Need advice on reading/bedtime story with 1 YO

Ragless

New member
My son is almost one year old. I'd like to do reading and bedtime story with him but so far not successful. I try to sit down and read to him but he just doesn't stay. He enjoys crawling around a lot more. Usually I end up reading to the air for one more minute and give up. Re bedtime story, he either falls asleep in the middle of the last feed or wants to go out of the cot and play for a little longer. My presence then becomes a stimulant and makes him want to stay up. Appreciate your advice and tips on how to develop the habit. Thanks!
 
I?d leave it a while. 12 months is a little young to be interested in listening to stories. Neither of my boys would sit still for a story until they were three or four years old.
 
If you choose books that have flaps that he can turn, or little things for him to touch then he will feel more involved.. Also we ask our son to turn the page please which he loves! I would persevere even if it's just one book a night because eventually he will get into it - Also, you could try reading two books -put one in front of a favourite soft toy - and the other is for the two of you.. Just make it as fun as possible! Good luck!
 
my bb loves having stories read to her. we have a bunch of board books and i simplify the story as much as possible bc her attention span is v. short. but we don't have a set bedtime story routine (maybe when she's older).

i just read to her whenever she hands me a book. sometimes about halfway, she'll walk off to get another book or play something else and we just let her be. occationally she'll sit thru a story .... a very very short one. i highly recommend sandra bounton board books.
 
I also tried around 12 months but found that at bed time it's too stimulating and he would have trouble sleeping. Around 15 months he started showing more interest in the pictures but was still too young to care about the story. Around 20 months is when he actually wanted to hear a story.

We just always keep books available and he can look at them whenever he wants. Now he just loves books and can't get enough. Don't worry he'll get there!
 
I have similar situation as you when my twins were 12 months old. I have not set the bedtime reading habit. As what Mommy Sara did, I let my twins gain access to the books easily and they can get it anytime they want to. My twins love board books with one picture on each page. They love to point to the pictures they know such as banana, apple, drum. It works. My son can say "Banana" (cannot speak clearly) when he see it. My daughter can find the picture among the books that I asked. They are now just 16 months.
 
My tips:

1) Read whenever it seems like he might like it.

2) Read things that are very short (1 nursery rhyme w/ a cute picture)

3) Consider singing nursery rhymes

4) Get board books that baby can chew on

5) Sandra Boynton is a genius!!!
 
I've read to my son since he was born- and it's a lot harder now than when he was tiny!

My son has access to books throughout the day- all his board books are at a height that he can reach and he will often take one day and turn the pages, and make his babble talk as he does so! Board books are great, and he has just started to show an interest in books with flaps, as well as 'touch and feel books.'

I read to him, and keep reading even if he is wandering around the room and playing with something else. Usually he will start off sitting by me and listening to the story and then his attention wanders....however I keep reading (at this age it is more important that children hear the words in a book, than read/ see them) and sometimes he wanders back to have another look, other times he keeps listening but plays with something else.
 
I read to my son pretty much since he was born - not so he could understand, but I think just the sound of my voice soothed him. Always did it (and still do) after bath and bottle when he is most relaxed. For about the first year (and more probably), I read the same book every night, and I guess he learnt to associate it with going to sleep. He's now two and it's one of the highlights of our day that he'll sit on our bed with his feet all snuggled in the covers and we'll cuddle up and read together.

Why don't you try putting him in his cot first and then just sitting beside the cot and reading. He wont necessarily understand you but will enjoy listening to your voice and it will help to relax him while he's lying there.

Maybe if he's still crawling about before bed, then he's overstimulated and not relaxed?? Do you incorporate quiet / wind-down time at the end of his day? Just a thought.
 
I have been reading to the girls at bedtime since they were 5 months old... I used to just read a story I liked (fairy tales etc.) and they are used to the fact that Mummy reads a story before the LOngggg sleep :)

Two months ago, following the advice of a kindergarten teacher in the US, I started reading the same two books to them at night, one is called "Twins" :) and the other is "Goodnight Moon". I have the pages facing them and read (upside down for me!). They love the Twins book and one of them will clap when they see the clapping page and then wait for me to pretend to sneeze on another page. Apparently the teacher advised that you read the same books every night and they will learn to read early...
They dont care so much about Goodnight moon but like a few of the pages and like me saying "Goodnight moon!" in a cheerful voice hahahhaa

The girls are IN their cribs whilst I'm reading. If interested, they stand and look at the book....

We also have a 'library' area that they can go to in the day, with their board books etc. They usually like to hang out there for 30 minutes or so daily, flipping the pages of the board books, I patiently say the words and point at the pictures. A month ago, one of my daughters could point at "banana" and "ball" and "pig" when I asked her to show me. Now my other daughter is doing the same thing.

They are 11 months old this week.

I also make sure they see ME reading whenever possible (of course its always in very short spurts at this age hahahaa) as I've been told that if your children see you reading a lot, they will also acquire the reading habit!

1/3J I would persevere with reading to him when he's in bed, without hoping that he's THAT into it. When I was reading random stories and showing the girls pictures, sometimes they looked at the pages (and/or me) and many times, they acted like I wasnt there..... It HAS improved with reading the same books every night. Just by sticking to the same routine and doing every evening, you will notice a difference.

And yeah, I have very little luck with them when I try to read to them outside of bed, they are interested for 2 seconds then something else gets their attention, I usually persist and finish the story though even if I'm reading to the air - hahahahahahahahahaha
 
Thanks

Many thanks dear mums! A lot of very practical tips and advice. You help me to regain the courage to start again - in a new way!:yeah2:yeah2
 
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