https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 01:07:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134551 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 14:53:47 +0000 JerricaBenton 1134551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO loves the touch n feel books or ones with mirrors. Sometimes I just sit on her play mat with her and read and she play and listen and eventually she'll crawl over to look at the pictures. But she'll definitely look over and listen even if she doesn't want to sit on my lap. At bedtime I only read those repetitive, relaxing good night type books because they don't get her all fired up lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134362 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 11:44:09 +0000 LittleFox 1134362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also if you have a jumperoo or an exersaucer or similar activity center, that can be a nice time to read. I don't read to DS in crazy jumping mode, but once he's starting to wind down a little bit I will. </p> <p>I also sometimes ignore the words in the book at this age and point to things in the pictures (so Where is Baby's Bellybutton might become a whole book of "peekaboo baby!" over and over, or Hungry Caterpillar might be all pointing at the fruits and counting them). That was especially good when he was littler. My DH sometimes sings the books (he likes to with Hop on Pop a lot), which LO also likes. If a book mentions a body part, I tickle or touch that part of LO (Big, Little says "heads are big, toes are little" and I'll rub LO's head or tickle his toes, etc). And, of course, never discount the power of the silly voice. </p> <p>Really, just try to keep it fun for both of you. This is about playing with your baby and interacting, so don't let it stress you out. Babies are active, so it's fine if you read a page or two and then do something else or he wants to just look at the babies in a book instead of paying attention to the words. Like @beaker said, it's also great if books are a part of your life as your LO continues to grow. Things like seeing them around, seeing you and your partner read, and being read to can all contribute to a love of reading, but they'll happen over time. With a baby, I just try my best to keep it fun, and throw the rules of how we feel we should enjoy a book (usually not be eating it, haha) out the window. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134179 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 09:22:41 +0000 travellingbee 1134179@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LittleFox: thanks-- good suggestions!<br /> @Cole: I just read to him while he was a couple feet away and he did better. We may just skip them during bedtime routine for a bit. I had been trying to read with him on my lap.<br /> @QueensBee: I know! He had more of an attention span at 3 months!</p> <p>Thanks all! I feel less like a bad mommy. :) any other suggestion would be great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134176 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 09:21:01 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 1134176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've heard that its more important to show your child that books are a part of life, so they see you picking up books to read to them, or yourself, and its less about getting through actual books that young. Have you tried any of those touch and feel books? When DS was very little they kept his attention becuase they were interesting to feel and he'd let me turn the pages to feel the next one.</p> <p>I almost want to say enjoy this phase while it lasts, before you're asked to reread the same story over and over and over every day! I think I have the entire "treasury of curious George" totally memorized. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134167 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 09:15:23 +0000 QueensBee 1134167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: I have a similar problem with Pete! Our reading time usually ends in baby tears because DS wants to be chewing the book or moving around. His attention span is too short for even the briefest of board books!</p> <p>Sometimes, if I put him on his tummy and hold the book in front of him, he can enjoy the story for more than two minutes. </p> <p>I am following this thread to pick up tips as well! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134108 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 08:15:34 +0000 Cole 1134108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think @littleFox: has some great ideas. I also will sometimes just recite a book or poem while rocking and skip the book, lay them in their crib and hold the book over their head so they can see and read it that way or just move reading to another time of day for awhile until it is a calm activity again. If I read at other times I usually sit a few feet away while they play with toys and occasionally prompt them to look at something in the pictures. A handful of books are always within baby's reach at play time and up until a year or so I don't worry much about book etiquette. Don't feel bad about giving up for a week or two and trying again later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134076 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 07:29:27 +0000 LittleFox 1134076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If DS is being too wild, I give him something else to hold (sometimes another book- a few of ours have teeth marks now) while I read. He is 9 months, but I've been reading to him daily since his first week home. I also hold all the pages of the board book I'm reading except the one I'm about to turn, and let him try to turn it. He likes that, even if we don't always get to the next page easily.</p> <p>Every baby is different, though. If reading isn't working out with him yet, it probably will be fine given a little more time. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134069 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 07:19:25 +0000 lamariniere 1134069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't start consistently reading to DS until he was about 8 or 9 months old. He seemed pretty interested by then and would sit through a few stories without grabbing the book. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-books-to-baby#post-1134063 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 06:59:00 +0000 travellingbee 1134063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a hard time reading to my 6 1/2 month old. I can't even get through the title and he has grabbed it and stuck it in his mouth. I'm sad to admit I've given up on bedtime books because it makes him wound up as it becomes playtime instead of quiet time. I don't expect him to sit and watch silently at this age but he's WILD! Is this typical? How do I read to him? What do you do? </p>