It's no question that promoting early literacy leads to a lifetime of positive benefits. Now, let me preface this by stating that I'm not saying the younger children read, the better off they will be in life (in my opinion!). Every child learns at a different pace and reading will come with time. BUT, promoting literacy and understanding the connection between listening, recognizing, and interacting with all aspects of books/reading/writing in general in the early stages of life can only help encourage children to further their literacy development and fascination in all things book related as they grow!
I think I've made it known here, or at least those of you who know us, know we LOVE books! I have read to E since she was born. I'd point out things in books I knew she had no understanding of, but thought if I started then and kept going, surely it would make an impact at someee point! At 21 months now, I love watching her sit at her several reading stations throughout our home and flip through books while I wonder what she is thinking as she skims through each page.
So anyway, when award-winning author Sophie Helenek gave us the opportunity to explore her book series geared at babies and tots, we happily jumped on it and I was thrilled to receive them in the mail! Sophie is a kind and adventurous momma (yes, she was the youngest French woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest!) AND a Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient, who is seemingly on a mission now to promote early learning via her fun and interactive picture book series.
The My First Book series, which includes Fruits, Shapes, Sky Wonders and Musical Instruments, is a series of books full of colorful pages created to encourage babies' imagination and desire for learning. Or, at least it surely does just that with my little one!
E has such a fascination with these books. The moment I opened up the mail while she was eating lunch, I sat down next to her and we started flipping through. I had never gone over musical instruments with her before (being that hubby and I are not very musically inclined) and after going through the book once, she had almost all the instruments down. The next day, my husband went through the book with her and she pointed out her current favorite page and said "Trumpet!" while making the most hilarious sound possible, and he was amazed. She also sticks her hand out and pretends to play the violin when she sees that page. And I crack up.
Yes, I'm a momma who is just enamored of her child's innocent love of learning and think everything is just the cutest that comes out of her mouth!
She's just about got the shapes down, however we're struggling with colors around here! She knows the color words (and for some reason, saying "yellow" is her favorite) but actually recognizing the colors is the main thing we are working on with her these days. These books are perfect for that, as each page shows an image in several different bold colors, where I can ask her to "show Mommy the yellow star," or the blue, red, etc. In every book, whether Fruits or Instruments, we can also go over colors at the same time, so surely I love it!
E's loving the Sky Wonders book and has gotten pretty good with it, aside from thinking the crescent moon is a banana -- but hey, we're workin' on that! Ha :)
Looking at the books has helped her recognize so many items and she's already increased her ever-growing vocabulary just from flipping through them. She can now recognize the difference between a pineapple and an apple, and can hand me the correct book depending on which title I ask from her.
She's getting pretty good over here, folks! And I'm so excited to have this series for her little sister on the way! The black and white images will really pop for a new baby and slowly introducing the pages to our newest little one will make me a happy momma - even if she isn't quite learning the items yet..it's a start and we have to start somewhere! This series is the perfect place to start - and makes a wonderful gift for moms-to-be, brand new babies, and growing tots alike.
So run on over (or click on over) to get yourself or your favorite new momma a discounted set of the My First Book series!! Just use this link to save 10% now as a Becoming the Barr's reader!! :)
It's never too early to promote literacy development in your favorite little reader's life! Do them a favor and encourage them as early as possible -- imagination sparks creativity and intelligence every day in all of us, right!?
