Children learn language through the speech they hear. Some people read to their babies while they are still pregnant, which is great; but there is no data on the effectiveness of this practice. However, research indicates that reading regularly to babies significantly improves their language abilities as early as nine months [1].
Books tend to contain words different than those in a parent’s regular vocabulary. Your baby will love listening to you read in a calm, slow voice while changing your intonation and rhythm and emphasizing rhymes, repetitions or animal sounds [2]. Your baby will probably also be interested in the book, reaching for it, running their fingers over it, or bringing it to their mouth [3].
A daily reading routine will help you bond with your baby in a lovely way. You don't have to read the book cover to cover, just set aside a few minutes to read to your baby; you will help develop their language skills while enjoying some calm time together.
