TAKE 2

take 2 infant brain development

How do you enhance your infant’s experience?

You’ve read all the books, but would you like to know more? This blog page is a share page for you to submit your thoughts and ideas on working developmentally with your infant – What do you do? What do others do? And to begin, I will submit some of my ideas randomly to share with you. We’re in this together – let’s share it! 

Books are my number one gift of learning to infants. They may not look interested but just try it! I have started as early as 2 months if hired that early after they have settled into their eating-sleeping-pooping routines – to work with them developmentally. In an article in Psychology Today, “The Magic of Reading Aloud to Babies”, Lydia Denworth explains that babies are never too young for books. “Even though children may not be talking yet, that doesn’t mean they’re not learning,” says developmental psychologist Carolyn Cates, a research assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at NYU. I’ve seen the results myself as early as within a week’s time that baby’s response to the same board book being pulled out and placed in front of them creates a smile of familiarity. Let’s face it, repetition is the key to education! That smiles says, “Yes! I remember that!”

According to the University of Maryland, “Parents who repeat words more often to their infants have children with better language skills a year and a half later,” said co-author of their study, Professor Rochelle Newman. “It takes two to tango,” said Dr. Ratner. “Both the child and the parent play a role in the child’s later language outcomes, and our study is the first to show that.”

infant brain development
infant brain

I created this approach to my infant development program and I choose 2 or 3 board books that I repeatedly read to them each day. It’s important that it’s a board book and there is only one picture per page – otherwise, too many pictures on one page overstimulates and confuses them – they get bored and lose interest. I also take these same three books and line them up around the perimeter of their jungle play area so when they are doing roll overs or leg exercises they can see the “cow” or the “frog” and I point them out to them. In time, they smile when they are laid into their jungle and see their books.

My goal in working with infant reading skills is to treat it like a fun game. The way their memory works, the repetition theory is important because they are looking to you to remind them who “cow” is and what does “cow” say? Who “frog” is and what does “frog” say? Who “monkey” is and what does “monkey” say? To an infant that is a story coming alive! And most importantly, treat it fun and positively! They are stimulated by the excitement in your voice to tell them what their favorite furry friend says and stimulating them helps to save brain cells. But the best part of all, is when they crawl over their toys that are all lights and music . . .  to get over to their books. And this, my friends, is the beginning of falling in love with books!

Angie Cimmarrusti

infant brain development

Books are my number one gift of learning to infants. They may not look interested but just try it! I have started as early as 2 months if hired that early after they have settled into their eating-sleeping-pooping routines – to work with them developmentally. In an article in Psychology Today, “The Magic of Reading Aloud to Babies”, Lydia Denworth explains that babies are never too young for books. “Even though children may not be talking yet, that doesn’t mean they’re not learning,” says developmental psychologist Carolyn Cates, a research assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at NYU. I’ve seen the results myself as early as within a week’s time that baby’s response to the same board book being pulled out and placed in front of them creates a smile of familiarity. Let’s face it, repetition is the key to education! That smiles says, “Yes! I remember that!”

According to the University of Maryland, “Parents who repeat words more often to their infants have children with better language skills a year and a half later,” said co-author of their study, Professor Rochelle Newman. “It takes two to tango,” said Dr. Ratner. “Both the child and the parent play a role in the child’s later language outcomes, and our study is the first to show that.”

I created this approach to my infant development program and I choose 2 or 3 board books that I repeatedly read to them each day. It’s important that it’s a board book and there is only one picture per page – otherwise, too many pictures on one page overstimulates and confuses them – they get bored and lose interest. I also take these same three books and line them up around the perimeter of their jungle play area so when they are doing roll overs or leg exercises they can see the “cow” or the “frog” and I point them out to them. In time, they smile when they are laid into their jungle and see their books.

infant brain

My goal in working with infant reading skills is to treat it like a fun game. The way their memory works, the repetition theory is important because they are looking to you to remind them who “cow” is and what does “cow” say? Who “frog” is and what does “frog” say? Who “monkey” is and what does “monkey” say? To an infant that is a story coming alive! And most importantly, treat it fun and positively! They are stimulated by the excitement in your voice to tell them what their favorite furry friend says and stimulating them helps to save brain cells. But the best part of all, is when they crawl over their toys that are all lights and music . . .  to get to their books. And this, my friends, is the beginning of falling in love with books!

Angie Cimmarrusti

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    baby reading