Together Time Tuesday: Celebrate National Read A Book Day 09/07/2010
Summer’s over, the kids are on their way back to school and it’s just you and your little one. What better way to spend a relaxing Together Time Tuesday than reading to your baby? Reading now will benefit you both in countless ways from creating a sweet bonding routine to engaging her curiosity and exposing her to words, sounds and colors. We have a few tips for making reading fun for both of you while planting the seeds for a future bookworm all from your comfy couch.
Put 100% into it
You see the biggest A-list actors transform themselves into wacky cartoon characters with voices that have your baby simply fascinated on the big screen. Take a cue and become your own cartoon alter ego at home. Get into character, find your quirky voice . . . dig deep. You know that you have one just dying to be let loose! Be sure to switch up your wacky voices, use different volumes, and get as expressive as you can. Take a few dramatic pauses to keep your baby’s attention. This is a great activity that you can use to show your baby different emotions.
Make it a Family Affair
Reading can be a fun trip down memory lane for you and your family. Did you recently rediscover your favorite childhood book, the one your mom read to you, or the one that you read to your older children? What a perfect way to share something special to you with your baby! Gather your family around for story time and let everyone be involved. Ask your older children to show off their stuff as they read their favorite baby book to your little one, or let grandma step in and read to you and baby. You can all read a book together by taking different roles. It’s a fantastic way for your whole family to bond and baby to know how much she is really loved. It’s also important to note that babies love repetition, so you can each take turns reading that family favorite over and over.
Entice All of the Senses
If you are just beginning to build your baby library opt for books with brightly colored illustrations and interactive features. Your baby girl will love bright sparkly things from the beginning (that never changes). Anything that she can touch or new images to look at will keep her engaged longer and make your job a bit easier. Fellow parents really like the Baby Einstein Mirror Me and The Colors Flip Flap book. As you introduce books you will see that your baby will begin discovering these new books with all of her senses. Encourage her to grab the book, and feel the soft pages. Help her to look closely at the pictures by taking time to point at them and explain what is happening. If there are sounds in the book remember that repetition is a good thing, so even if you are tired of hearing that pig oink, make the sound one more time and she’ll be a happy camper. You may find your baby trying to see how books taste by sneaking a nibble. Keep an eye on her, but remember that this is her way of using all of her senses to figure out what these mysterious new things are.
Keep in mind that this reading thing is all new to your baby so read slowly and often and you will create a new activity sure to become one of your favorites for years to come!
