Hi there! I was wondering if anyone has ideas on how to read to an 11 month old baby? I LOVE to read and to write and I'm hoping to instill a love of reading into my son. I thought that it's never too early to start so I've been reading to him since he was about 2 months old. As a small infant he sat quietly and looked at the pictures. When he got a bit older he practiced opening and closing the book (board books). Now, however, all he wants to do is to grab the book, chew it, and throw it. I can't get any "reading" done at all. It's no fun for either of us when I'm constantly saying no and pulling the book back. We end up in a fight over who gets the book and he gets mad and cries. I've quit reading to him to avoid unpleasantness over books. However, he seems fascinated with the printed word. No magazine, newspaper, phone book, piece of paper, or other reading material is safe within his reach. He tears them up, throws them, and chews on them with great glee when he gets his little hands on them! Any ideas for peaceful reading times?
I thought I had updated this, but apparently not!! Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to answer my question and thanks for your great advice! My son is now almost 14 months old. He still loves to throw the books, but I let him have his fun and just try to point out pictures and colours or just make up my own story as he abuses his books. Then he settled down and went back to endless page turning. The other night he lifted his book up in the "proper" way (although upside down), held it up to his face, and turned his head from side to side as if he was reading it!! It was sooooo cute! Also, for the first time, he took time to actually look at pictures in the books. Finally, he pointed at the same character in a book on two different pages over and over. I think he was trying to tell me that it was the same guy on different pages :-) I feel like we're getting somewhere with the whole book thing!
I had the same problem! Now I lay my son in his crib for bed and read to him on a chair next to the crib. Usually he just watches because he doesn't have any other toys to play with or anywhere he can run! I am hoping it will also instill the bed time ritual of a bed time story! Good luck!
A.,
Read to him small books. Little ones have a really short attention span. Find a favorite small book and I remember learning that children like to be read in a kind of singing tone. "The little polar bear in it's winter lair", was one of my daughters first favorite book. She loves, loves, to read to this day and she's 11 now.
I still have the little board books with chew marks from my now-9-year-old girl. She was about your son's age when she started "devouring" books. (She'd want me to tell you that she is now a voracious reader, but doesn;t gnaw on them any more.)
I agree with others that you should let your son experience books in the way that makes most sense for him now--using several senses. I'd go to a discount place like Ross to get a stack of cheap board books to see him through this stage.
Hi A.!
Reading to babies is so important and will create a lifelong love for reading! A fun and interactive way to read to babies is through flannel board stories! I read to my children with flannel board stories since they were newborns! It make reading time fun and interactive. Babies and young children love to participate in learning!
Flannel board stories are also great for children with ADD, ADHD and Autism!
You can purchase a variety of well made stories though Glitterful Felt Stories.
www.glitterfulfeltstories.com
I didn't read the rest of the responses, but when my little one tried something like this, I'd hand him one book and read from another. Just them HOLDING, and playing with the book is GREAT practice for them to start to LOVE reading. He's not yet old enough to follow along with you anyway, so if he's looking at "The ABC's Book" while you're reading "The Foot Book", he won't know. It's the act of reading AND him seeing you and hubby read that will make the difference. ~J.
Hi A.,
Your story is cute! I can imagine.
Your son is probably teething and needs something to chew on. Have you tried to give him a teether while you read to him? I have read that kids can do several different things at one time, so if he takes off or does not seem like he is paying attention, just keep reading. That is what I have done with my little one and now at almost 2 she has come back around. She is however, still tearing books up if she can get ahold of them.
Hello A.,
I love to read and have always read to my children. I even read to them before they were born. If you want to keep reading to your baby; buy them some books that can be eaten, beat up, and thrown. While they are abusing those books, read the ones that you want to read. They do have kid-proof books and at least until the kid is about 7yrs old I would just get those. When they start school, they tend to want to write in the books so the kid-proof books will be handy then also. Good luck. R.
Hi A.,
Keep reading! Yes they chew and toss and grab. It's why they make cloth and board books. It is not fun or even benificial to say "no" all the time. I keep our "good" books put away and read one or two once a day from the shelf, and I rotate his cloth and board books with his toys. For awhile he just did the toss, grab chew with them, but we still tried to read them to him each day. Now, I find him looking at the pictures before they head for his mouth. It is so funny sometimes. He holds them out from him and gazes in centerfold fashion!
I had the same problem with my son. During this time they are so curious about everything that they just want to touch, feel and put everything in their mouth. What I did with my son was let him play on the floor and I would "read" to him but not try to keep him still. I woudln't really read the words but show him pictures, colors and just whatever was in the book. Actually reading to him was a challenge so I just went with his "flow" rahter than mine. Now he's two and sometimes I have trouble with him but for the most part he sits still and it's so much easier to read to him. Don't give up because you are right, it's never to early to read to them, and if they see that you like to read they will take that cue. Good luck and I hope this was somewhat helpful.
Have you tried a babies leap pad? I have two kids who colored on and tore up all their books at that age! The leap pad is good because it has a touch sensitive top you just slide the book in read to your child if he touches the book it will read the word he touched you can also buy other books for the leap pad that teach music,Abc's and other languages.It also has a plush pillow underneath to sit on baby's lap.
