The importance of reading to children is frequently in the news. According to The National Commission on Reading, "The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children." This seems logical to us, yet many parents are full of questions and uncertainties: When do I start? How do I do it? Will my child be a reader? Here we'll answer these questions and more, so relax, trust your instincts, and follow these simple guidelines. You'll be an expert in no time!

Reading with Infants

Before your baby is even born, you can begin her own library. Why not start by adding books to your baby shower "wish list"? Today's picture books range from simple, colorful stories with little text to artistic, beautiful renditions with reading levels up to sixth grade or higher. Welcome them all and take time in those few quiet months before the baby arrives to read them yourself. If you like them, your child is much more likely to share your enthusiasm.

When reading to an infant, it won't matter so much what you read as that he is hearing the sound of your voice. So Dads, go ahead and read Sports Illustrated to your "chip off the old block," and he or she is sure to enjoy it! Try these tips as you read with babies ages six-weeks to three-months old.

• Start with short readings (as little as five minutes) when your child is settling down for a nap or when you are rocking her in your arms. 
  
  
• Keep your voice calm; no need to be theatrical for children this age. Choose books like Mem Fox's Time for Bed, a lullaby of a story, or excerpts from Hush, Little Ones by John Butler.
  
  
• Once you're in a routine, try reading to your baby when he's fussy. If you've already set the pattern to connect reading with a calm, warm, close time, sharing a story before he becomes over-stimulated can help him quiet down.

As your youngster becomes more active and gains strength, you can begin "engaged reading"—that is letting the baby sit on your lap upright when fully awake to look at the book and pictures while you read. Choose simple stories that can be read in a short time. Most 32-page simple picture books take only two or three minutes to read.Reading with Older Babies

When reading with children between the ages of four months and one year, begin to talk with the baby about what you read and see in the pictures before you turn the pages. Remember that the world is all new to a baby!

Slow down and enjoy your child's response to the book. If she gets restless, don't force the reading to go on. Find a place to stop and change activities. You can always come back to books another time. Be patient and take pleasure in spending time with your child. From the very beginning, your aim should be:

• For the child to feel comfortable and secure when you read together. 
  
  
• For the child to hear language and new words (he is building his vocabulary of understanding long before he speaks).
  
  
• For the child to begin to see print and reading as a part of life.

Toddlers

As children move into the second year of life, they begin to talk. Some can even use short sentences to describe what they want—"BOOK!" Up the interaction even more. Again, don't worry about reading through the entire book quickly or limiting the child's interruptions. The foremost goal is not to finish the book; it is to explore it together and have fun.

During this time, children may request the same story repeatedly. Toddlers are beginning to understand that there are patterns to language and becoming most comfortable with the patterns of their native tongue. Now introduce books with lots ofrhyme, rhythm, and repetition of beginning sounds; try any title of Dr. Seuss, poetry, the Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik, or interactive touchable books likeLet's Start Classic Songs: Wheels on the Bus by Todd South—a fun new pop-up book.

As your child's attention span grows, you can choose longer books or longer reading sessions and sprinkle them throughout the day. Make sure a collection of the booksyou read is kept on the child's level in his room or another commonly used room in the house. As he becomes more mobile and chooses activities, you want books to be a convenient choice. Parents are often concerned about children chewing on books or tearing them, so supervision is necessary—but gentle guidance and modeling of how to handle a book go a long way to minimize this.A Fun Family Routine

Think you don't have time to read with your kids? Don't let a busy lifestyle keep you from sharing stories with your youngster. Kick off your shoes and retreat for five minutes into the world of reading when you first arrive home from work. On Saturday mornings, turn your bed into the family meeting place and enjoy a short book together before starting your day. Everyone has five minutes—that's not even a long coffee break! Make sure caregivers who are with your child during the day practice the same approach.

With a steady diet of reading together daily and the positive approach outlined above, by the end of her second year, your toddler may able to communicate in complete sentences and will choose books as a favorite activity. If you have an extremely active child, don't choose to read with her when she's ready to play and jump. Choose "down times" when she's tired (this is a good time to instigate bedtime stories) or when she's quiet.

Point out letters and the sounds they make but don't worry if your child isn't able to recall those and identify them all for you. Simply making them a part of conversation and repeating them frequently (pointing out letters in the grocery store or in books you read together) is setting the foundation for when your child is developmentally ready for that next step.

Children moving into the preschool years will begin to ask "why" questions. Parents should greet these as an opportunity to explore books even more. You can begin to bring in simple informational books on their favorite topics like My Art Class by Nellie Sheppard or Big Machines by Karen Wallace (both from the publisher, DK, known for their realistic picture books). Books with more complex story lines, such as fairy tales, are also appropriate, but don't lose the "explore and talk about" approach to reading together.

Whether your children are three months old or three years old, they will benefit immensely from a daily dose of reading with Mom and Dad. Not only will you be preparing them for the steps they will take as preschoolers to understand the alphabetic code of language, but you will insure they are ready for those important first academic experiences in school and have built a close relationship between the two of you in the process.