The Benefits of Reading to Babies

The Benefits of Reading to Babies

            No parent would ever want their child to be dumb, right? You care, and want them to be smart, confident and successful. There are major changes going through a baby and small child’s head through their first 5 years. Those first 5 years are considered the most important. Many studies have shown the benefits of reading to children. Child development is defined as the changes that occur as a child develops and grows into the person they will be. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially are the ways that a child can develop. The first 5 years are the foundation for a child’s future. The brain is at a point where it will map out how the child will think throughout life based on the first 5 years.  So how can you make sure your baby is getting the most out of their first 5 years? Reading, although it’s a small task, can make all the difference.

            So when should you start reading to your baby? You can start reading to your baby when it’s in the womb.  “The new research suggests that babies began to absorb language when they are inside the womb during the last 10 weeks of pregnancy.” http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20130102/babies-learn-womb Studies suggest that just talking to your baby during those last two weeks can give them a basis for language.

By the time a baby reaches their first birthday, they will have heard almost all the sounds needed to start the basis of language. This is why most babies begin talking around 1-2 years of life. Even when babies don’t exactly know how to process the words when they are born and can see and focus on pictures, they can learn things from them. They can learn about patterns and faces and colors. Reading is also a soothing and bonding time for you and your baby. After about 5 months, your baby will become more interested in books. This is when buying books with rhyming text and bright colors are important, because they may realize the patterns. After 6 months, your baby will start to understand what pictures may represent and if a book makes sounds they will realize what they represent.

            Reading is a great thing because it only takes a book and you and your baby. So how can you make reading the best experience for your baby? 

When you read with expression by giving the different characters in the books different voices this can help your baby understand expressions and emotions.   You can ask your baby questions about the book while reading. Make your baby be observant by asking questions not about the text, but about the pictures. Reputation is always good and baby’s love and learn from it, so reading the same book twice is more than okay. Reading creates bonding time by cuddling and spending fun time with your baby. Make reading very fun for your baby by creating a safe, happy environment.

            So how does reading benefit your baby for a lifetime? Kids health brings up a good point, “But you wouldn't wait until your child could understand what you were saying before you started speaking to him or her, right?” http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/all_reading/reading_babies.html#  That is right! You want to speak to your child from the moment you see him or her. Reading is a very important part of early brain stimulation. It teaches a baby about the world around them and communication. It also introduces numbers, letter, colors, and shapes, and builds listening, memory, and vocabulary skills. Also, the baby could learn various artistic skills from certain types of picture books which can be a valuable emotional tool.
    Babies want to learn, this is true. However, sometimes a baby may reject reading! Scholastic.com in the parenting section on reading to your baby states, “Your infant may have seemed relaxed and ready to settle in to "read" with you, but after one page he starts squalling. Just put the book aside; he or she will have a better moment again soon.” Babies can be difficult, and I know some adults who still don’t like reading (probably because they weren’t read to as babies).  Know, that it is okay when your baby mouths or chews on books, eventually they will know what the book is actually for. For now, however, this is just how they explore things. Sometimes they may get distracted and crawl away when you’re reading but don’t feel bad. It’s normal for babies to get distracted with things and they will probably come back around and start listening again. Sometimes, reading to your baby takes a large amount of patience. Remember, even though he or she can’t show you everything she’s learned yet, you will certainly see the fruits of your labor in the future.

            I hope by reading this you have a better understanding of what kind of benefits await a child who has been read to throughout childhood.  The highly important reading comprehension and memory skills will prove a great asset to your child in the future of school, college, jobs, and life in general. I am a product of a baby that was read to. I have good reading comprehension skills and it has helped me a lot in college and beyond.  I remember being read the classic Whinnie the Pooh stories, Pat the Bunny, and Goodnight Moon.  And now I am very successful in subjects like English and Political Science. Reading however, is entirely useful in every subject, even math and especially science. You will not regret reading to your baby. 


