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SINGAPORE: The National Library Board (NLB) and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) are encouraging parents and parents-to-be to read to their child as early as when the baby is still in the womb.
"There have been quite a number of research studies that say that if you were to play classical music or read to babies, these are very good for children, but it’s not very conclusive. But there is research that says babies can hear parents voices if they were to talk to their babies in their womb, and this would allow the baby to recognise the parents voice, so in this way if they actually read, and sing rhymes, it would be even better," said Zubaidah Mohsen, Senior Librarian, Public Library Services, NLB.
It is a new initiative that forms part of "Born to Read, Read to Bond 2007", a programme developed by the NLB and MCYC in 2001 to promote reading as a learning and family-bonding activity.
As an incentive, parents-to-be and parents with children born from January this year are able to collect a free "pre-birth" kit from NLB’s network of public libraries (excluding library@esplanade and library@orchard) from the 14th of February.
The kit, said to be worth at least $60, contains a CD of nursery rhymes, poems and stories; a baby journal to capture milestones as well as the learning and reading journey; and a parenting guide.
Mother of three, Hartiny Abdul Hamid, and long-time participant of the "Born to Read, Read to Bond" programme said reading to her children, including during the time before they were born, was most definitely beneficial.
"I really encourage parents-to-be to read to babies in their womb. It’s beneficial in terms of their vocabulary to the child when they grow up... words they have so-called 'heard' when they were in the womb, songs – something they can pick up and think, 'I’ve sort of heard that before!'" she said.
Of her six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter, Mdm Hartiny added, "They cultivated a love for books. Even though I have lots of story books at home, they still want to come to the library."
Reading to children not only helps with language and learning skills but provides an opportunity for parent and child to bond.
"When you read, you are reading with them, they are with you, in your hands, in your company, so that’s where a lot of bonding is done. They get to express themselves. You get to know a little bit about your child’s character as well - introvert, extrovert, a more creative person - through stories."
Also new to the programme this year is the introduction of Family Activity Calendars distributed at school to Kindergarten 1 and Primary 1 children.
The six-monthly calendars highlight important family-related events and include reading recommendations and activities for parent-child bonding.
"We encourage parents to read to the child even if he or she can read on their own, that bonding element is there – for children from nought to P6 age – 15 minutes a day will do," said Mdm Zubaidah.
As for reading programmes in languages other than English, the NLB said development is under way:
"We are planning to put in other languages, but we can’t put a time frame yet, because there is a lot of effort needed in terms of the content development. But we have started, in terms of the rhymes portion – rhymes in Malay, Chinese and Tamil," said Mdm Zubaidah. - cna/yy
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