Dan Wuori

Dan Wuori, Ph.D. | Author, The Daycare Myth: What We Get Wrong About Early Care and Education (and What We Should Do About It) available now from @TCPress

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@kristatee Thanks Krista! Been finishing up a new book. Once it’s done I’ll be back to posting more often.

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

“What do you read to a newborn? Can I just read her anything because she won’t understand?”

I love these questions and can try to shed a little light here.

Reading with your baby is incredibly powerful. It introduces rich vocabulary, begins exposing your child to how books - and ultimately reading - work, and provides wonderful opportunities for bonding and socialization.

And at the very earliest stages of infancy, it’s likely true that babies aren’t understanding content in the ways they soon will. But that said, let me offer a caution about language development that might make you think twice about exposing your baby to “just anything.”

Language develops - all across life - on two parallel tracks. There’s receptive language, which is what we hear and understand. And there’s expressive language, which is what we can speak aloud (or, later in life, express in writing.)

Receptive language comes first as I’ve recently been reminded on DuoLingo, where I’ve been practicing Finnish. As a novice, it’s fascinating to note how much more spoken and written language I understand than I can actually summon to speak aloud.

The same is true for your baby.

Infants are language sponges and begin soaking up your words from birth. This doesn’t mean that they’re instantly comprehending every word, especially in the newborn phase, but I always caution against the assumption that children are “too little to understand” the adult language and content to which they’re being exposed.

Ask any parent about the most embarrassing thing their toddler has blurted out in public and you’ll appreciate just how much more they’re taking in than we sometimes give them credit for.

All that to say, be thoughtful about what you’re exposing them to from the start. Language learning is a process… but it’s one that starts before children even enter the world.

As for what to read to newborns I have two responses. There are a wide variety of age appropriate “board books” designed for this very purpose. These heavy duty cardboard books are typically limited to a few pages, can be read in a minute or two, and often feature repetitive text and high contrast illustrations that pair well with your baby’s still-developing eyesight.

These are a perfect choice for early lap reading.

That said, I’m also an advocate for exposing your baby daily to a wide variety of vocabulary. Here you CAN read just about anything. I’d steer clear of content that’s profane, disturbing, or too adult in its themes - but otherwise have at it. Narrate your junk mail. Read a newspaper story aloud.

The real point here is to be judicious about content and never presume your child is too little to understand. While it’s probably true of newborns, this shifts rapidly and well before they can express these understandings aloud.

This lovely lap reading video from TripsandShips on IG illustrates beautifully. (Notice, for example, that baby knows what a lion is - and that it makes a different sound from a flamingo… even if she’s too young to fully narrate the book herself.)

[Tetralogy of Fallout: New Vegas @_parasocial]

what do you read to a newborn? can i just read her anything because she won’t really understand? does it have to be rhymey? should i stock up on chuck tingle books?

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@NusbaumVirginia @OdysseusSetter It’s all about child development from conception to age three. If you like my posts you’ll love this book! (Out next July.)

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@OdysseusSetter Thanks Jim! I’ve been working like crazy on a new book. Almost done!

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@Nil3ndra Yes, hearing activates near the end of the 2nd trimester and babies begin hearing sounds from the outside world by around 30 weeks.

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@blu_noz_pitbull And it’s so good for them! Keep it up! (And thank you.)

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@PanielloPaolo Yes. That too!

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@prestonedu1 Thanks for tagging me!

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@dustinthedad Yes!

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@prestonedu1 @_parasocial Thanks to you both! I just shared a post with a few thoughts.

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@MsDoreenReads @elia_mafhh I have, many times! It’s a favorite.

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@missgeezyinga Thanks Molly! I think you’re really going to like this next book!

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

So much to tell you…

With book #2 news soon to begin dropping right and left, new speaking dates, and the launch of something really cool and new on the horizon I wanted to let you know you’ll be able to read about it first on my new email list.

Want to be a part of the first mailing? Drop by my author site and join the list (just scroll to the bottom of the home page).

https://t.co/BVGqL1cecU

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@davidclowery As both a writer and music fan I’ll put my trust in the guitarist here over those who write about guitarists.

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@30newsletter Is this your doing, @davidclowery? 😀

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@UnC0mm0nS3nse Yes. It’s already live on the Saul Zaentz Foundation YouTube channel.

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@OdysseusSetter They’ll be back!

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

Thrilled to be delivering the closing keynote at this year’s annual conference of the Association for Early Learning Leaders in Reno, Nevada.

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

@KathleenBellMD I’ve been working on my next book and it’s taking a lot of energy and time. I’m nearly done and slowly ramping back up though!