The best part of most days in the office for me? Well, that’s a tough choice between choosing stickers with kids after their appointments and giving them books to take home! That\u2019s right: we give every child 6 months to 5 years a book at each well-child visit. And while the stickers are just pure fun, the books have a purpose beyond making kids smile.<\/p>\n
Studies show that kids who get lots of books, songs, and conversations from parents each day have a much more extensive vocabulary than those who don’t.<\/p>\n
Sometimes busy parents tell me it’s hard to find time to read. After raising three kids, I understand. Reading is definitely important, but on busy days when it feels hard, you can fit in some of the same benefits. I encourage parents to “sportscast their day” to their little ones. It can go something like this: “Look at the cat!” “What does the cat say?” “That’s right! Cats say ‘Meow!'” “Bye-bye, kitty! Meow!” You might sound silly, but – your child learns as you go.<\/p>\n
Singing also helps kids learn words. Well, not when I sing because they tend to cover their ears when I do that \u2013 but I’m sure they’ll learn when you sing!<\/p>\n
So back to the books. Why do we hand one out at each visit? We\u2019ve partnered with Reach Out and Read, a national organization that champions the positive effects of reading daily with young children. Their website explains that there’s a critical window of time for all this learning:<\/p>\n
“More than 80% of a child’s brain is formed during their first three years, and what they experience during this window can irreversibly affect how their brain develops. Attention and nurturing from a loving parent or caregiver supports healthy brain development \u2013 and one of the best ways to engage young children<\/a> is to read books together.”<\/p>\n The American Academy of Pediatrics<\/a> explains that both the quality and quantity of reading counts. High-quality reading has parents talking with their kids about the book and asking questions as they read. “What do you think will happen next?” “Look at the tree; who is hiding behind it?” “What do you think they are feeling?” Research has shown that:<\/p>\n “Reading quality and quantity of shared book-reading in early infancy and toddlerhood predicted child vocabulary up to four years later, prior to school entry. Book-reading quality during early infancy, in particular, predicted early reading skills while book-reading quantity and quality during toddler years appeared strongly tied to later emergent literacy skills, such as name-writing at age 4.”<\/p>\n Now, all that may feel intimidating, but start by just having fun! You don’t even have to read<\/em> the book with the littlest ones- you can just talk about the pictures in it. That counts too!<\/p>\n Make reading a routine.<\/strong> Maybe before bed, when your child first wakes up, or both. But whatever you choose, making reading a routine reinforces the habit.<\/p>\n Short and sweet is okay.<\/strong> Some kids won’t sit for long, and that’s okay. \u00a0learn to sit still for longer as they grow, so just keep practicing.<\/p>\n Point at words as you read.<\/strong> Over time they\u2019ll learn how to say them.<\/p>\n Let them control the pace.<\/strong> And let them turn the pages.<\/p>\n Let them choose the book.<\/strong> If your child is interested, it doesn’t matter what you read or look at together. You can read a storybook, comic book, magazine, or even a cereal box, and they will still learn!<\/p>\n Let them tell you the story.<\/strong> They may have memorized it, or they may be going off script and creating their own story. Either way is fine!<\/p>\n Ask them questions about the story.<\/strong> And let them ask you some too.<\/p>\n All the kids I see are thrilled to get a new book and usually want to start reading it immediately. But what do the 6-month-old babies do with their books? They stick ’em in their mouths and chew. Well, that’s a start! And that’s why those guys get the chunky books.<\/p>\nHere are some tips for reading with young kids:<\/h3>\n
Resources For Parents:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Reach Out and Read<\/a><\/h4>\n
American Academy of Pediatrics<\/h4>\n