Does my Baby Know I'm Reading to Her?

We asked certified infant and child sleep specialist, Himani Dalmia, for answers

- Ishani Nandi

How exactly does reading benefit kids?

Reading to babies and toddlers is often referred to as a 'keystone habit, that elite category of practices that kick off a positive effect in multiple areas of our lives. Not only does reading lay a solid foundation for the parent-child bond, it also helps a child become smarter, kinder. It stimulates parts of the brain that process language. Just 15 minutes a day (and there is no maximum) of this joyous, fulfilling activity offers magical gifts to our children, from higher cognition and better attention spans to greater creativity and the ability to form deeper relationships.

Books help to foster social and communication skills and develop both emotional empathy (experiencing the reactions of another) and cognitive empathy or theory of mind (adapting to another's viewpoint). Reading together builds their ability to practise 'joint attention, an important milestone where the child shares focus with someone else, and participates in a collective experience.

Finally, stories are powerful therapeutic tools that can help children process events like starting school or the arrival of a new sibling or the death of a loved one. They give children an emotional vocabulary with which to make sense of their big feelings, make them feel 'seen' and validated, and provide an opportunity to talk about these subjects with their parents. Not to mention they are a far more effective alternative to screentime for toddlers!

What's the right age I can start reading aloud to my baby?