Reading aloud and sharing stories with your baby is one of the most important and enjoyable things you can do together. If you’re not sure where or how to start reading, here are some ideas.
Why reading with your baby is important
Sharing stories, talking and singing every day helps your baby’s development in lots of ways.
You’re getting your baby familiar with sounds, words, language, print and, eventually, the value and joy of books. This all builds your baby’s early literacy skills, like the ability to listen to and understand words. It also helps him go on to read successfully later in childhood.
Reading stories stimulates your baby’s imagination and helps her learn about the world around her. It’s also a great time for you to bond with your baby and share time together.
You can start reading to your baby as early as you like – the earlier the better. Our articles on reading stories with babies and children and developing literacy have more information to get you and your baby started.
Sharing books with your baby
At this age and stage, reading with your baby is all about having fun with books and spending special time together.
Here are some tips to help you and your baby make the most of reading time:
Here are some general tips for reading with most young children:
Children often love to read the same book over and over. This might be a bit boring for you, but your child will enjoy it because she can learn the story and look forward to what’s coming next.
What to read with your baby
There are so many books to choose from that it can be hard to know where to start.
As a broad rule, young children often enjoy books that have good rhyme, rhythm and repetition – and this rhyming and repetition helps them learn. Also, your baby’s interests will guide you when you’re choosing new books. Your baby learns best when he’s interested in what you’re reading together.
Once your baby is about 12 months old, you could start looking for the following kinds of books, which she might especially enjoy:
Here are some books your baby might enjoy and you can also check the availability of these books from the National Library:
Why not visit your library? It’s free to join and borrow. The staff there will be able to recommend books for you and baby to enjoy.
Video: Telling stories with children
Watch this video to learn about the importance of storytelling, and how you can get your child involved in the stories that you tell.