by Lauren Wilson
Child Life Specialist

As you walk down the noisy toy isle at your neighborhood store you encounter all the latest and greatest toys and movies that are proven to make your child smarter and increase their language development. These gadgets and DVDs are said to stimulate the brain and enhance their mental growth. Yes, these toys are fun for your child, but why continue to spend your hard earned dollars on endless toys (that usually require batteries!) when one the most educational resources is probably already sitting on your shelf…a book.

Research shows that the time you spend reading to your child is the most beneficial way to help your babies’ brain grow and develop. Reading shouldn’t be reserved for school aged children who are learning to sound out words; reading should start at birth, or even before. By reading aloud to your child, they will be exposed to more words and sounds that will increase their language development. Books filled with rhymes and repetition help to strengthen the language connections in our pattern-seeking brain.

Reading doesn’t just stimulate the language side of the brain; it also encourages the social and emotional side. It is an intimate way to connect with your child. It is an opportunity to get away from the busy day-to-day life as you curl up and spend one-on-one time learning about each other.

As you read to your child, your touch and your voice comfort them. This is something a movie or TV show cannot provide because of the fast pace talking and flashing screens. A book allows children to hear different emotions through voice inflections and provides an opportunity to share smiles and laughter.

Our society has slowly strayed from spending quiet time digging into a good book and steered more towards time in front of the television or playing video games. Start a new hobby with your children that will benefit them at school and in life. Help them grow to love reading by spending uninterrupted time in front of a book each day. It’s never too late or too early to start.