Reading to Baby: 8 Expert Tips for Language Development

Getting Started with Reading to Baby for Language Development

Reading to your baby....it's something that might not seem natural as babies can't read, right??

BUT there are so many benefits from reading to your baby from a young age...you can start from day 1. At Walky Talky Hub in Perth, our therapy services often encourage parents to begin early reading routines. Read on to find out WHY and HOW...

Why Reading to Baby Supports Language Development

• It helps your baby get familiar with sounds and words. The more words your baby hears over time, the more words they will learn. 
• It's a great time for you to bond with your baby and for them to listen to your voice
• It's great for developing their ability to visually focus on objects in front of them

Starting early with reading books helps you and your baby get into this routine and helps develop their love of books, which we encourage in our Perth-based therapy services.

Ongoing Benefits of Reading for Babies and Toddlers

• Develop early literacy skills
• Develop an understanding of language
• Ignite their imagination
• Learn to value books
• Wonderful 1:1 time with an adult!
• Great calming activity to do before bedtime 

Practical Tips for Reading to Baby Language Development

• Start reading books from an early age (as early as day 1 if you like!)
• Comment on what you can see in the pictures; you don't have to read the text
• Wait to see what your baby looks at, then model the word for them. As they get older, they might point to a picture, and look at you. You can then model that word for them. 
• Don’t expect your baby to be able to pay attention to the whole story — they get tired/distracted easily! Take a break and you can continue the story later
• Incorporate into your bedtime routine — your baby will start to recognise the book-sharing routine
• You can read any book to your baby, at a very young age it is more about them listening to your voice and enjoying this shared time together. As they get older, follow their interest in books and look for books with pictures that are great to look at and comment on. Our Walky Talky Baby membership has loads of suggestions for different types of books to read to your baby and why they are great for their development. 
• Remember to join your local library — books can be expensive! Your library will have a wonderful selection of books appropriate for your baby. 
• AND if your baby keeps trying to mouth your book...don't worry! Choose board books so they're more resistant to mouthing 😂. You can also try giving your baby a chew toy to chew on whilst you're reading to keep their hands and mouth busy. 

Reading and Motor Skills Development in Babies

• Practise turning different types of pages; fabric, card, then paper
• Exploring fabric and textured books with fingers (or toes!)
• The perfect entertainment for babies new to positions like tummy time. If they still need their hands to balance, turn pages for them to help them stay balanced.

Want to know more about types of books to read to your baby? Join us in the Walky Talky Baby membership - we have fortnightly emails which have specific tips for 'Story time' with your baby. Including book suggestions and how you can support your baby's Walky and Talky skills when reading these types of books. We've also got videos to demonstrate how to read to your baby to support their attention and language skills. Our Perth therapy services at Walky Talky Hub are here to support you in building strong language development foundations for your baby.