Should we really read to our new babies? Do they really get anything out of it? YES! ABSOLUTELY! 100%!
Babies’ brains are constantly growing and absorbing new information. Newborns pick up the rhythm of reading aloud, which preps them for learning to read.
It also increases their vocabulary because books contain lots of fun, new words! Reading aloud is a great way to introduce emotion – they’ll pick up on the differences in your voice as you read come across different emotions in the books.
Also, seeing the text and illustrations on each page introduces our sweet, new babies to new visuals and helps them prepare for learning colors and letters.
And, reading aloud to new babies introduces a routine of reading often – which is great! Not to mention, reading together is a sweet time for bonding. AND reading is mobile! Do it anywhere!
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Littles and How They Grow by Kelly DiPucchio
This adorable rhyming book is short and sweet. It talks about what babies do as they grow and ends with “…and littles grow BIG in the blink of an eye.” It’s a perfect book to remind parents to embrace every moment with their babies. I also would recommend this book to big brothers and sisters because it explains what babies do every day. I love it.
Welcome: A Mo Willems Guide for New Arrivals by Mo Willems
Mo Willems (author of popular Elephant and Piggie and Who Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus?) prepares babies for the world by telling them what to expect (cats, ice cream disasters, log-in codes, happiness, etc.). The point of this book is to encourage reading with babies. The words are snarky and will make parents laugh out loud, and the images and lyric tone to the words will benefit babies’ learning. It’s hilarious, and the images are perfect for growing brains. It’s amazing and my new go-to baby shower gift.
Welcome Little One by Sandra Magsamen
This book is so, so, so sweet! It’s a love letter from parents to their new baby. The font looks like handwriting and the illustrations have a home-made feel to them. It even has a page in the front where parents can write the name of the baby and other features to help remember the special day when Baby arrived. I highly recommend because it can become a sentimental keepsake that will be treasured for years to come. (You may need to get a copy special for each child!)
Babies Come From Airports by Erin Dealey
What a sweet book about adoption! It’s written from the kids’ point of view and has a rhythmic tone to the text. I highly recommend this book to parents who are adopting a child – whether its their first child or eleventh child. It’s also a great book to use to teach young kids about the different ways families can grow! I think this book is an awesome addition to any home with a new baby in it.
His Royal Highness King Baby: A Terrible True Story by Sally Lloyed-Jones
A girl treats her life as a fairy tale, where her home is the kingdom and she is the princess. When her baby brother is born, he becomes the new ruler, and, according to her, boy is he a tyrant! On his first birthday, though, she’s able to calm him during a tantrum, and she realizes she loves being the “Best Princess Big Sister EVER in the whole WORLD.” This book is great for the transitioning a new baby into a home that already has children. It’s funny, clever, and realistic!
That’s My Baby Blanket, Baby! by Angie Morgan
A little girl has a baby blanket she loves dearly – and it shows! The blanket has paint and mud on it and may have a tiny bit of a smell. She loves that blanket and she loves her baby brother (who has his own very new baby blanket). When her brother wants her baby blanket instead of his own, the little girl has to find ways for him to love his blanket rather than hers. It’s such a relatable book for any new older siblings!