Soft Books for Infants

Description

Start the love for reading now by introducing soft books with interactive pages that will capture the interest of your baby! Infants love anything they can look at, touch, hear....books can help to develop all of these senses. Everything at this age is a "toy" so it is a wonderful time to introduce books.

Introducing Books to Infants

Hand or hold the book in front of your child. You have just introduced the first Reading Readiness Skill! You have just demonstrated which is the front of the book, and which way is up! They will still hold it upside down and backwards for a while but they will learn quickly.
Now talk about the pictures or the colors. You have just introduced another reading readiness skill.
Reading is more than just being able to read the words. Comprehension is key to a successful reader and it is developed by learning to look at picture clues.
Now let your child spend time with the book.

Tips and Suggestions

Carry a few for stroller trips. Some have rings that you can attach to car seats or stroller straps to keep from falling.
These books are cloth so most are washable. Bargains can be found at yard sales, eBay, church sales and second hand book stores.
If purchasing pre-loved, be sure to check condition for loose pieces, strings or other potential hazards and wash first if it is a cloth book.

Board Books for Toddlers

Description

Board Books make great gifts and are a great way to get your child interested in books from an early age. This is what we transitioned to from soft books.

Books Make Great Gifts

Looking for a perfect gift for a toddler? Board books are the perfect choice. They are sturdy, colorful and entertaining and a great way to start the reading process. Board Books are appropriate from about ages 1 and up.

How to Select a Book for Your Child

There are now thousands of board books on the market and you can apply the same principles that you would use to buy a toy.
Is this a book my child would enjoy? Does it have favorite characters they know? Are the pictures appealing?
Touch and feel board books have fun textures which babies love to touch.
There are even books with sounds as you turn the pages which some children love opening over and over.
Is it made by a reputable company? Infants and toddlers will most likely put books in their mouths.
Determine what books are "share with adult" books and keep them separate. These are the ones with the flaps, pop ups, and other fascinating features that most toddlers can't resist pulling on. Some books have s layered pages with clear or sparkle layers to create an interesting feature. Those are also "share with adult" books too because some pages will peel apart easily. Packing tape works well to fix books!

Tips and Suggestions

If the book is for a very young toddler, find one that is a size easy for the child to hold and turn pages.
Create a small reading corner. Have a location for your child to put their books whether it is a basket, shelf or toy box with book shelf. Add a few comfortable pillows and blankets.