References:

http://www.raisesmartkid.com/all-ages/1-articles/14-the-benefits-of-reading-to-your-child

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/all_reading/reading_babies.html

http://www.parents.com/baby/development/intellectual/age-by-age-guide-to-reading-to-your-baby/

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a1049781/can-my-baby-learn-in-the-uterus

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/reading-together/exploring-books-babies

http://www.babycenter.com/0_reading-to-your-baby_368.bc

http://www.readtoyourbaby.com/read_qanda.html

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/reading-language/reading-milestones/baby-language-development-milestones/baby-reading/

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20130102/babies-learn-womb

Motor Skills by Heather Wessendorf

Motor Skills Research Essay

The motor milestones that occur during your baby’s first year may seem unrelated to one another, but in fact they happen in sequence. Their development of these skills usually progress from head to foot, with skills involving the head and arms before those that involve the legs and feet. Motor control starts from the center of the body outward, meaning that your baby will be able to control his/her midsection before being able to move their fingers and toes.

During the first six months, your newborn starts to view his/her world. When her own fist gets in her sight, she can help but wonder what this strange object is. By extending her arm in front of her when she turns her head side to side, the tonic neck reflex creates many opportunities for her to study her own hand. At the age of 3 months, she observes things without touching them. When she feels something, she will turn her head to see what it is. If she finds it interesting, she will reach out to learn more about it. When she tries to have hand contact, it consists of broad swipes. Her arm moves as if it were a wooden bat. She will beat at objects and swing her arms over and into them. After this period, she will begin attempts to reach out and touch an object with one or even both hands. She might glance between herself and the object. The baby might close her fist before she reaches the object. When you hand your child a toy, she might not be able to grasp it because she is too curious or she simply can’t hold onto it. 

You must allow your children to practice hand-eye coordination because it is very important for her development. Between 4 and 6 ½ months, she will master the skill of being able to lift her hand and grasp an object smoothly. When your baby is six to eight months old they will explore everything in sight with his/her eyes, hands and mouth. She will use her hands as she looks at an object and she will question what it does. For example she might bang two objects together because she is curious. Your baby will hold an object, study it and then pass it to the other hand. At this time, most babies can let go of an object. They might let go awkwardly and not smoothly, but they are able to do so. Your baby may be interested when the object falls so they will do it again and again. For quite awhile she might drop an object to get enjoyment out of it and then she relies on you to give it back to her so she can try it again.

When your baby reaches the age of eight to fourteen months, your baby may spend minutes examining small objects. She learns by using her index finger to poke and push and separate items. Instead of grasping with her whole hand, she will use her index finger and thumb to pinch and pick up tiny things. At first this “pinch” might be hard, but she will gain this skill. Over time she will be able to pick up multiple small objects. To entertain your baby, you can lay out beads on the floor and let her examine, question and play with them. Watch her carefully so that she doesn’t eat them, but allow her to play and practice this motor skill of picking small items up.

Before this research project was assigned, I didn’t consider how or when we develop our motor skills. Once I read and learned about the ages we figured out to move and use our body, I was surprised. I never thought that it took so much time to learn how to do the things we easily do every day. It’s weird to realize that at some point, all of us were not able to grasp and object. We studied and questioned everything that came into sight. Our body was a foreign object to us and we had to learn (on our own) how to develop these motor skills. Repetition is key for your developing baby. One thing that I found fascinating was that babies begin to vocalize at the age of 1 month. They cannot fully speak, but they will hear their own voice and try to discover how they can express themselves. This assignment really gave me a good understanding on the meaning of motor skills and how long it takes for children to develop the easiest skills.

http://children.webmd.com/features/is-your-baby-on-track

http://www.parenting.com/tags/motor-skills

http://www.thebabycorner.com/page/2501/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_skill

http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/baby-health/newborn-development/understanding-newborn-characteristics-and-development-ga6.htm