1. On the importance of reading, creating connection, and providing important forms of stimulation for your baby: Reading Books to Babies.
2. Here’s a brilliant, compact PDF white paper from the Atlanta Speech School on The Importance of Play in the development of language skills.
3. This resource answers questions that many parents have about their babies and infants regarding reading. It also explains the best ways to read to your baby, and how to choose the best books for them. The Importance of Reading to Babies and Infants.
4. Baby Brain Map. Check out this interactive brain map from Zero to Three! You can select age ranges from prenatal development to three years, and the brain map will reveal questions about the baby’s brain development during that period of brain growth and insights on how a caretaker can enrich a baby or toddler’s development.
5. From Get Ready to Read, this Early Literacy reference explains the importance of building early literacy skills in children before they enter the school system. It also provides many great links on how to help your child develop these necessary early literacy skills.
6. Explore this PBS NewsHour report, which illustrates how reading to your children regularly–from infancy onward–can help with so many aspects of cognitive growth, including brain development and foundational literacy skills. It also explains the downsides of not reading to little ones. Report: Reading to Young Children Benefits Brain Development
7. Review practical ways a parent can make reading time an amazing learning experience, how they can choose high quality children’s books, and how to be great storytellers for their children. Reading Aloud with Children: Parent Webinar
8. Why is Early Literacy Important? This page from the High Five Campaign for Every Child explains why early literacy is important and provides many other early literacy resources. It also explains why brain development is important in early childhood, and provides research on children’s brain development.
9. Reading Rockets shares a plethora strategies, lessons, and activities to help young children learn to read.
10. This Early Childhood Literacy PDF discusses the importance of early literacy skills and provides five ways to help children develop literacy skills: talk, sing, read, write, play!
Some additional, helpful online resources:
National Association for the Education of Young Children
naeyc.org
National Center for Infants, Toddlers & Families
zerotothree.org
PBS Parents – Raise a Reader
pbskids.org
Reading Rainbow
readingrainbow.com