Talks about the how and why of reading to your baby and early learning.

1. Reading
to Your
Baby

2. You are your child’s first teacher.
You know your child best.
Children learn best by doing,
and they love doing things with you.
Why are parents so important
in helping
their children get
ready to read?

3. Why Read to Babies and Toddlers?
1. It’s fun.
2. It builds vocabulary.
3. It stimulates the imagination.
4. It increases the chance of later school success.
5. It teaches empathy and understanding of other viewpoints.
6. It entertains, it stimulates and it lights up the senses (and it’s not a screen!)
7. Books can travel anywhere, from the bus or car to the doctor’s office, grocery
store, playground…..
8. Reading is an introduction to new worlds: bugs, animals, and other exciting topics
9. Reading helps teach about and handle all those big feelings that toddlers don’t have words
for yet.
10. Reading is super food for the brain!

4. Reading is essential to
school success.
Start now to help your
child get ready to read.
Learning to read begins
before children start school.

5. Fun Things Babies Do While You’re Reading
•
Fall asleep
•
Grab the book while you’re reading
•
Pull your hair
•
Hold the page so you can’t turn it
•
Sit on the floor and look at you like you’re out of your mind
•
Tear the page or rip off the flaps
•
Throw the book on the floor
•
Point and demand, “What’s that?” on every page
•
Scream
•
Babble out her own story while you read
•
Open and shut the book over and over for a little “peek-a-boo”
•
Listen happily for two pages, then head off – and get upset if you
stop reading!

6. The 30 Million Word Gap
 “Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young
American Children” by Todd Risley, Ph.D. and Betty Hart, Ph.D.
followed every word spoken to 42 families for one hour a week, for
over three years.
 There was a 30 million gap in the number of words heard by children
by the age of four years old.
 Children who had heard more words in books, songs, and
conversation scored higher on IQ/intelligence tests.
 When the children were tested at age three and age nine, the
differences held.
 Children’s school success is directly connected to how many words
they hear between birth and age three

7. Five simple practices help children
get ready to read.
Help your child get ready
to read with simple
activities every day.

8. Children’s books have more advanced vocabulary
than every day conversation. There are about
10,000 common words we use from day to day.
Reading to children exposes them to more new
words and helps them “grow” their
vocabularies…and their brains!

9. Reading together with your children
is the single most important way to
help them get ready to read.
Shared reading is the best way
to help your child get
ready to read.

10. Use the language you know
best to help your child get
ready to read.

11. Singing:
Songs are a natural way to
learn about language.
Singing helps your child
get ready to read.

12. Reading is essential to
school success.
Start now to help your
child get ready to read.
Learning to read begins
before children start
school.

13. Talking
Talking helps your child
get ready to read.

14. Reading and writing go together.
Making Marks
Writing helps your child
get ready to read.
Drawing and Writing
Name Writing
Word Writing

15. Children learn about language through
different kinds of play.
Playing helps your child
get ready to read.

16. Make your home a learning zone!
Your home can be a
learning center to help
your child get ready
to read.