How to train your baby's reading brain

Can linguistic experiences in infancy and toddlerhood predict individual language skills in kindergarten?  According to a study published by the Gaab Lab at Harvard, the answer is a resounding YES!!!  Researchers gathered brain images from 100 infants and tracked them through their first year of schooling. What they found was nothing short of amazing: early linguistic experiences (speech, songs, spellings) shape babies' brains and determine long-term language skills and literacy development.

Here's an excerpt from the study:

". . .babies’ brains are not set in stone. When children actively interact with their linguistic environment, dramatic changes occur in the developing brain." Gaab Lab at Harvard

This study illustrates that parents should proactively and intentionally create early, rich language environments that train their baby's reading brain. Parents and caregivers should sing, speak, and read to infants as often as possible. And instead of screen time, parents can use a vital tool such as ScholarSkills Sylla-Bear. 

🧸What is Sylla-Bear™

Sylla-Bear™ is a spelling, phonics, and baby brain training bear™—a cuddly companion designed to sing your child into literacy. This adorable 16-inch teddy bear is more than a toy—it's a complete early literacy curriculum wrapped in a soft, safe, and lovable package.

We named it Sylla-Bear because it sings syllables that naturally synchronize with your baby's rhythmic brain waves. Through gentle, a cappella renditions of alphabetic and syllabic sounds—the very building blocks of reading—Sylla-Bear transforms playtime and bedtime into powerful learning moments.

This rhythmic baby bear™ blends phonemic melodies with classic lullabies, surrounding your child's mind with the sounds that matter most for reading success. Parents can stream syllables, spellings, and speech sounds directly from Sylla-Bear's internal speaker system, creating a cozy, immersive soundscape that supports early language development and primes the brain for reading. Every note and song builds essential language skills. Through a proprietary blend of musical interactions (including nursery rhymes), your child learns to recognize and reproduce sounds, syllables, and even whole words. This comprehensive approach lays the groundwork for confident reading and communication, ensuring that early learning is both effective and fun.

🌙 Why Sylla-Bear™ Matters

• Personalized learning through play: Sylla-Bear™ nurtures phonological and phonemic awareness—the essential skills that unlock reading.

• Effortless readiness for school: When children become phonemically aware, formal reading instruction becomes smoother, faster, and more effective.

• Learning while resting: As your child drifts to sleep, Sylla-Bear™ continues to train their reading brain™ with soothing, scientifically grounded melodies.

• Bonded bedtime moments: Parents can feel confident knowing their child is not only comforted but also gently coached toward literacy.

Learn more about Sylla-Bear.

Gaab Lab at Harvard