| Babies are born with a special gift. This gift is their | | | | an object about 8 inches from their face. Move it |
| rapidly developing brain. You see the brain is | | | | to the right and left and notice if your baby can |
| developed when your baby is born, but the wiring | | | | follow the object with their eyes. If so, your baby |
| of the brain and the forming of all its systems | | | | is ready to begin learning to read. |
| happens within the first five years of life. This is | | | | Just because you can start with a baby that is 3 |
| why babies are able to learn to sit, crawl, walk | | | | months old does not mean that you can't also |
| and speak in such a short time. At birth they are | | | | teach your 3 year old to read. There are |
| like blank slates, waiting to see what information | | | | advantages and disadvantages to teaching your |
| we will put into them. | | | | baby to read regardless of their age. For |
| The opportunities we offer our babies will greatly | | | | example, if you teach your 3 month old to read, |
| affect their lives. If we stimulate them and talk to | | | | it may be a year before they are able to |
| them, read to them and give them opportunities | | | | demonstrate their ability to read to you. |
| to learn all they can, they will. Learning is second | | | | When you teach babies that are 2 years old and |
| nature to babies. That is what they are born to | | | | up, you have the opportunity to focus on their |
| do. They want to touch everything, taste | | | | areas of interest. If your child likes vehicles, you |
| everything, see everything, hear everything and | | | | can teach your child to read and recognize the |
| know everything. It is almost as if they know | | | | names of many different vehicles. You can write |
| they have this brief period to learn all they can | | | | short stories for your baby about these same |
| and they want to take advantage of it. | | | | vehicles. |
| Many parents have taught their babies to read | | | | It is quite easy to tailor a reading program to |
| beginning in infancy. They have discovered that | | | | your baby's interest. Pay attention to what |
| their tiny babies can learn to read and it is no | | | | excites your baby and then begin teaching them |
| more difficult for them than learning to speak. | | | | words that they are interested in. |
| Language is language to babies, whether spoken | | | | Once your child has reached their 4th birthday, |
| or written, and they are masters of language. | | | | phonics becomes a better option for teaching |
| Parents can begin to teach their babies to read as | | | | your child to read. Children from 3 months |
| early as 3 months old. In order to determine if | | | | through 3 years old can easily learn to read in |
| your baby is ready to begin a reading program, | | | | very little time and with little to no effort. |
| pay attention to their visual tracking skills. Hold up | | | | |