Reading with your baby

It’s never too early to introduce your 0-12 month-old baby to books. They enjoy hearing your voice and listening to stories even if they don’t understand them.

Reading together is also a great way to bond with your baby. You can make sharing books part of your daily routine, starting with a few minutes at a time.

When you read a story together you can:

• talk about the pictures and encourage your child to look for detail
• create voices and use your body to help tell the story
• give them books to handle and teach them how to turn the pages
• run their fingers along the print or braille as you read and help them feel textures or pop-ups
• go back again and again to books they particularly enjoy, they will love the familiar routine and can join in and predict what will happen next.

Choosing books for your baby

Your vision impaired baby will enjoy books with:

• large print
• simple bold and colourful pictures
• textures and pop-ups they can explore with their hands
• high contrast pictures such as black and white shapes or faces
• noises
• waterproof coating that can go in the bath

RSBC’s Family Support Service can help you with:

• practical advice about your child’s development
• support when you feel overwhelmed
• understanding your child’s vision impairment better
• living as a family and being supportive of each other

Call 0203 1980225 or email connections@rsbc.org.uk