You’re smart, I know you are, so I’m not going to sit here and tell you the thousands of facts related to the importance of reading to your baby. In my mind, reading is one of those parenting non negotiables…. like feeding your baby, changing their diaper, and drinking wine after bed time.
When you read to your baby you are connecting with them, exposing them to new language, displaying key early literacy skills (like how to hold a book, or turn the pages), and showing your child that reading is fun!
There’s about a million children’s books out there- and lets be honest, some of them are just atrocious. When choosing a book for your baby, look for the following:
- Does the book have bold illustrations? (Colorful, clear, and large enough for your baby to see)
- Do the pictures match the words? (You’d be shocked at how often they don’t)
- Is the language simple? Bonus if it has repetitive or catchy phrases!
- Does it include things to touch and feel? This is not necessary, but can help your child in comprehending new words.
- Does it contain familiar characters and animals?
The following is a list of books that not only meet the above criteria, but are big hits in our house. Enjoy!
Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? A Lift-the-Flap Book
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Little Duck: Finger Puppet Book (Any book in this series- little ones loves the finger puppets!)
Pat the Bunny (Touch and Feel Book)
*Bonus Book: Forever Young (This was given to us as a gift when Layla was born, and is a great alternative to “I’ll Love You Forever (which is amazing and still makes me cry, but you know everyone gets like 5 copies of it when they’re expecting).