BOOKS

Books are one of favorite baby gifts! Books foster language development, cognitive development, emotional and social development, early literacy and facilitate bonding between parent and baby.

Language development starts before babies can utter their first words. The first speechlike sounds young babies make are vowel-like cooing noises, "oooo". Next, babies start babbling where they repeat long strings of consonant-vowel combinations, "mamamamamama" or "dadadadadadadada".

Hearing human speech is especially important for language development beyond the babbling stage and babbling develops further as babies hear more spoken language. Babies also start using preverbal gestures, such as pointing. Babies will say their first word around the first year of age, with a dramatic spurt in vocabulary growth between 18 and 24 months. Around the time of the second year age they will start to combining two words into sentences, such as "Daddy drive." Grammar development starts by age 2 and a half.

Reading books to babies facilitates language development when they hear the sounds and structure of spoken language.

Cognitive development in the first two years is based on sensorimotor experiences through the body's sensory equipment: the eyes, ears and hands. They learn about cause and effect during this time, exploring how to repeat interesting effect caused by their own activity and to anticipate events. For example, a rattle makes one sound when it is shaken and a different sound when it dropped onto the floor. The beginnings of memory emerge as they imitate behaviors, start to form mental representations of objects and learn that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight (object permanence).

Reading books to babies facilitates cognitive development when they have an opportunity to play with books, exploring their shape, color and texture (soft, hard, soft, scratchy, crinkly).

Emotional & Social Development begins early in first year. Basic emotions of happiness, anger and fear are the first emotions that develop. Social smiling is usually observed between 6 and 8 weeks of age and laughing between 3 and 4 months. In second half of first year, the emotions of anger and fear become more evident. Babies show strong attachment to their caregivers and stranger anxiety. Self-conscious emotions emerge as they approach age 2, such as pride and guilt.

Babies also learn that about trust and security when their needs are met and they are handled with love in the first couple years of life.

Reading books to babies facilitates emotional and social development when the reader uses different expressive sounds and emotions. Time spent reading to babies also shows them that they are important.

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Another advantage of giving books as baby gifts is that they range in price, so you can spend more or less depending on how many books you buy. They can also be arranged as a unique baby gift basket.

There are no age limitations on books. You can start reading to your child from birth! Before babies can sit up in your lap, you can both lie on your backs while reading.

Our favorite books include: Where Is Baby's Belly Button? - Karen Katz Goodnight Moon - Margaret Wise Brown Peek-A-Who? - Nina Laden So Big! - Dan Yaccarino Touch and Feel Farm - DK Publishing Gossie - Olivier Dunrea Gossie and Gertie - Olivier Dunrea BooBoo - Olivier Dunrea Ollie - Olivier Dunrea Ollie the Stomper - Olivier Dunrea Peedie - Olivier Dunrea The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle The Very Lonely Firefly - Eric Carle The Very Busy Spider - Eric Carle Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See - Bill Martin Jr. Go, Dog. Go! - P.D. Eastman Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb - Al Perkins Inside, Outside, Upside Down - Stan Berenstain Baby Beluga - Raffi Wheels on the Bus - Raffi Rainbow Rob - Roger Priddy Wacky Wednesday - Dr. Seuss There's a Wocket in My Pocket! - Dr. Seuss Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! - Dr. Seuss Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are - Dr. Seuss Oh, Say Can You Say? - Dr. Seuss