By Emmie Leigh
Why does reading with your baby matter? The task can feel fruitless when your child is at too young of an age to respond, but research has proven that reading to your baby provides lifelong benefits, including everything from the more obvious language skills to bonding and establishing a routine.
Personally, one of my favorite things about reading is that it makes my world a more vibrant place. Reading takes me to locations I would never visit otherwise and straight into the minds of brilliant people from a variety of cultures, ethnicities and beliefs.
When I learned I was expecting, I was thrilled for the opportunity to share my love for literature. Visiting the local thrift stores, hunting down children’s books for my library became one of my favorite pastimes. I have found a multitude of gently used books for less than a dollar a piece. Now, I read those books with my daughter on a nightly basis and set the more durable baby books in places she can easily access, so that they can be part of her playtime during wake hours.
Idaho Falls provides a multitude of resources for growing little readers and the majority of them are free of charge. Idaho Falls Public Library hosts weekly story times for various age groups. The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho provides story times on the first Saturday of every month, as well as a free admission on the first Saturday of every month. Winnie and Mo’s Bookshop frequently hosts Reading Time with the Queens and local children’s book authors.
Whether you are able to spend 5 minutes reading with your child at night or able to venture out to story times, every minute you spend introducing your child to books makes a difference. The following ideas can help you to explore books at home.
Craft of the Month:
Help your child write their own story to enjoy.
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Fold a few pages of scrapbook, cardstock or computer paper in half.
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Choose a theme for the book, such as barn animals, colors or insects.
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Write a title on the front of the book, representing the theme.
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Help your child to write a simple word or phrase on the bottom of each page.
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Allow your child to get creative, encouraging them to draw an image representing each word. If you’re feeling courageous, bring out the glue, glitter and scissors.
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Enjoy reading through your new creation together.
Literacy Tip:
Make reading with your child fun! Gather in a cozy space and sing the words to books or create your own tunes. Take time to explain the images that grab their attention, explaining the items in the images that spark their attention and create new stories to entertain their imagination.
Local Literature:
Here are some children’s books by Idaho authors to check out.
It’s Her Story: Sacajawea - By Randy’L He-Dow Teton
A Tail of Three Lions - By Silvia Medina
Neat Nick’s Big Mess - By Chad Otis
Samson the Sock Monster - By T.R. King