Talking, Singing, and Reading to Children
It may sound cliche, but talking, singing, and reading to your child is one of the best ways to support their brain development and promote social and emotional growth. Did you know that nearly 90% of a child’s brain is developed by the time they turn five years old? Research has shown that during the first few years of life, children’s brains develop rapidly, making this a very important time to teach them and expose them to new things. This can happen through simple activities done at home to help engage babies and stimulate their little minds. In this article we will share quick and easy tips for using talking, singing, and reading as a way to help your baby grow!
Tips for Infants
Talk
- Listen to the fun sounds your baby makes and repeat them. When they coo, coo back.
- Everywhere you go, talk about what you see and what your baby is looking at: “I love that red truck you’re playing with. It goes beep beep!”
- Play “Peek-a-boo” while getting your baby dressed. Ask, “Where’s (baby’s name)?” when you pull a shirt over your baby’s head. Then say, “There you are!”
- As you feed your baby, use words to describe what foods taste, feel, and look like. “This yogurt is smooth.” “That yellow banana is sweet!”
Read
- Read a book or tell a story to your baby every day – in whatever language you feel most comfortable – beginning at birth.
- Point to the book’s pictures and describe what you see: “Look, the train goes choo-choo!”
Sing
- Hold your baby close during bedtime and sing a favorite song again and again.
- Sing silly songs about your day to help get your baby’s attention during diaper changing.
- Your baby loves to hear your voice even if you think you can’t sing! The sound of your voice is comforting to your baby.
Tips for Toddlers
Talk
- Everywhere you go, talk about what you see. A stop sign, a traffic light, or a tree might seem boring to you, but it’s a whole new world to your child, so teach them about it!
- Play “I-Spy” in the grocery store together. Choose a color and encourage your child to point out objects that match the color.
- Try some early math activities: point out shapes on your child’s plate or around the kitchen. Ask your child, “How many sides does a square have?” “How about a triangle?”
- Play games during bath time to help your child learn new words. Take turns dropping toys in the water. Say, “Watch it sink!” or “It floats!”
Read
- You can inspire a love of books and words in your young child by reading or telling a story together every day.
- Point to the pictures, letters, and numbers in books. Ask open-ended questions as you share the book together. “What do you see? How does he feel? What would you do if you were her? What’s your favorite page?”
- Let your child turn the book’s pages. It’s OK if they skip pages, or like a few pages better than others.
Sing
- Sing during everyday activities like driving in the car, or during bath time. It can be repetitive and simple, like “Wash your toes, wash your nose!”
- Singing songs that have basic counting or rhyming patterns also helps children learn basic math skills. “One, two, buckle my shoe. Three, four, open the door.”
It is never too early to start talking, singing, and reading to your child! In fact, responding to their smiles, cries, and coos, reading books before bedtime, and singing along to your favorite lullaby helps to encourage language development.
Information retrieved and adapted from the Office of Early Childhood Development.
