Parents - how old were your children when you bought them books?

My children have been getting books from birth, here in my state dolly parton has a books from birth program where the children get books every month from the time they are born until they turn 5 or 6. Reading is def important to children and I think starting early is very beneficial.

My son is four years old and has been reading from books for the past two years now. He now goes to the library and selects his own book which then I or my wife read out to him. He seems to enjoy selecting the book he will read. He usually spends around 15-20 minutes before he finalizes a book. Of course, there are some things which instantly catch his eye like a car or a Dora book!! Cheers! Ram

I sure agree with you stephbond! I did the same thing when I was pregnant with my daughter. I bought plastic ‘bath’ books which a toddler could safely take in the tub; they had pictures in them for the children to identify. I read to my child from when she was a few weeks old and speaking about baths; we made a point of having baths together and I would read to her and we would talk about the story; we did that until she started school, after that I read to her at bedtime.

Good luck Stephbond!!!! That's great. I did that too. SInce we don't have a nursery room , just a masters bedroom and a nursery room in one. I put charts full of animal pictures, body parts, alphabet and so much more on each corner. It's not silly its being a mom.

Reading doesn't have to cost a penny with our wonderful library system here in the UK, and yet so few people bother to get their children interested in books and reading. Yet thy will spend a fortune on video games, consoles, DVD's etc - never ceases to amaze me!!

There is no more wonderful start in life you can give your new baby, than a love of books and a passion for reading. Cloth books to be scrunched and chewed, buggy books to clip on for travelling, story and picture books to be read over and over and over again... this will evolve into a head-start in every aspect of learning, a tool for self-empowerment, a way to share experiences and express creativity, and a child who is contented and successful, and will always have great tools for finding their way through life. I even read to my bump :-) And of course, all about it. I bet you are the same, reading and learning and researching all about your pregnancy and what is best for your child... those early experiences of your Mum reading to you taught you to relate to print and books and how to find information as you need it throughout your life. Lamaze do some great cloth books for newborns that have bright colours and black and white images for stimulation, as well as textures and noises etc that the youngest babies have shown preferences for and will turn towards. Very best of luck for September!

I bought books for my kids when they were little, board books, soft cover books, I read to them. They would play with their books. They always had books. So do my grandchildren. YOu are so right to start your baby out early with books. Congratulations.

I bought their first books maybe when they were born or a little later. There are these plastic books that you can take to the tub while you bathe them. They can be chewed and spit. They have one simple picture in each page. I got them the books that were easier with animals or plants that belonged to theit lives. Them, later, came the hard pages books. Those I bpoght when they were a year old maybe. Other books were managed by me until they learned to take care of them and I read to them or told them stories while making the movements of reading. I can´t imagine a childhood without books. I love them.

Good for you for buying books early!! Your friend can laugh all he/she wants, but that's what I did for my kids too (well, I collect children's books too, double motivation, so I had books anyway). I read to both my little ones literally since they were born. I used to take my oldest one to the apartment pool in the afternoons and it was a routine for us to read books together. We read the fabric ones so she could squish it or eat it (ha ha) - whatever she wanted to do with it. Now at 5 she STILL loves books - we have tons at home and we go to library trips a lot. My littlest is only 7 months and he is loving those same fabric books now too and he tries to turn the pages!! Silly - I think not - there are definitely gifts to naturally loving books!!!

I am an avid reader. This is something I was happy to give to my children. I started to buy them books when they were still babies. I would read to them through their toddler years. When they started school, they were able to start reading the books on their own. You will always find someone reading in our house. It is never too soon for parents to buy books for their children no matter what the age.

I have started buying and reading to both my kids before they were born. I didn't care if any one laughed at me or not. I wanted to get in the habit of reading to my unborn babies so when they were born. I would be able to read to them like I wanted. So go read and get the books. Read them out loud if you want. Any one else laugh at you. You tell them to let you be.

Hi stephbond, welcome to myLot. No you are not silly. When I was pregnant, I read books aloud for the baby even before she was born. I did less reading with my second baby. My first daughter had her first fabric book when she was 2 months old. And it becomes a regular presents after that. She is now three years old and she's got tons of books. Though I don't buy many books for my second daughter, but she can share her sister's books and at 1 year old, she is reading....well, opening the books at least. She also scribbles if I give her pen and paper. I think it is wonderful. I love books and I want my children to love books. I think you can learn a lot if you read a lot. Congratulations on the baby. Let your friends laugh, but remember that you will have the last laugh.

I agree with you about starting early with reading to your child. Word of advise, if you want the books to last make sure they are up HIGH because they will become your child's favorite shred toy! :) Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

i already have children books before i'd conceived. when my son reached 1 1/2 years, he already browsing those books. he is now 3 years years and he thinks he own all those books.

no, i think you are smart! i think it is a great thing to start a child early in reading. you can gain so much and entertain yourself with reading.