Parents

Did you know that during the first five years of a child's life, the brain grows and develops at a rapid rate?

A parent can help nurture their child's brain development with healthy foods, a safe place to live and lots of love and attention. This attention may be shared with a child by reading books, singing songs, and telling stories. Research has shown that proper and continued nurturing can increase a child's IQ by 10 or more points.

Reading Tips for parents that will make reading to their child as easy as learning their “A,B,C's:”

regular time to read, like bedtime.

ooks that are fun and promote good health habits.

hange your voice to go with the story; use low and high tones.

elight in your child's participation; take turns reading pages or have your child turn as you read.

ncourage questions about the story. Who was your favorite character? Did you like the story? Why?

oster a love for reading by reading yourself. Children often copy their parent's behavior.

rant easy access to books by keeping children's books in your home. The local library is a great place to start.

SOME GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Interest. Books should be interesting to your child. Listen to your child as they're playing, having conversations, or asking questions, to learn what they like.

Expand. Find books that expand your child's outlook. Children readily add words they hear to their vocabulary...and the story, plus the illustrations, will help them understand the meaning behind the words.