4-20-09 Baby's First Book

I think everyone with children treasures the time spent reading stories before bed, but did you know that babies love to hear stories, too? Of course, babies love eating books, too, but science has proven that interacting with books, even with their mouths, is very important for developing reading skills later on.

The library is working on a new program called Baby’s First Book. With the help of the local hospital and through word of mouth, flyers will be handed out to new families asking them to come to the library, where they will receive a free book and a library card, if they don’t already have one. The book will be a simple board book, ideal for new babies. The only catch to the deal is families need to bring along proof that they live inside Pipestone County.

I first started reading to my daughter when she came home from the hospital, and I remember thinking that there was no way she was learning a darn thing. All she wanted to do was chew on the book and stare at the pictures, she wasn’t listening. But I realize now that she was, and those first stories helped her really come to love books. Now, we have to have at least two stories before bed and both books have to sleep in the bed with her. In fact, many is the time I’ve gone in after she’s asleep for awhile and the book is open and across her chest from where she was looking at pictures on her own.

Judith Shickedanz was the first to describe the behavior of infants when experiencing a book:
Book Handling behavior is related to how a child interacts physically with a book, either turning the pages or chewing on it.

Looking and Recognizing behaviors are important because an infant learns to focus on something, to laugh at a picture they like, and to form recognition skills.

Infants learn that books are exciting if they are exposed to them early, which leads to a love of books and stories later in life (even if it doesn’t last to adulthood). If children learn that books are fun, they will be more likely to enjoy learning to read as they grow older.

Infants (0-6 months) enjoy books with very simple, large pictures or designs with bright colors. Stiff cardboard books work well, or books that fold and can be propped up in a crib for easy viewing. Cloth and vinyl books are great, too, especially if they can go in the bath or get washed.

It’s easy to get an infant involved in a book! Using voices to portray characters or different words will engage the infant with you and keep them excited about this time with their caregivers. Pointing out the words and the pictures helps the infant to learn focus, and helping them to turn pages (once they’re a little older than newborn, of course) will help get them even more involved.

Help us raise a new generation of readers! If you or someone you know is a new mother or father, send them to the library for their free Baby’s First Book!

Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM (while school is in session). If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at (507) 825-6714.