Baby Can Read program?

[KenReeves]

Has any one used these videos/flash cards as a means to helping their babies learn to read? Ive heard mixed things. Any advice greatly appreciated. Thx!

[sste]

There have been some threads about this before you may trying searching. The long and short is do not do this. This is completely contrary to the natural course - - and imo - - beauty of infant and toddler development and exploration. My personal suspicion is that this kind of early focus on memorization can develop that rather limited skill at the EXPENSE of spatial reasoning, early logic, creativity, socio-emotional growth, etc.

If you are concerned about cognitive development the best, evidence-based practices are: 1) lots of early reading; 2) integration of numbers and math concepts into daily conversation -- look 2 cookies on the table, 1, 2 or let's cut the sandwich in half; 3) as your baby gets older asking lots of questions while reading and in daily life - - at earlier stages, can you point to X? More in the toddler years, what is happening to the truck? What is the fox looking for? How does the giraffe feel when his friends laugh at his dancing; 4) songs and dance -- excellent way for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to learn language and a variety of other skills, including motor and sensory.

Have fun!

[JoyNChrist]

We were given these as a gift, and I put them the DVDs in one day (more for distraction than anything) and DS wouldn't pay attention to them at all. Not that I can blame him...they're very repetitive and boring.

At 3yo he's very smart and inquisitive and will probably be reading before kindergarden. (We did/do a lot of the stuff PP mentioned). I say don't waste your money.

[mom2binsd]

If it's on an infomercial at 2am...take it for what's it's worth.

Developmentally it doesn't make sense for babies to read...like others have posted, talking, reading and engaging with your child is the best way to foster all types of speech, language, reading.

[vludmilla]

I would strongly recommend not using it at all. sste's post has fantastic advice. Reading comes naturally at later ages and there is no benefit to teaching infants and toddlers a bunch of sight words.

[eda]

We have it and use it. My DD loves the flash cards, there fun and no pressure. she likes the videos sometimes. We do not force her to do it and we don't use it everyday. I the program has taught her vocabulary but not how to read. They sell the dvd's separately at buy buy baby.

honestly its just an educational tool and it is up to you how you use it, I don't get why people get so angry over it.

Is it worth the money...not really.. I like the bright baby series by Roger Pirddy much better. They sell those books everywhere.

[mamica]

We have a friend who recommended this to us - they use it for their dd, and it helped jump-start her speech, or so they say. Our similar-age ds was speech delayed, and I just never could buy into it for some reason. When we had our ds evaluated by EI around age 2, I asked the speech therapist and developmental therapist about it, and they both groaned and rolled their eyes, saying it was such a waste of money and ineffective as well. They said how sad it was b/c they would go into some really financially hard-pressed families for their work, and these people had spent the $$$ they barely had in hopes of helping their child. They really confirmed what my first impressions were, so needless to say we didn't do it.

[randomkid]

No experience with this program, but if you want to do your baby (and yourself) a favor, teach him/her sign language. You don't have to go overboard with it and it saved us many crying episodes. I'd recommend Baby Signing Time DVDs and just signing to your child yourself. When DD was 2yo, "mama" "milk" and "more" all sounded about the same. I'll never forget the day she came walking into the kitchen and I thought she was saying "Mama", but when I turned around, she was signing "milk" or the time she asked to take a nap by signing "bed". I knew at those moments, teaching her sign was one of the best things I ever did!