Build a cosy story time ritual: tips for reading with toddlers

You may have heard that reading to your baby before they’re even born has benefits, as does reading to them after birth, long before they’re able to understand what it is they’re hearing. When your baby grows into a busy toddler, you may notice an increase in their interest in hearing stories and ‘reading’ books. 

It’s a good idea to nurture this love of reading as your child grows. “We read to our babies not just to teach them to read, but to foster a love of books and learning from a young age,” says Johannesburg-based paediatrician Dr Christa Swanepoel,

Why is it important to read to your child?

Reading to your child has a host of benefits, says Dr Swanepoel:

• It is a soothing and nurturing activity that allows for bonding time. 
• Reading exposes your child to the patterns of speech. They will hear rhythm, rhyme and the tone of your voice. This, as well as being exposed to more words, will prepare them for reading on their own later on.
• Children that are read to have a better vocabulary and this gives them better understanding of words. Studies reveal that your baby must hear as many as 21,000 words daily to grasp the basics of a language. Reading can be a valuable tool in reaching this goal. 
• Reading brings greater concentration and stimulates creativity and imagination.
• Reading aloud to them from newborn age stimulates cognitive skills and has been proven to also have a beneficial effect on mathematical skills later.
• Practicing turning the pages of a book is a good activity to enhance fine motor skills in your little one.
• Books can help address difficult subjects, like anxiety around going to school, visiting the doctor or dentist or addressing emotions like anger, frustration or sadness.
• Reading allows the child to learn about people, places and activities that they would otherwise not be exposed to. 

How to establish a good bedtime routine

Reading to your child is easy enough to do and, if started early, it becomes part of your little one’s bedtime routine, says Dr Swanepoel. Stay consistent and your child will start to recognise that reading precedes independent sleep. “A quiet, predictable bedtime routine signals to the brain that it’s time to wind down. It helps reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and prepares the body for restful sleep,” she explains. 

Dr Swanepoel shares her top tips for a healthy bedtime routine:

• Turn off TVs, tablets and loud toys at least an hour before story time.
• Avoid rough play right before bedtime. 
• Start your winding down routine at least 30-45 minutes before their set sleep time. It could look like this: Turn off screens, pack up toys, bath, brush teeth, read a book in bed, sleep. 
• Read in bed or in a comfortable chair with your child on your lap or under a blanket. Physical closeness releases calming oxytocin and reduces fidgeting.
• Dim the lights – this creates a calming atmosphere and stimulates the production of melatonin, which is the hormone that promotes sleep.
• Choose calming stories with gentle rhythms and predictable patterns.
• Avoid books that are too stimulating or interactive right before bed.
•  Let your toddler pick a book from your selection to give them a sense of control and excitement.

“If you intentionally repeat the same series of events or steps (dinner, bath, read, bed) your baby will start to make healthy sleep associations. If you repeat the same steps in the same way at the same time every day, these actions become routines and routines lead to establishing good habits which instinctively over time will make sleep and bedtime easier,” says Dr Swanepoel.

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