K.
Just sit down and READ!!! When he shows interest, keep reading, or if he wants to flip the pages faster, find a picture that interests him on the page and say "that's a doggy!" and then find another picture on the next page he sits on. Also, he may never come over, but you will still be sharing a cool story with him. You can read to him, just don't read to him on YOUR terms, do it on his level.
He may be too young for a whole story, but he probably sees that reading is important in your life and wants a piece of the action - hence the interest. So keep it to one word per page. Maybe sounds, too - "VVVVRRROOOOOM goes the car!" or whatever. That may be more his speed... Then eventually, he'll develop more concentration. Stick with it. Don't make it a power struggle or else you will both end up hating an activity that is a wonderful snuggle time!
I'd suggest reading as a bedtime or pre-naptime routine activity, when things are already quiet and calm. Also, read very short board books at this age, lots of pictures, goes quickly. You could also give him a book to hold/chew while you read, that might stop him from grabbing the one you're holding. And if he's not sitting still for it, don't push it.
Give him a plastic book to chew on while you sit across the room and read to him from another book.
Hello A.,
My son loves his reading time. I started about 45mins after he arrived in this world. I started out with the board books, at first his just sat there and looked at me. By 6mns old he would actually look at the books, 8mns I started to involve him in the books. Involve him by pointing to the colors or animals (he loves animals) Then by 10mns I asked him to point out the brown bear or the blue bird.
By a year he was climbing up to his rocking chair and say "book." He is now 21mns and he will sit in his room for about 30mins reading his books. He is now even pointing to the words! It is the cutest thing to watch our little ones read.
Now, my son would bite the board books and he turns the pages of paper books rough, but I just remind him that we don't treat books that way. Maybe when you read to your son (now you may already do this) but asking him questions and praise him for pointing out the correct object. I also get into character when reading and make sound effects. There are some days that reading is all we do, no cars or outside, just reading. I am sure your son will grow out of this stage, like all other stages.
But, show your son that these are his books and get him involved in them.
Hope this helps and happy reading,
M.
Dear A.,
Get books with lots of big pictures of animals and trucks and anything. Lots of color and maybe take him to the library once a week, and you two can sit together there, and take some home. I know that you are afraid that he will damage them, but maybe not. Lots of big pictures - C. N.
Congratulations A.! You are on your way to raising a reader. Whatever you do, do NOT deny your child access to reading material. Your child is experiencing print, so get him board books or plastic books which are more durable.
My sons and I read laying down. We all pop into bed and I hold the book over our heads to read. My arms get tired after a while, so I just pause and then start over again. Right now my 4-yr-old is really into books on tape/CD. He loves them!
Take Care,
F.
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Do is as part of his bedtime routine. He'll be wound down a bit and a little more apt to listen and he may even be lulled to sleep. Don't give up.
with my daughter, i never read to her, I thought "she doesnt understand what the heck I am saying and wont sit still" until my mom, who loves reading, read an artical, and i dont know how anyone knows this, that said even though they arnt sitting still and are so little, they are still getting it. maybe try laying him down for his nap of even bed time and sitting next to his bed and read to him. I started with my daughter after reading the artical, and let me tell you she is 3 now, and would rather me read to her than watch tv, she had me read 20 books in 45 minutes. try taking him to the Library, the one I go to, Sahara West, has a child reading program on Monday and tuesday at 10am and Wednesday at 11am they read 3 stories and sing 3 songs, its about 30 minutes, I take my 3 yr old, but my one yr old likes it too.
Hi A.,
I think that reading to your son and sharing books everyday is great, but I personally don't think that the actual reading is what is so important at this age, it's the idea of reading that he finds so fascinating. Right now he's learning how books work, that the pages turn (both ways! how exciting for a 11 month old!) and that each page has a different picture. You are instilling a love for books that is so important, so don't turn it into a fight. If he wants to chew on the books and turn the pages before you're done reading it, that OK! Just keep talking and make up the story if you have to. Soon enough he will learn that each pages has words specific to that page and he'll be interested in the actual story. Until then let him explore the books the only way babies really can, which is through his mouth and hands! I really hope this helps. Have a great day!
I've had the same problem with my now 18 month old boy. Somethings that I have found is to let him have one book while I read to him out of another. Another thing is if you get some of the First books that are like First Counting and First Animals and such like that you can let him have the book, board books work best, and then let him look at them and just point to different pictures and talk about them, count them, make the animal noises, things like that. When he decides to change the page in the middle of your talking it is not a big deal because you can just start telling him the new things for that page. As well, with other books like Dr. Seuss and such you can get used ones, so you aren't as worried about them possibly getting ripped, and you can do the same thing. Start reading to him from one page and then when he turns the page just try to start reading it. Don't worry if you don't actually get any of the real words on the page out, it will take a while for him to have the patience to sit through the reading, you can just talk about the different things on the pages. The big thing is that he gets exposure to the books, he learns that there are words and most of all that he gets that talking time, you can teach him the names of various things and point out key words when you get a chance. The most important thing with reading at this point is the exposure and the talking from you to him. It will help develop his vocabulary as he gets bigger. I wish you the best and if you want to know anything more just email me. I'd be glad to help.
