Baby Books for Brain Development

Does Content make a Difference?

We all know that reading to infants is good, we’ve heard it from researchers, parents, doctors, baby books, etc.

Reading to infants helps language and cognitive development, increased vocabulary, and other pre-reading skills that can show benefits four years later into childhood according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Reading to your baby also means quality parent-infant interaction and most importantly, cuddle time.

But does the content of what you’re reading matter? Will some books help baby develop better than others?

This study by the psychology research lab at the University of Florida suggests that books with named characters lead to better learning and brain development in the infant.

In the study, researchers measured infants brain activity while reading to them books with named characters and also reading books with generic characters. Study results showed that the infant’s brain was more aware and functioning when named character books were read.

“These findings suggest that very young infants are able to use labels to learn about the world around them and that shared book reading is an effective tool for supporting development in the first year of life.”
Lisa S. Scott, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of Florida

So does the content of an infant book matter? This study suggests yes, at least in one aspect, that books with named characters can lead to better brain development. Check out the article from Smithsonian Magazine for more in-depth information about the study.

My takeaway: keep on reading to that baby. And if the book has any unnamed characters, try giving them a name. It couldn’t hurt!

Here are some of my favorite baby books with named characters for brain development: