Books for Speech and Language Development

Hello, parents, caregivers, and parents-to-be! 

As a speech-language pathologist and soon-to-be first-time mom, I’m thrilled to kick off a new blog series from Garden State Speech Therapy on must-haves and helpful toys, books, activities, and supplies that support your infant’s development.

If you’re a new parent-to-be like I am, building a baby registry can be overwhelming. With so many options available, it’s essential to choose items that not only entertain your baby but also nurture their growing communication skills.

Whether you are creating a registry, making a holiday shopping list, or just looking for new and fun activities to try with your baby, stay tuned for recommendations from our multidisciplinary team! 

Today’s post will focus on book recommendations to support your infant’s speech and language development.

What are the benefits of reading to my baby?

Reading books with your baby is one of best things you can do to support their overall development, including speech, language, attention, and vision. Research has even shown that reading to children as part of their bedtime routine supports better sleep! Reading aloud to your infant is a great way to share in an activity together, promote bonding, encourage cognitive development, and lay a strong foundation for communication and literacy skills.

References

Cooper, S. (2010). Lighting up the brain with songs and stories. General Music Today, 23(2), 24–30.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ879202 

Pino MC, Giancola M, D'Amico S. The Association between Music and Language in Children: A State-of-the-Art Review. Children (Basel). 2023 Apr 28;10(5):801. doi: 10.3390/children10050801. PMID: 37238349; PMCID: PMC10216937. 

‍Fenson, L., Marchman, V. A., Thal, D. J., Dale, P. S., Reznick, J. S., & Bates, E. (2007). MacArthur-Bates communicative development inventories (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.).

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

‍Hagan, J. F., Shaw, J. S., & Duncan, P. (Eds.). (2008). Bright futures: Guidelines for health supervision of infants, children, and adolescents (3rd ed.). Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics. https://brightfutures.aap.org/Bright%20Futures%20Documents/BF4_POCKETGUIDE.pdf

‍Language development: Speech milestones for babies. Mayo Clinic website. 
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/language-development/art-20045163

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1048371308316414?journalCode=gmtb

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00948/full