Reading to a baby from a very early age is one of the best things you can do for your child. While it may seem strange to read to someone who has no comprehension of what you're saying, it is at the very least time well spent together. Reading also helps form a bond between parent and child, as they develop familiarity with your voice and become comforted by it.
As your child grows slightly older, they will begin to appreciate the pictures and shapes in the books. Black and white pictures are good for the very young who can't yet distinguish colors. Goodnight Moon, for example, has both color and black and white illustrations, so it's a good transitional book.
When they get just a little bit older, it becomes part of a ritual and source of enjoyment. Kids are able to crawl away and may seem uniterested, but the first few lines of their favorite bedtime story bring them scampering back.
Long story short, it's never too soon to start reading to your kids. It's especially important for dads who need to take every opportunity to engage their children. A while back I wrote a post on Fatherhood Matters about parents' top 50 children's books. I thought it is worth mentioning here on Almost A Dad because if you're expecting, you might be stocking up ahead of time.
I'm Going to Run Away, Noisy Nora, Bedtime for Frances and Where the Wild Things Are were favorites of both me and my brother. My son loves Goodnight Moon, Guess How Much I Love You, I Love My Daddy and Max's Halloween. Check out the post for the full list, or the cool spinny widget thingy below for a few of them.
