Reading, singing and books before one

Shared book reading is among the few early childhood activities with a consistently strong evidence base, and it works long before a child understands a story.

What the evidence shows

Studies of shared reading in infancy and early childhood consistently find associations with vocabulary, language development and later literacy.

Frequency matters, and so does the way it is done — dialogic reading, in which the adult asks questions, follows the child's interest and expands on their responses, produces larger effects than straight reading aloud.

Programmes distributing books to families have found increases in reading frequency and, in some evaluations, in child language.

The mechanism is plausible: books introduce vocabulary that does not occur in everyday speech, and they create a shared focus of attention that generates conversation.

Starting early

Earlier than most people begin.

From birth, reading provides voice, rhythm and closeness, and the content is irrelevant — reading a newspaper aloud has the same effect at this age.

From around three months, high-contrast images hold attention.

From around six months, babies grab, chew and turn pages, which is engagement rather than disruption.

From around nine months, pointing at pictures and responding to naming.

From around twelve months, bringing books, choosing them, and demanding the same one repeatedly.

How to do it

Practically, in a way that suits an infant.

Do not read the words if they are not holding attention — talk about the pictures instead.

Point and name.

Ask questions and answer them yourself at first.

Follow the child's interest, including going backwards, skipping pages and stopping.

Use expression and different voices, which holds attention considerably better than a flat read.

Accept that a session may last thirty seconds.

Read the same book repeatedly, which children request and which supports learning — repetition is how the vocabulary is acquired.

And let them hold, chew and drop the book, which is how infants explore.

What kind of books

For the first year.

Board books and cloth books, which survive.

High-contrast and simple images for young babies.

Books with rhyme and rhythm, which support phonological awareness.

Repetitive text, which children learn and join in with.

Books with flaps, textures and mirrors, which add interaction.

Books showing everyday objects and routines, which connect to the child's life.

And books reflecting a range of people and families, which matters for children seeing themselves and others.

Libraries make all of this free, which is the practical answer to the cost of children's books.

Songs and rhymes

Underrated and evidence-supported.

Singing exposes children to rhythm, stress patterns and rhyme, which are the foundations of phonological awareness and later reading.

Action rhymes add movement, anticipation and turn-taking.

Repetition is the point rather than a limitation.

Singing quality is irrelevant to the child, which is worth stating since it stops many adults.

And singing in whichever language you are most comfortable in is the right choice.

Bilingual households

Reading works the same way.

Read in the language you are most fluent in, since expression, vocabulary and conversation matter more than which language.

Dual-language books exist and are useful.

Different family members reading in different languages works well.

And exposure to more than one language does not delay reading development.

Screens and digital books

Where the comparison has been studied.

Research comparing print and electronic books has generally found more parent–child talk and better comprehension with print, particularly where the electronic version contains interactive features that distract from the narrative.

The effect appears to relate to the features rather than the screen itself.

For infants specifically, guidance advises against screen media other than video calling, and a physical book is what the evidence supports.

Building the habit

What makes it stick.

A fixed point in the day, most commonly as part of the bedtime routine.

Books accessible at floor level so a child can choose.

Books in more than one room and in the bag.

Adults seen reading, which is the strongest predictor of a child's later attitude to reading.

And joining a library, which most parents intend to do and few get round to — it removes the cost barrier entirely and provides new books indefinitely.

General information only, not medical advice. Consult your health visitor or a speech and language therapist if you have concerns about your child's language development.