We all want the best for our babies, and reading to them from an early age is one of the best developmental decisions you could make.
It is easy to decide what to read to them when they are infants, or babies that are still immobile. However, when they get older and begin to develop likes and dislikes, choosing the right books can begin to be a challenge.
More to the point, you will know when you have chosen a book that your baby isn't interested in, as they will usually act up or want to go play with something else.
In this article we are going to explore the best books for 1 year old. The most engaging and interesting books, that speak to your little ones. We will also look at what features you can look for in your own book choices to set you and your one year old up for reading success.
Depending on your one year old's attitude towards reading, it can be a naturally rewarding experience OR a 'tear-your-hair out' challenge.
Which is completely to be expected - after all like we always say at The Best Baby Care Tips team - life would be boring if not for a bit of diversity.
Fortunately, by preparing yourself for what to expect when reading to your one year old, you can get ahead and anticipate any bumps along the road.
Reading to your little one from an early age helps to develop wonderful habits that your little one will hopefully bring with them well into their adult life. The love of reading and wanting to learn is something that can be easily instilled from a young age.
Before you know it, you will have collected a little library for your child to grow up with and rather than reaching for a tablet or phone or sitting in front of the television, they will prefer to reach for a book and sit on a beanbag or lounge.
We have already mentioned some benefits of reading to your kids, such as creating a life - long healthy relationship with books and a preference to read a good book instead of being glued to a screen.
Some other benefits you can expect your baby to receive from reading to them:
Bedtime can be a great way to introduce reading and story time to babies. It is a natural way and great way for your baby to drift off and fall asleep.
There is however, a few considerations to make when considering books for bedtime. Things like choosing a book that doesn't excite or stimulate your little one too much (we are after all trying to get them to sleep). Fortunately, we have just the guide on the best books for bedtime stories, and we encourage you to check it out.
When you are reading to your bubs, one of the best ways for choosing the right book is selecting a topic that interests them. You will know they like the subject matter when they are completely engaged with the book.
We recommend beginning with the classic books with lots of colors and pictures that will capture their attention.
If you find they are not engaging with the books, you can slowly begin introducing them to new topics like dinosaurs or animals, cars or even comic books. The point is that you want them to engage with you and the book and the fact that you are reading is the main thing.
Some of the best books we have found to help engagement with your little one are books that involve interaction with your baby. This could mean that there are pop ups that involve the movement of specific pictures on each page. Or the books may include different types of materials that feel different or create scrunching sounds.
Sometimes a book that strays from the standard words and pictures on the page can help to really engage your bubs.
Another was to get your precious one to love reading is choosing books that rhyme and can almost be read in a sing - song fashion. Many books For 1 year old babies involve rhymes that help to engage your bub's listening skills. It is a great moment to witness when you realize your baby understands that the words in the book are interconnected somehow.
Singing your books to a child can also help to engage them, when they are otherwise preoccupied with other things around them.
In conclusion, reading to your 1 year old has many benefits that will, if done correctly, will set them up with wonderful habits in their life. It can help to seed your child with their love of learning, and importantly help to get them away from those addictive screens on tablets, phones and the TV.
Choosing the right books for your 1 year old is important and something that is within your power to control. By following our guidelines and recommendations in our article, you will be on your way to engaging your little one in story time and helping to develop them little minds onto bigger and greater things.
Let us know your favorite books in the comments below so we can add them to our list for other parents to enjoy.
