chateauxdesable:

jhameia:

thelibrarina:

tsreena:

baby: *incomprehensible babbling*

me: WHAT!? really??? no way :0

This is actually really good for babies’ brain development. You’re laying the groundwork for conversation, teaching them through example that people take turns talking and listening.

Did you know that babies from affluent families hear an average of thirty MILLION more words before age 5 than babies in families below the poverty line? For context, Les Miserables is about 650,000 words and it looks like this:

So it’s like reading this book 46 times.* And that’s not the total number of spoken words, that’s the GAP between affluent and poor babies. And these are the years in which the brain undergoes the most development. It’s mind-boggling.

So what I’m saying is: keep doing the thing. Do it to all babies, all the time. Narrate your day. Ask them for opinions. (“Should we buy the large bag of potatoes or the small bag?” “Gaabooglagje.” “Yes, just as I thought.”) Point out colors and shapes and letters. Let them scribble outside the lines and treat their babble like talk. Sing them nursery rhymes and Raffi songs and songs from the radio. All of these things are going to build their brains to prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.

*Please do not read Les Mis 46 times to an infant. They don’t even care about the Parisian sewer system.

i’m totally going to read Les Mis to an infant now.

And read them books. There is no baby too young for books!

There are books for babies, including the smallest infants (short, simple, some picture books for vocabulary, some books with things to touch and hear, to play and discover, little stories etc., and then around 18 months /2 yo babies/toddlers are also more receptive to longer lille stories, with a stronger narrative) 

Books are very important for increasing babies’ vocbuary and speech and all.

Read them books before going to bed, and at other times too. My nephew (soon 2) wants to hear different kinds of books depending of whether it’s bedtime (always the same books, bedtime stories, more narrative, my sister knows them all by heart) or another time of the day (much more diverse and newer, and rather playful books). 

And of course you can also read them books “for” older people, too! Read them Les Misérables if you want! It’s likely their attentio will shift in a little time, but it’s okay! All books are fine.

And all activities that teach language are good for babies. Be listening, talking singing to them, read them books, point and name things and colors and shapes to them, and everything @thelibrarina said. YEAH.