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Cuddle up and read to a child this Valentine's Day

Date published: 2/14/2006

VALENTINE'S DAY gives us a great excuse to cuddle and kiss the children in our lives --as if any excuse were needed! But did you know that these warm and loving interactions contribute to children's reading skills?

New research on brain development tells us that babies are born with millions of brain cells, but they are not yet connected the way they are in adults. These connections, or synapses, are formed through sensory experiences--touch, taste, smell, hearing, seeing. They are what make it possible for children to learn. High levels of the hormone serotonin, produced when children are loved, cuddled and cared for, enhance these connections.

In other words, brain research confirms what loving parents and caregivers have always known: children who are loved and happy find it easier to learn.

"Rethinking the Brain" by Rima Shore and "Right from Birth: Building Your Child's Foundation for Life" by Craig and Sharon Ramey summarize this research and its implications for emotional growth, social skills, communication, and early learning of children under five.

Dorothy Butler is a mother, grandmother, and bookstore owner whose short, practical guide for parents, "Reading Begins at Home," has helped thousands of parents to create successful learning environments for their young children. She reassures parents that they don't need expensive equipment or big blocks of time to encourage preschool learning. Instead, she advises, use everyday opportunities like opening the mail, visiting the grocery store, doing chores to talk with your child and expand her world.

As she wisely says, "If a child is to learn to read, it matters far less that a home should have carpet on the floor and two cars in the garage than that there should be people there who love him."

"Starting Out Right, A Guide to Promoting Children's Reading Success" describes the key elements that research shows children need to become good readers. Compiled by the Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children, this practical guide tells parents about the most important language activities for very young children and then guides them through reading success in preschool and childcare settings.

Date published: 2/14/2006