Is BabyRead free?

Yes. All it takes is about two hours a month with our volunteer readers, depending on your child’s attention span. We give out a free age-appropriate book and a free healthy snack during our in-person sessions. We also provide age-appropriate magazines or books to pre-school siblings. We encourage families to read and talk with your baby every day using the best practices we teach. (BabyRead policy)

Why is reading to babies important?

Reading aloud teaches a baby about communication; introduces concepts such as numbers, letters, colors and shapes in a fun way; builds listening, memory and vocabulary skills; and gives babies information about the world around them.  (Lewis, “Reading Books to Babies”, 2019)

What’s the best way to read to babies?

There is no app to replace your lap. Cuddling is very important.  It provides a safe comfortable connection to you.  Be expressive!  Infants love it when you vary the tone of your voice (higher or lower pitch) and when you use different voices.  Don’t worry about following the text directly; at this stage it is about hearing your voice and stimulating the language center in the brain.  Don’t worry about repetition – it’s actually beneficial.  Be descriptive.  Mention colors, shapes & things on the page.  Periodically ask questions.  It’s the bonding experience and the sound of your voice that is important and not what you are saying. (Lewis, “Reading to Babies”, 2019)

No way my baby can understand what I’m saying when they are that young, right? Why should I still be reading and talking to them?

Eighty percent of a baby’s brain is developed by the age of three. The neurons in the brain are making a tremendous number of neuron connections every second; the most sensitive period when synapses are forming for language and many higher functions peaks at two.  The brain’s language center is at the center of all sensory development and matures along with all the other senses. Interacting with your child by reading and talking help develop and integrate all the other senses. It also helps with emotional and self-control development. Talk, talk, talk, read, read, read. (First Things First, “Brain Development”; The Enchanted Hour)

Talk with your baby or toddler about everything you are doing. For example, if you are changing a diaper, say, “This diaper is white. It has Velcro straps at each end for a snug fit. Are you comfortable?” Your baby will likely respond, for example, by stopping crying or kicking or by making other noises. This is an interactive conversation. Similarly, if you go to the market with your baby or toddler who is sitting in the shopping cart, as you put a banana in your cart you can say, “This is a banana. It is long and yellow. It tastes delicious. We both like it.” Or if you are feeding frozen yogurt to your baby or toddler, you could say, “I’m feeding you vanilla frozen yogurt. It is soft and sweet. Do you like it?” Or as your child is sitting in a high chair while you make dinner you might say, “I am making spaghetti with tomato sauce. Then I boil the water and put a handful of spaghetti. When the spaghetti is cooked, I will mix the spaghetti and sauce together.”

In all of these ways of talking to your baby or child, you are building your child’s vocabulary, attention span and ability to follow spoken language.

How do I know my baby is responding to me?

Babies communicate very effectively from birth without words. Infants express themselves through sounds (crying, cooing, squealing), facial expressions (eye contact, smiling, grimacing) and gestures/body movements (moving legs in excitement or distress).  You are literally building your child’s brain when you give them attention, respond and interact with them.  (Morrow, 2020)

When does BabyRead like to start reading with the families?

Usually about two months. Babies typically have their first shots by then and are ready to be exposed to the environment. BabyRead focuses on babies from birth to about 3 years old so start anytime. Just call or text us at (864) 247-8266 or (864) 643-8083. You can also email us at babyread@charter.net. (BabyRead policy)

I don’t live in Oconee County.  Can I still be a BabyRead Family?

Unfortunately, no.  We’ve promised our volunteer readers they don’t have to travel more than 25 minutes one-way for any of the reader sessions.  (BabyRead policy)

I don’t read very well. Is that a problem?

Not at all. If you aren’t comfortable reading, just describe the pictures.  Point to the words and the pictures to begin to develop the association between the two. Describe the colors, shapes, and what’s on the page.  In addition to making your baby comfortable with books, they are learning how books work (for example, letters, words and reading go left to right - directionality).  They learn how to pay attention.  As they are read to longer, it increases their attention span. You are helping them learn to love books.  (Lewis, “Reading Books to Babies”, 2019)

My baby is growing so fast. What can I expect as he or she grows?

