The Importance of Reading with Toddlers

This is probably the most challenging group to read to because they are not going to stop moving. The trick is to find books that are interactive and asking them to move around. Here’s a few good ones:

• There’s a Dragon in your Book by: Tom Fletcher. In this book there is something to smash, splash, fire to put out, or words to say to the dragon. It’s bound to get a lot of attention from little ones.
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle. This book is just a classic to be loved by all. Kids love to pretend to eat the foods with the caterpillar. Then the pages with the holes and the partial pages make it extra fun.
• Where is Fuzzy Penguin by: Yayo Kawamura. Each page and even the cover page has a fuzzy textured penguin to find. Some are easy and some are more challenging because there’s hundreds of penguins in the book. Your toddler will have a great time running their fingers over each page to find him.
• Never Touch a… (series of different animals) by: Rosie Greening
  Or any books with buttons, pop ups, or textures are sure to be a hit!
  The importance is still there as much as it was during infancy. The main goals are the same; creating a love of reading by tying books to bonding and love and exposing your young child to more words than they hear anywhere else.
  The magic number is 15. If you can spend at least 15 minutes out of your family’s day reading, your kiddo will be miles ahead in life. It doesn’t have to be before bedtime. It doesn’t even have to be 15 minutes all together. If they will only hold still for 2 minutes and again later, you only have 5 minutes between the oven timer. That is just fine. All the minutes will add up the same. your child’s brain will thank you all the same at the end of each day!
  Lastly, here are some easy ways to sneak in reading (it’s not like we’re busy or something, ha).
• Audio books in the car
• Bath time
• While getting dinner ready
• Bedtime
• Early morning
• While they eat a snack
• Outside time
• Free play (read a truck book while they drive cars on the floor)

Thanks for reading about reading with toddlers!

Ms. Brooke
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Literacy and Curriculum Coordinator