By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette
Last week, I visited my 2-month-old granddaughter in Tennessee. The best part of the visit was reading to her. We read “The Little Engine that Could,” her first book from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library; “The Wonky Donkey,” because it is funny; “Go, Dog, Go,” which, for reasons I still don’t understand, was one of her dad’s favorite books; and “The Paper Bag Princess” to remind her that girls are strong, brave and resourceful.
Some of you might think I’m crazy since a 2-month-old child can’t possibly understand the lessons in “The Paper Bag Princess,” nor can she appreciate that her daddy loved a book I’m sharing. At 2 months old, her vision isn’t even good enough to see the pictures in the books clearly. So why would I bother to spend time reading?
Research indicates that reading to children before they can talk builds essential skills for lifelong success. It strengthens bonding, boosts language development, enhances cognitive growth and improves fine motor skills.
Research suggest that 90% of a child’s brain develops by age 5, laying the foundation for health, learning and social development. During this period of rapid development, it is crucial to build neural connections. Even as newborns, babies benefit from hearing language.
Books provide the building blocks of language. A child’s first three years of life are the most important for acquiring speech and language skills. The more they are exposed to the sounds and words of their native language, the easier it will be to learn. Reading one picture book to a child daily exposes them to about 78,000 words per year.
Aside from language development and brain connection building, reading time is bonding time. Children love being close to caregivers and hearing their voices. When books are associated with love, a lifelong reader is born.
Reading helps with behavioral and social-emotional development. While reading books, children will see characters going through emotions and experiences that they might have themselves, and they can see how those characters deal with them. They will also witness ways to communicate those emotions to others.
Books provide a valuable sensory experience. As babies and toddlers explore books with their five senses, they are learning by experiencing colors, turning pages, pointing at pictures, opening and closing the cover and so much more. Repetition is key, and those habits lead to comfort with reading and communicating in the future.
Early exposure to books provides a lifelong advantage to children. Reading to babies nurtures their curiosity, strengthens their attention span and builds their capacity for empathy as they read stories about different experiences and people.
For all these reasons, the staff at MJB Library promotes programs aimed at early literacy. Parents of preschool children, we offer a free program called 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, designed to engage families in reading together. Research indicates that reading 1,000 books to a child before kindergarten will improve their vocabulary and reading readiness. Sign up at the library to enroll your child.
Children who reside in Audubon, Guthrie, Carroll and Greene Counties are eligible to participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library thanks to the generous sponsorship of Partnership 4 Families. Families with newborn to 5-year-old children can sign up their child, who will receive a free book each month from birth to kindergarten from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Go to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to sign up or stop by the library and use the QR Code.
Preschool families are invited to attend the Story Hour program each Friday at 10 a.m. Each week, children will hear stories around a different theme, followed by a craft project. The theme for July 24 is the color blue, and July 31’s theme is ducks.
Youth will have Creation Corner on Wednesday, July 22 at 4 p.m. On Thursday, July 23 at 1 p.m., the Guthrie County Farm Bureau will present a youth program titled “Grains We Grow.” Watch the library website for upcoming youth activities.
Families with children are reminded that the library has a large youth area where kids can play, read, assemble puzzles and do STEM activities. MJB Library has a huge selection of youth literature, including board books, picture books, beginning readers, chapter books and graphic novels. Stop in with your kids and find some new books to enjoy together.
Friends of the Library Volunteers arrived before 7 a.m. to prepare for the influx of bike riders who need the library.
Alicia Pauley gets the pickle juice shots ready for the RAGBRAI Riders who will visit the library. Friends of the Guthrie Center Library sold T-shirts promoting the library, pickles, pickle juice shots and pickle stickers to raise money during the RAGBRAI overnight stay in Guthrie Center on Monday.
Friends of the Guthrie Center Volunteer Rich Wicks tries out the pickle cut-out next to the library.
Miss Cass shares red books with our preschoolers at last week’s story hour. MJB Library hosts preschool story hour each Friday at 10 a.m.