There are many websites that explain baby development.  The Center for Disease Control’s Act Early site is a useful one.  It provides snapshots of your baby at 2, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months, and 2-5 years. Each age group contains 3 sections: What Most Children Do By this Age (Social/Emotional, Language/Communication, Cognitive, Movement/Physical Development), You Know Your Child Best (potential development delay issues), and What You Can Do for the particular age group. Reading and talking are highly recommended. The CDC web site includes a downloadable app for smart phones.  (www.cdc.org/ActEarly). BabyRead also provides articles from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) HealthyChildren web site (www.healthychildren.org). BabyRead readers make these available to their BabyRead families at each major milestone.

My toddler is three. I didn’t read to my child when he or she was a baby, is it too late?

No, it’s not too late. Start reading now. You will still help develop the essential pre-literacy skills they need to succeed in 4K or kindergarten. (Klein, Cleveland Clinic/Pediatric, 2020) Most children are quick learners. By reading to your three year old toddler you will increase his/her ability to focus, expand his/her attention span, develop a comfort and understanding of how books work. You can teach your three year old simple math skills by counting his/her toes or fingers, and anything else you can think of. We expanded the BabyRead program from two to up to 3 years old in 2022 primarily due to studies that show the impacts of delayed childhood learning as a result of COVID.

Our family is bi-lingual. Will speaking more than one language confuse my baby?

Not at all. Research shows children learn multiple languages best between 0 and 9 years old. Exposure to more than one language in the early years does not cause confusion for young children and in fact reach language milestones in a similar timeframe to those of children who learn only one language. However, it will typically take multi-lingual children longer to develop proficiency in both languages because they are building and using two separate language systems. (www.zerotothree.org, “Multilingualism”)

Does BabyRead have any Spanish-speaking readers?

Yes. A local physician is one of our bi-lingual volunteer readers and we have several more with varying degrees of Spanish language proficiency. BabyRead provides bi-lingual books for our Hispanic BabyRead families.

Is BabyRead part of Reach Out and Read?

Reach Out and Read (ROR) and BabyRead are separate non-profit organizations.  Both organizations share common goals of improving literacy and providing free books for home libraries. BabyRead also provides volunteer readers.  ROR is a national effort that works through pediatrician offices; BabyRead is in Oconee County only.  One of our advisory board members is affiliated with ROR.  Dr. Beatriz Gil-Stewart’s Oconee Pediatrics is part of the ROR network.

What are the best books for my baby?

We give out age-appropriate board books with hardboard pages, touch and feel books with different textures, and finger puppet books with the nursery rhymes we grew up with.  We also provide CD players with nursery rhyme discs. Using these books help babies/toddlers get comfortable with books and stimulates their senses — especially the language center of the brain. That includes touch, smell, and taste. It also helps develop the baby’s motor skills when he or she helps turn pages, point, pull out tabs, etc. (Gavin, KidsHealth, July 2019)

Is it safe for my baby to chew on the books?

Let them chew! The books we buy are safe for them to handle. You’ll probably begin to see your baby start grabbing for books between 4 and 7 months. Board books, vinyl books and cloth books are all good choices.  We want them to be comfortable with books.  (Gavin, KidsHealth, 2019)

Is it important to use children’s books?

Not really. Reading from any book with pictures, bright colors and shapes is good.  The goal is to make the child comfortable with books.  It is more important for the reader to be expressive, vary tones, point at the pictures and words to build the association between the two, and trace the text from left to right so the child begins to understand how books work and to learn to love them. (Multiple Sources)

What about using eBooks (digital books) on my tablet or iPad?

Physical books are better.  Research indicates eBooks with interactive enhancements may decrease comprehension or reduce the impact of adult reading interactions because the visual effects are distracting.  We recommend using board books, and vinyl or cloth books.  If you use an eBook, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends using the same techniques as printed books. See FAQs on screen time. (AAP Policy Statement, 2016)

Will reading make them smarter?

