Baby On Book
Got a comment from Molly that I believe is a common experience among many parents. She relayed her difficulty in reading to baby as baby is either not interested or would rather eat the book. Sounds familiar? You really want to cultivate the love for reading but baby seems to have other ideas. What do you do?

  • With my babies, I always start them off on nursery rhymes. I’m sure you’ll agree that babies are naturally inclined towards rhythm, rhyme and songs. I have a big book of Mother Goose Rhymes. The pictures are big so it’s easy for baby to see. But I usually put the book out of babies reach (see, but no touch). I use it mainly for my own reference — I don’t have to crack my head thinking what should I sing next? Also this way, I read/sing the rhymes in the same order each time. It helps to establish familiarity with baby.
  • With the nursery rhymes, it is easier to entertain baby. Every baby is different but I am willing to bet that most babies don’t do well just sitting and listening. With baby on my lap and the book on the floor/table, I move his hand, bounce him around, do finger plays etc… as I read. So for example, while reciting Humpty Dumpty, I might playfully ‘drop’ baby when Humpty Dumpty has a great fall. Or when reading Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, gently bounce baby on one knee then lift baby to the other knee when Jack jumps over the candlestick. Reading this way, baby will associate reading time as a fun bonding time. Plus, you maintain their focus.
  • Tell yourself it’s okay to keep it short. Baby’s attention span is still ‘under construction’. If baby loses interest and gets fidgety even after 5 minutes, stop. You can always try again later. Who says that you are only allowed one reading session a day?
  • To keep itchy hands and slobering mouths occupied while you read, give baby something else to hold. Keep the book you are reading off limits. If they want to feel and touch, can. If they want to abuse and eat it, cannot. Eventually, they will grow out of it.
  • Later on, when baby moves into toddlerhood, interactive books such as lift-the-flaps, button pressing makes reading a fun ‘game’. Also, in this age of digital cameras, color printers and laminates, you can make your own book about baby. It’s no secret that they love to read and see pictures of themselves.
  • When your baby’s attention span has improved, you can start introducing books with minimal words. For books that are too long to read but have an interesting story, use your own words to cut it short. Sometimes, all they are interested in is the illustrations. That’s okay. Use that to your advantage. Use the illustration to create the story. Remember, at this stage, it’s not the words on the page that count, it’s enjoying the story.
  • Tone down your urge to create a super genius child that will read by the age of three. Don’t just bombard your child with flashcards and choose books based on it’s educational value. Books should first be fun, and captivate the child’s interest. Only then can it be educational.
  • Show enthusiasm when you read. Immerse them in the story with crazy facial expressions and different voices. Make reading a time when Mom let’s down her hair. Eventually, you will see they pick up on your enthusiastic style of reading. They too will use different voices to portray different characters in the book, and they will also learn to ask the same questions e.g what’s going to happen next?

I don’t claim to be an expert but these are some things that have worked for me. I dare say my kids have cultivated some love for reading. Hope these tips are helpful to you too.