I started out reading out loud while we were breastfeeding in the early days ... Charlotte's Web, Now We Are Six, Dennis Lee, and sometimes whatever I was reading, just so she'd get used to being read to.
Then we moved onto board books. I follow her lead. In the beginning, she just played with them, then slowly she would rest upon a page long enough for me to read it. When I could, I would track the words with my finger, so that she'd associate the words with what I was saying.
If she wanted to read two pages, cool. If she wanted to read the same book over and over (her current phase), cool. We were at the library today and she kept picking out this book that I do not like one bit (even if I tucked it away, she'd seek it out), but I dutifully and cheerfully read it each time.
We have a large basket of books she can play freely with, and it includes board books and books with pages. She often brings them to me for me to read, and when we do this, she sits in my lap and we read for as long as she wants. Or other times she picks a book or two and takes them to the dog bed, where she boots the dog out, climbs in and 'reads' to herself.
We read two books after bath time and before lights out and nursing. She also sees me reading all the time. Like, all. the. time. She has a bath with me every night, and while she plays, I read. Sometimes I read out loud to her in the bath too.
We also go to story time at the library every week, and she picks books to sign out then.
Hopefully some of this helps! I'm a writer myself, and voracious reader, so I'm doing everything I can to raise a kid who loves stories and reading. I never ever push to finish a book, and I always follow her lead. I also use lots of voices, and point out things she can find in the pictures.
Have fun with it! And just keep in mind that books are not precious ... the love of reading is, and if there are a few ripped pages or pen-marked pictures along the way, then so be it!
Then we moved onto board books. I follow her lead. In the beginning, she just played with them, then slowly she would rest upon a page long enough for me to read it. When I could, I would track the words with my finger, so that she'd associate the words with what I was saying.
If she wanted to read two pages, cool. If she wanted to read the same book over and over (her current phase), cool. We were at the library today and she kept picking out this book that I do not like one bit (even if I tucked it away, she'd seek it out), but I dutifully and cheerfully read it each time.
We have a large basket of books she can play freely with, and it includes board books and books with pages. She often brings them to me for me to read, and when we do this, she sits in my lap and we read for as long as she wants. Or other times she picks a book or two and takes them to the dog bed, where she boots the dog out, climbs in and 'reads' to herself.
We read two books after bath time and before lights out and nursing. She also sees me reading all the time. Like, all. the. time. She has a bath with me every night, and while she plays, I read. Sometimes I read out loud to her in the bath too.
We also go to story time at the library every week, and she picks books to sign out then.
Hopefully some of this helps! I'm a writer myself, and voracious reader, so I'm doing everything I can to raise a kid who loves stories and reading. I never ever push to finish a book, and I always follow her lead. I also use lots of voices, and point out things she can find in the pictures.
Have fun with it! And just keep in mind that books are not precious ... the love of reading is, and if there are a few ripped pages or pen-marked pictures along the way, then so be it!
and I can read to her when she's in the bath, floor, crib or playard playing.