Research indicates the quantity and quality of reading are good predictors of future early reading skills four years later when the child enters kindergarten. It improves their vocabulary, it helps them problem solve, remember information, and provides background information on their environment. It also widens their attention span and ability to focus.

Why is play important for babies and toddlers?

According to Dr. Michael Popkin, author of the Active Parenting series of parenting programs, playing with your child builds the child’s self-esteem, helps the child learn about the world, provides opportunities for the child to learn new skills, and builds the bond between parent and child (Popkin, 33). Play teaches them decision-making and problem solving. It helps develop their independence and self-confidence.

I’m concerned my child is not developing as fast as he/she should.  Any recommendations?

Children develop at different rates. For example, some children are slow to develop speech. Many “delays” are normal. However, if you feel the delay is serious you have several options.  Contact your pediatrician or doctor.  You can also contact BabyNet, South Carolina’s interagency early intervention system for infants and toddlers under three years of age with developmental delays, or who have conditions associated with developmental delays.  BabyNet matches the special needs of infants and toddlers that have developmental delays with the professional resources available within the community.  BabyNet has an office in Anderson, SC.  Anyone (a parent, caregiver, doctor, teacher or friend) can make a referral.  See their web site (www.msp.scdhhs.gov) for more information and to get an Online Referral Form.  You can also contact them at 866-512-8881.  School District of Oconee County’s Child Find can help if your child is three or older.  Contact them at 864-886-4469. (BabyNet & Child Find web sites, 2021)

Why are we teaching pre-literacy skills to our children?  Isn’t that the responsibility of pre-kindergarten or kindergarten?

If you want to make it more likely that your child will succeed in kindergarten, you need to be teaching all these pre-literacy skills to your child from as early an age as you can.  Pre-literacy skills are needed in order to learn how to read.  By reading and talking interactively with your baby/toddler your child will develop excitement and interest in books, and a motivation to learn to read.  This foundation is crucial. (empoweredparents.co) South Carolina’ Department Education has extensive Early Learning Standards (SC-ELS) for overlapping groups of infants (birth to 12 months), younger toddlers (8 to 21 months), older toddlers (18 to 36 months), younger preschoolers (36 to 48 months) and older preschoolers (48 to 60+ months).  Infant, young toddler and older toddler standards apply before many daycare centers in Oconee County will accept children (typically about 24 months) so the standards really apply to parents/caregivers too.  The Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) ActEarly website (www.cdc.org/ActEarly) and their applet for your phone have similar goals and developmental indicators. (SC Early Learning Standards, 2017, CDC ActEarly)

What are pre-literacy skills anyway?

It includes important skills such as oral language and phonological and phonemic awareness (the awareness of sounds), as well as knowledge of the alphabet and an understanding of common print concepts (print goes from left to right and from up to down on a page). (Scholastic.com)

What can you do to help build these skills?

• Look at and talk about different shapes (letters are based on shapes).

• Play “same and different” type games.

• Look at “I Spy” type books.

• Notice different types of letters (“a” or “A”) on signs and in books.

• Read ABC books.

• Talk about and draw the letters of the child’s own name.

Keep in mind: teachers in schools have classrooms with many children. They have scarce resources to help children who don’t get it in kindergarten.  Give your child the gift of building a strong foundation of pre-literacy skills and of loving being read to before your child enters school. 

 Your child’s success in school takes a team of you, your child, and your child’s teachers.

What kinds of things are in the Early Learning Standards?

Goals and developmental indicators are divided into six groups:  Approaches to Play and Learning (APL), Emotional and Social Development (ESD), Health and Physical Development (HPD), Language Development and Communication (LDC), Mathematical Thinking and Expression (MTE) and Cognitive Development (CD).  Strategies for infants and young toddlers include holding and hugging infants, reading books, allowing children to pat and chew on tactile books, listening to repetitive books, stories and songs, listening to different sounds, playing with different textures and surfaces, playing with instructional toys, and talking about daily routines to name a few.  (SC Early Learning Standards, 2017)

Is there such a thing as too much screen time?

