Reading is Important at Every Age
To support language development and a lifelong love of books and reading, we recommend reading to your child often, starting from birth. We recommend reading to your child daily. Bed time is an excellent opportunity to create a daily reading habit.
Studies have shown that young children whose parents read them 5 books a day have heard about 1.4 million more words by kindergarten than those who have not been read to. This million word advantage obviously gives them continued advantage throughout their life.
Children should be supplied with age appropriate books all throughout childhood. Babies love to look at books with primary colors and lots of other baby faces. Older toddlers may like picture books with a few words on each page that they can begin to maneuver themselves.
“Do not expect your toddler to sit down and read a book from cover to cover. It is perfectly fine to jump around and narrate as you enjoy reading with your child.”
– Dr. Natalya Davis, Norwell Pediatrics
Our participation in the reach and out read program can supply free books at specific well child visits between 6 months and 5 years old.
This language advantage and love of learning, instilled during the early years, will prepare your children to transition to the studying habits that will propel them to success later in their lives.
We recommend continuing to read with your child, out loud, even later in their childhood and into early teenage years. This will support their personal reading habit and constant education.
