It’s never too early to start reading with your little ones. Reading with your toddler is a fun and educational way to build a strong connection between you both. At this age, reading is all about creating a love of reading, not about learning to read. Instead they learn about sounds, words and language and their imagination starts to develop. So make it fun for both of you!
Tips to make reading with your toddler more fun
- Set a daily time to read together
- Sit close or, even better, cuddle your little ones as you read together
- Let your toddler interact with the book by letting them turn the pages or touch the different textures of the book. Encourage them to sing along or clap
- Don’t worry if you can’t finish a whole book. Your toddler may just look at a few pages or may want to play with the book instead
- Let your toddler choose a book
- Keep books in a place where your toddler can reach them and play with them on their own
When looking for a book to read with your toddler here are a few things you can keep your eyes open for:
- Rhyming words or repetitive phrases
- Pop up or flap books
- Textured books
- Board books that can withstand the playtime of toddlers
To get you started on your reading journey, we’ve put together a list of 8 fun books to read with your toddler.
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Men Fox
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do you See? by Bill Martin Jr
- The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
- That’s Not My Puppy by Fiona Watt
- Where’s Spot by Eric Hill
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Eric Carle’s children’s classic is the story of a very small and very hungry caterpillar who manages to nibble his way through the pages of this enchanting book
The sturdy board book format, allows your little one to safely play and chomp on their book. The little finger sized holes and the page flap along with the beautifully bright illustrations make this a very satisfying book for your toddler.
GET ‘THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR‘
Each Peach Pear Plum
A beautifully illustrated book that introduces your toddlers to rhyming and a mini universe of fairy tale characters. You make your way through the book together playing I Spy on each page.
The simplicity and fun of this book makes it a classic that can be handed down through generations. The board book format is perfect to withstand your toddlers inquisitive hands.
Goodnight Moon
This timeless book is a gentle and calming introduction to bedtime for your little ones. You follow a small rabbit, drifting off to sleep and saying goodnight to everything in his room as he is watched over by his grandmother.
Its a beautiful but simple bedtime story that can lull your little ones to sleep (fingers crossed). The bright illustrations and simple rhymes make it easy for your kids to remember this story as they grow older.
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little toes
As everyone knows, nothing is sweeter than tiny baby fingers and chubby baby toes.And here is a celebration of baby fingers, baby toes, and the joy they (and the babies they belong to) bring to everyone all over the world!
This beautifully simple rhyming book which you can almost sing along to incorporates your own little one at the end. After reading about the specialness of every baby around the world you end the story by giving your own special baby “3 little kisses ” on their nose. A perfect book to quietly cuddle up and read together.
GET ‘TEN LITTLE FINGERS AND TEN LITTLE TOES‘
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
A big happy frog, a plump purple cat, a handsome blue horse, and a soft yellow duck all parade across the pages of this delightful book. Children will immediately respond to the flat, boldly colored collages of these endearing animals and the singsong text.
This simple and colorful book should be in your toddlers library as it’s a fun and simple way to introduce rhyme and colors to your little one. It’s a cute story of colorful things that you and your child can read along together.
GET ‘BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE?‘
The Going To Bed Book
This classic bedtime story is just right for winding down the day as a joyful, silly group of animals scrub scrub scrub in the tub, brush and brush and brush their teeth, and finally rock and rock and rock to sleep. Getting to sleep has never been so fun.
This is a really fun bedtime book that will have you and your little ones belly laughing. The funny illustrations and rhyming text make it a book you can definitely read over and over again.It helps your little ones recognize their own bedtime routine and maybe add some fun to them.
That’s Not My Puppy
This delightful series of board books with bright pictures and different patches of textures, are designed to develop sensory and language awareness. Your little ones will love turning the pages and touching the feely patches.
All of the Usborne Touchy-Feely Books are a fun way to introduce your toddler to reading as they combine the senses with language. The material and textures of these books can keep your toddler coming back to play with these books on their own.
Where’s Spot
One of the best ever lift-the-flap books, this adorable story is the first in the series about the endearing Spot the dog. It introduces readers to Spot’s world, where they will find many familiar objects, situations and environments, all playfully depicted in a lively and appealing style. Your little ones will love hunting for Spot using the lift-the-flap format, even when they know exactly where he is!
This interactive and fun classic will be a part of your toddlers library for years to come.
Let us know your favourite book that you like to read with your little ones. Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the Melville Mums Facebook group.
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