Books for Toddlers: What & How to Read

Reading in the contemporary world is as essential as talking. To successfully convey one’s thoughts, every person needs to be a good reader and writer. While your little one is still a baby, it is time to develop their skills and inspire them to love reading books. We have collected some tips and reading activities for toddlers that might come in handy. Read on.

What to Read to Toddlers?

This is probably the most common question from parents searching for the best books for toddlers. Well, as usual, there is no universal response to this question. Think about what your child likes most of all. If your baby is fond of listening to a fairy tale while you are cuddling before going to bed, select your favorite stories and read, read, and read. Including the ritual of reading in kids activities at home is a great occasion to turn it into a useful habit.

Some kids are more fond of looking at bright pictures. There is a wide selection of books with wonderful illustrations. If your toddler is nor talking well, illustrated books for toddlers can help you develop their speaking skills. For this, participate in the process of watching. Ask questions and describe the objects in the pictures. In this way, you will stimulate your little one to talk and discuss. In a combination with reading, you will help your baby quickly grow into a confident talkative kid.

Are There Any Reading Systems for Toddlers?

It seems that nowadays there is a system for doing literally everything. No wonder, parents are searching for special ways to read to their kids to develop their mental capabilities and raise them with love and respect for books. We are not going to focus on the available systems but will outline basic recommendations that are useful.

1. Be Emotional and Make Necessary Stresses

While you are reading, pay attention to how you are doing this. People perceive the information better if it is not too monotonous. If you are reading for toddlers, change your voice and tone for different characters and their emotions. Show with your facial expressions that something is surprising, pleasing, or sad. In this way, your kid will better understand abstract notions we usually cannot explain.

2. Play the Favorite Story

This is, of course, is a piece of advice for parents of 4-years-old kids. Take toys and try staging the plot of the most beloved fairy-tale of your kid. This will not only show that reading is not just about listening, especially if you let your kid imagine a different end or unraveling of the plot.

3. Familiarize Your Kid With a Book

Explain to your little one what the title and table of contents is, who wrote this book. Show the text and words. It is also possible to explain that some words are short, others are long. Provide examples and ask questions. If you have already started to learn letters, you can ask your kid to find certain letters or numbers. This is a nice occasion to repeat the letters without opening the alphabet.

4. Include Non-fiction Books

This is probably not one of the tips for reading books for toddlers. Pre-schoolers should be prepared for the curriculum waiting for them at school. The major part of the books are non-fiction so being ready for them will be a great advantage for your kid. The most important is to find ones that will be interesting to them. It is best of all to select a non-fiction book:

• For a trip to the park or forest where you can watch different plants, bugs, and animals. Then, you can open a book and read about them.
• After you have read a fiction book about an animal/bug, for example, finishing Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, find a book about bats.
• To let your baby find out more about their hobbies. Preschoolers may collect coins, cars, pictures, etc. Let your kid discover more interesting facts about the objects he is fond of.

5. Explain Difficult Situations

While reading, you have come across the mention of emotion or fear of the protagonist. Make a pause to discuss with your little one the reasons for these feelings and consequences. Finding examples in books is a good way to teach your kids to differentiate emotions and manage fears.

In wrapping up, if you want your child to develop a love for reading, especially with the back-to-school season in mind, simply incorporating toddler-appropriate reading in your daily routines isn't enough. You must exemplify the reading habits you want them to adopt. If you choose your smartphone over a book during your free time, it's unlikely your child will cultivate a strong affinity for reading. Being a good role model is the most effective way to raise children, as they tend to emulate what they see rather than just follow verbal instructions.