Parents in the Geraldton City Council in Western Australia are being encouraged to read to their babies through an innovative program called Born to Read Parents and their new babies were guests of honour when the program was launched, with each receiving a City of Geraldton Citizenship Certificate from Mayor Vickie Petersen. They also received a Born to Read package containing a library membership card, information on early childhood development and a book, from City Librarian, Andrea Jones.
Andrea Jones said there was great deal of research to show that the foundation for children’s language and communication skills were laid at a very young age and reading boosted the development of those abilities.
Language and learning difficulty consultant, Dr Lorraine Hammond, said that reading to babies from day one helped form speech patterns. Andrea Jones said it was very pleasurable to engage your baby by reading.
“The critical time for reading is from day one through to nine months of age,” she said. “We speak differently when we are reading. When we speak we use a limited vocabulary. When we read, we slow down and we use better syntax and grammar. Reading to children helps shape the way the brain learns language.”
Library staff are now visiting antenatal classes at both the local hospitals to explain the many benefits children gain from reading with parents from a very early age. So far more than 150 parents have taken up the idea of reading to young children.
