination and provide a means to delight their natural curiosity. Introduce her mind to bold artwork, sweet images, interactive textures, and even personalized storylines. Books are a baby’s first glimpse at the wonder and possibilities all around them, so give the gift of a book today!