As you already know, interacting with your baby throughout the day can make you both happy. Reading with your child is one of those infant activities that is rewarding in every sense. It will allow you to have fun while laying some foundations for reading development. You can always use popular children's books, but some of the best baby books are homemade. Here's how:
What You Will Need
- A variety of colorful or high-contrast pictures
- Try cutting them out of magazines, cards, or children's catalogs. Babies especially love pictures of other babies, animals, foods, and vehicles
- A sheet of white paper or construction paper and glue
- Clear contact paper
- Your baby and you
Let's Go!
Glue the pictures to the paper and then cover with contact paper. This will allow him to touch or even chew the pictures without destroying them.
Next place the paper with the pictures on your baby's high chair tray. Spend some time with your infant and talk about each picture, telling him something about each object. For exapmle, say, "Look at that doggy. His ears are so long!" Also ask him open-ended questions (questions that require more than just a "yes" or "no" answer). Listen to his responses. Even if he can't yet talk, encourage him to respond to you, even with just sounds and laughter.