It has been demonstrated by numerous studies how important reading is for children’s overall development. Reading fosters vocabulary development and helps children learn about times, cultures, and people other than their own; it helps them learn about the world and understand how others think, act, and feel. And starting when they are newborns and not even able to talk, creates fond memories of being with the people who love them. Even the youngest babies love to be held close and hear the voice of Mom or Dad as they read a book aloud. Reading aloud to your baby creates magical moments that will be cherished throughout their lives.
So make reading aloud to your little ones a routine. Set a time during the day to settle down, snuggle up and enjoy a pleasurable experience that becomes a ritual.
Read aloud to your children from Day One. Nurture and engage children by looking at books together and in this way support their brain development and the development of their language and literacy skills. Remember that what happens during the first few years sets the stage for the rest of a child’s life.
As they begin to grow keep it going… make sure books are available everywhere in the house and continue to enjoy special times as you read together.
Books like those in Languages4kidz Collection help keep very young kids engaged and enhance the development of their reading and literacy skills in Spanish and English.
Through these books children can:
• Continue to associate reading with warm, pleasant feelings;
• Learn about words and language;
• Build their listening skills and expand their vocabularies;
• Talk about the characters and settings;
• Gain knowledge about a variety of topics;
• Be exposed to a new language;
• Explore and understand social behaviors and moral issues;
• Be motivated to read on their own and become skilled independent readers;
• Have fun!