Language - Baby Brain Food

The amount of words a baby hears before their 2nd birthday determines their future academic success.  How can we get our babies off to a great start?  Here are some simple steps to developing your baby's intellect.

• Talk to your baby about everything.
• Sing to your baby.
• Recite nursery rhymes.
• Read to your baby everyday.
• Play music for your baby.
• Get books on tape or poetry on tape and use during baby's playtime.

Baby's First Teacher

You may not have realized that having a baby meant you were signing up to be a teacher.  In fact, parents are babies first teachers.  Recent research shows that the amount of words a baby hears per hour before the age of two will determine their future academic success.  Wow!  That can put a bit of pressure on parents to perform.  How can we parents be sure we are providing our baby with all the language they need to hear?  It  isn't really that difficult.  Here are three simple ways to surround your baby with language daily.

1. Talk to your baby -  Your baby will learn more efficiently by hearing more language.  Hearing language gives your baby the opportunity to master his mother tongue.  You can do this by telling your baby everything.  Tell baby where you are going, why you are going there, what colors you see, how  you feel, etc...
2. Read to your baby -  Babies that are read to from birth to two are able to develop a more advanced vocabulary that babies that were not.  This is crucial when it is time for baby to go to school and begin mastering the written word.  Babies that are read to regularly rarely struggle with literacy.
3. Sing to your baby -  Babies love to hear lullabies.  This is an excellent means for parents to surround their babies with language.  You will certainly use words in your songs that you might not use in everyday conversation.

Follow these three simple steps and your baby will be well on their way to success.

Words - The Building Blocks of Literacy

Recent research tells us that the amount of words per hour your baby hears before the age of two will determine their future academic success.  It has been discovered that children who are surrounded by language become strong students.  The gift of words is something that you can begin to give your child immediately from birth.  Talk to your baby about everything.  Read to your baby.  By doing this you are giving your child a solid way to communicate.  You are increasing their vocabulary.  You are the first teacher your child ever has and by speaking to your baby often, you will help to assure their success in life.

At birth your baby is born with about 1 billion brain cells, however there are few connections.  By stimulating your baby you are helping your baby make connections.  Every word you say or read to y our baby will result in your baby's brain growth.  Our words are like food to our baby's brains.  If you do nothing else, talk to your baby and read to your baby.  These two things are the most important factors in your baby's development.