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As soon as babies are born, we feed them so their bodies start to grow and develop. Storytelling from very early in life feeds the mind and fuels the imagination.
Remarkably, about half of a person’s ultimate intelligence is developed by the age of four, and 80% by the age of eight! What happens in the early years is of the utmost importance. See our guide to using this website with very young children.
Babies have a joyful and receptive enthusiasm for learning – so it’s never too early, or late, to make books a part of your baby’s life. Here are some tips:
Play with them. Babies love books they can play with and there are lots of books with flaps, peepholes and unusual shapes to add extra interest.
Chew them! Books provide sensory stimulation for babies. Let them hold books, explore their shapes and sizes and throw them overboard when they’ve had enough. Although you may end up with soggy torn pages, remember flaps can be stuck back down and books dried!
Don’t force reading – if your child is fidgeting give up and try it again later.
