Reading with Your Baby
Books are for babies too. But what books does your baby need as they grow?
My son, Ezra, reading at 3 months
In these early months of reading, your goal should be to help your baby…
develop language skills
better understand the world
foster a positive view of books
bond with you
Below are some tips to help keep reading meaningful and fun. Any effort you put in now will help your child become a better reader one day!
From newborn to tummy time:
In the first months, enjoy the snuggles and the sweet moments. Don’t stress about reading! However, if you can remember two simple things (between the laundry mountains and the brain fog)…
1) Begin the habit of reading out loud to your baby. Anything. Your latest favorite off the NY Times bestseller list or a morning devotional. Your baby will listen to the inflections in your voice and learn a lot about speech.
2) Give your baby a couple soft books. These books are more like “toys” — meant for touching, exploring, and putting in the mouth. Several washable, soft or interactive books will go a long way.
Black and white books are easier for babies to see. They help babies learn to focus and discern shapes and patterns.
And crinkly books are like catnip for babies! :) Something about that sound. My son’s soft, crinkly book lasted him a long time — we could clip it above his bouncy chair or lay it in front of his face for tummy time.
Your baby will have a very short attention span, so follow their lead. Don’t force the book when they lose interest (ex. craning their back, turning away).
Below, you can watch my son’s progression with books — from looking and touching to tummy time.
A week later, Ezra touching and holding the book himself
Dad reading with Ezra during tummy time, 4 months
Babies who are pulling up & walking
This is a good time to build a book burrow in your home. A magazine-rack bookshelf can be especially fun for babies because the books are easy to see. As your child is pulling up and learning to walk, they’ll likely enjoy grabbing the books. Taking out the books and putting them back on the shelf can be a game.
Around this time, my son also became very interested in books with other babies. (Highlights baby magazine is fun for that.) We started reading board books together too, although I didn’t have much success checking them out from the library. (He ended up sucking on a library book about cars overnight and leaving the perfect imprint of his mouth. I had to pay for it, haha !)
Ezra, 7 months, sucking on his Dr. Seuss board book
Also, it’s super normal for kids to go through phases of being interested in books and then wanting nothing to do with them. Don’t stress if your child isn’t interested. Sometimes trying again a week or a couple months later makes all the difference.
Reading with dad, 16 months
Reading with dad, 17 months, and talking about the book together.
Introducing paperback books
When your baby isn’t constantly drooling or prone to tear pages anymore, reading paperbacks together opens up another world! Books with songs, rhymes, and humor are so fun.
The pre-toddler and toddler stage is also very busy! As you’ll see below, my son didn’t want to sit, but we still found a way to read together. I encourage books as a part of our home culture, but never force him to read.
Reading a silly song book with mom, almost 2 years
Recommended types of baby books by ages:
o-6 months: crinkly fabric books, or chunky board books
6-18 months: board books with simple stories
around one year, you can start asking simple questions, like “Where is the cow?” or “point to the sun.”
18-24 months: longer board books or paperback books (with caution)
encourage your child to turn the pages
your child might be able to describe simple things, like the sounds and names of animals
rhyming and silly books are super fun!
24-36 months: Branch out into more paperback books
you can ask your child to share how the character is feeling, make guesses about what will happen next, and count objects
Learn more about these specific developmental phases here.
I’d love to hear from you parents of babies & toddlers — what do you like to read together? Share below.
