Reading to a 13 month old

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My baby has lots of books. They had a kids bookcase before they were born and it’s full of various things - stories, touch and feel, lift the flap books etc. I feel it’s very important to read to them and try my best to incorporate it into our day.

He’s quite boisterous and tends to take the book off of me. Sometimes we’re barely a page in, and he’s pulling it away, playing with the pages, putting it in his mouth etc.

Does anyone else have experience of a baby like this? If so, were you able to overcome it and get them to enjoy a story? Does he just need more time?

He's still very young and their curiosity is more than their concentration at that age.
I find it easier to do it at a time they are naturally calm so when he's having milk, bed time or when he picks up a book.
My girls are nearly 2 & 3.5 now but DD1 loves her books and makes up her own little stories, DD2 is hit and miss, some days she brings me books to read and some she isn't interested.
I still do book at bed time even if they're not 100% listening

Well he may not be ready for war and peace just yet, we used to have those tiny board books where it’s just a word and picture on each page, just pointing and saying the word. Maybe took one minute!
also, relax and accept him taking the book and put it in his mouth, he’s only 1. It’s him getting to know if he likes it 😂
don’t worry about it, not all kids are into books and reading but do keep trying, very short periods of time and don’t force it if he’s getting cross.
We had a book with a bedtime bottle of milk, they would drink and I would read. Captive audience really as they would be so engrossed in the milk that I would get the reading in then.
Also, if he’s into any characters you could always look and see if there are any books relating to that.
Essentially though; he’s only just 1, relax and don’t fret.

It's brilliant that you are looking at books together and talking with him about what you see, but yes you will need to let him mature and develop a little more before he can follow a story.

Always book before bed and sometimes he’s really engaged but other times I’m just reading to myself, so I pick one I enjoy 🤣

He likes flap books but the trouble is he thinks everything is a flap book now and goes rootling round on the page trying to find a flap.

at that age they like familiarity and reputation- pick something snappy and easy like Dear Zoo, and read it until they anticipate the words and different animals. It’s not an irritating book to read at all I find and only takes two min!

Are you talking about actual stories? Cos he's too young for that, he won't have the attention span or understanding yet. My DS is 15 months and he LOVES looking at books. He will spend quite decent periods of time being read to. But when I say that, I mean maybe up to 20 mins at a time - cos he's a baby. And when I say being read to, I mean books like the Bookstart baby books and That's Not My... series and things. Which have max one short phrase on a page. He likes to turn pages and look at pictures, touch textures, lift flaps etc. If I try to read anything longer or less interactive he will be bored and try to turn the page before ive finished reading it. But that's normal, he's a baby! My DD was the same and at 4.5 she loves being read chapter books now and all sorts.

Thanks everyone!

Yeah it’s definitely a case of there being lots of other options in his head - I can chew on the corner, I can blow raspberries on it, I can wave it in the air, I can throw it, I can look at all the pages at the same time. 😂When he does this, I just leave him to it; I know he’s just exploring the world around him.

I think I’ll maybe try reading when he’s in his cot at night so that he can’t physically grab it from me. If he seems disinterested I’ll keep going. He has lots of the one-word books with pictures so I’ll try one of those at his next bedtime.

My 3.5 year old was like this at that age but she is obsessed with books now. It's all about regular exposure - even if they're not looking at the book they're still listening! My 16m mini beast is exactly the same except she whacks me with the books too!
Keep it up, you're doing great. Lots of kids don't have any access to books and it's so sad.

Mine wouldn’t listen to a story until after 2yrs. Even then it would be hit and miss. Before that we had picture books to look through and I would say things like “can you find a car/dog/ball…?”. That was the only way I could hold interest in books. As his speech developed he would start pointing things out too.

There’s a reason so many people have the ‘that’s not my’ books. They just work really well with little ones with no attention span. My first could sit and look at books for ages from about 9months. My second didn’t have the same patience at all but both ended up in a similar place as older toddlers.

Got lots of books with chewed corners and ripped pages!!! What's important is you make that connection over a book at this age. Mine is now 5 and adores books and loves the cuddle that goes along with it before bed. He loves 'facts' books and it's a real bonding and sharing experience between us. He's now learning to read at school and you can see how all that exposure to books and words has filtered into that process

Also can't recommend the bear and hare books enough, they have literally spanned 3-4years of learning already and my son still loves reading them....and trying to read them himself now! From colours, then numbers to now words they are fab

Ive read a book to mine before bed since they were around 6 months old. In their cot when they're sleepy, I'd just lean over and read a book. Still continue this tradition now just with both on my lap (they're 2 and 3 now). They like looking at books in the day but will only really sit and read one with me before bed. Apparently they sit beautifully at story time at preschool but no such luck in the day here. I'm a big reader so praying they'll be book worms too but won't pressure them

Don't stress, he's still so young. My DC were hopeless at that age. Only really since 19 months that books weren't regularly thrown around and ripped. DC will now sit and listen to a story at 21 months.

My DC is the same age and is obsessed with pop out books. They will turn the pages and open the flaps. The horse behind the stable is a favourite 🤣
All other books get thrown or ignored etc.

Of course he just needs more time! He won't be reading like that when he's 18.

Just carry on as you are.