Of course. Firstly, when your child is glued to a screen, he/she is not doing other activites – like playing or helping you with a task – that are much more beneficial.

Secondly, the most recent research concluded that some screen time can be educational and worthwhile IF there is parental interaction with the child who is watching the screen.  Allowing your child to be babysat by placing him/her in front of a TV or other electronic device is a recipe for a host of problems down the road.

How much screen time should a baby have?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no electronics for toddlers under 18 months other than video exchanges with relatives. For 18-24 month old children, AAP recommends limited time and only with parents/caregivers present. For 2-5 year olds, they recommend no more than 1 hour a day of quality programming and co-viewing. The parents can explain what they are learning about while sharing family time. (AAP, 2016 Policy Statement)

Are there lasting effects of too much screen use (watching TV, playing with phones)?

There are preliminary studies that indicate too much technology result in kids’ inability to pay attention, having a hard time staying on task when they get to school, and experiencing language delays, poor sleep, and impaired executive function (e.g., impulse control, problem solving, decision making).  Screen time is passive.  We need the type of active and engaging stimulation that reading, talking and playing provide to help all the senses and systems to integrate and develop together.  

I’m really busy at mealtime. Is it okay for my child to watch TV while I’m fixing dinner?

The AAP recommends keeping mealtimes, bedrooms and parent-child play times screen-free. Turning the TV off encourages more family time and leads to positive behavior like better eating habits and healthier sleep. Just talk to them and describe what you are doing. Playing nursery rhyme CDs are a good alternative; BabyRead provides players and CDs to our BabyRead families. Do the same when you are shopping or playing. Be descriptive with objects, colors and shapes. Ask them questions. Every bit of interaction helps. (AAP Policy Statement, 2016)

Won’t letting them use a screen before bedtime help them sleep better?

Actually, no. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends very little or no screen time in infants. They specifically recommend no screen time for at least one hour before bedtime and no screens in the bedroom after putting them to bed. Reading as part of a bedtime routine has a soothing effect; screen time results in poorer sleep. (AAP Policy Statement, 2016)

How many books has BabyRead given out?

Over one thousand each year.  In addition to giving books to take home twice each month for BabyRead families, we give out books to Early HeadStart, HeadStart, at family signup events during the year, and at various events held during the year that we are invited to attend, such as Marvin’s Kids at the United Methodist church, Seneca.

In 2023 we started giving free books to each new mom at our local hospital, Oconee Memorial Hospital. These books are gift wrapped and have a card briefly describing BabyRead.  There are close to 800 new moms at Oconee Memorial Hospital each year.  We provide them with English books and bi-lingual books in English and Spanish.

Does BabyRead only give out books to BabyRead families?

Our trained readers give out a free book to BabyRead family babies from birth to 36 months old during their one-on-one reading sessions.  We also hand out an age-appropriate magazine or book to their older pre-school siblings. Seven years ago BabyRead started giving books to Early Head Start (EHS) for the classroom and a book for each child to take home in the summer and for Christmas. Since 2020, we have given each child in Early HeadStart a book each month to take home as well as instructional magazines monthly.  For HeadStart’s 3, 4 and 5-year olds we give them an instructional magazine monthly, a book at Christmas and at the end of the school year.  (BabyRead policy)

Can I buy books from BabyRead?

No, purchased books are for BabyRead activities.  A list of recommended age-appropriate books is available on the Helpful Links on the BabyRead website. (BabyRead policy)

Does BabyRead accept book donations?

We accept donations of new and gently used books for children from birth to 7 to 8 years old, however we prefer books for children up to four. BabyRead buys specific books that are age-appropriate, safe and have proven to be effective in developing the foundation for pre-literacy skills. (BabyRead Policy)