Sponsored by Akademibokhandeln

Around the age of one, children usually start saying their first words. With the help of books, we can inspire our children to learn! The books you read together now will benefit your child throughout their life. In this article, we give you simple tips on how to make reading fun for your child right from the start.

Research suggests that regular reading during childhood can lead to a 17-year-old having about 50 000-70 000 words in their vocabulary, compared to 15 000-17 000 words in someone who has not read or been read to regularly.*

What an incentive to actually read to your child, right from the start! Here we have collected tips for you who want to read both to your child and together with your child from the age of 1.

5 tips to make reading fun from the start:

- Frequency is more important than length! You don't have to read for a long time, what matters is that you read regularly.

- If your child can't hold your attention for more than half a page, that's fine too. That you do is what counts - not how long!

- Being close increases the positive feeling for reading in your child. When your child understands that reading is also a time together, they will seek you out for reading. This is an important signal for you as a parent to pick up on! Does your child want you to read together? It may not always be the book the child wants, but often it is about being close to their parent.

- A book a day now will give you a lifetime of reading pleasure. It's true! So if you start finding a moment together now every day, your child will carry that joy of reading with them for the rest of their lives.

- Find a time in the day that is just for you. Some children want to read a lot of books or several times a day, while others can only manage a few hours a day. Find a time that is yours where you choose a book and read it together - it will be a cozy routine you can maintain throughout childhood!

During this period of life, children usually start learning their first words. Akademibokhandeln offers lots of books designed to promote the learning of first words!

Here you can find some of our favorite books for children around 1 year old.

Source: When Children Are Not Read to at Home: The Million Word Gap