Is my kid even listening?

How to Encourage your Motor Skills Superstar to Love Books.

Always on the Move

Picture this: a librarian reading books to a room full of young children. They’re listening attentively–except for one kid. She’s squirming and talking. She’s running around with her toy truck. She’s not paying attention. 

Or is she?

As a librarian, I encountered this situation often. The parents would feel badly for the disruption and wonder if their kids were destined to dislike books. But, in fact, I witnessed these exact children often grew up to be some of the most dedicated readers and library users.

Developmentally Appropriate

The truth is, kids are listening to you read even if it seems like they’re completely ignoring you. They’re built for listening and observing, just as they’re meant to move around to coordinate movement and build muscles. 

Maria Montessori observed that the sensitive periods for spoken language and movement overlap in early childhood. Therefore, it’s only natural that most kids want to move around while listening to stories. 
 

But as a parent, you must offer strategic literacy opportunities. 

Key Suggestions
 

• Make reading a habit. This is critical: read to your child from birth. Every single day. Don’t just read at bedtime; read any chance you get. Children can only grow to like books if they have consistent exposure to books.

• Focus on your child’s interests. They like this particular toy? Hey! Here’s a book that features that toy. My own child is thrilled when she sees a ball in a book. 

• Intentional movement. Read interactive books that foster children's motor skills.  A good example is “From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle. Let your child help turn the pages.
   
• Sensory books. Cloth, wood, and textured books stimulate children’s senses. And yes, it’s developmentally appropriate for your baby to put the book in his mouth! Tribu’s Fox Box features a wood book!

• Model reading. Kids love to copy their parents. If you read a book, their curiosity for books will increase. You’ve seen this happen with your phone. This happens with books, too!

If you make reading and books a priority–ideally, a part of your daily routine–the chances are high that you’ll have a child who’s not only athletic, but book savvy as well. 
 

References Is My Kid Even Listening to Me

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/books/how-to-raise-a-reader

https://www.raisingreaders.org/blog/my-child-wont-sit-still-for-me-to-read-aloud/ 

https://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2020/05/sensitive-periods-from-birth-to-6-chart.html 

https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/read-early-and-often/