Reading to your child is a great way to build connection, improve vocabulary and explore their imagination. Reading time can be expanded in many different ways to maintain your child’s attention. Try out different voices, noises to make learning playful and fun. As the child gets to know sounds, words, and language build on them and challenge the child to explore more! For example, you could change familiar words with synonyms to help learn new words and increase their vocabulary. Re-reading familiar books improves comprehension, and kids become familiar and comfortable with more words. Meet your child where they are at and you will be sure to foster a love for reading.
Here are my top 10 books
1. Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book This book by Rod Campbell is a classic lift-the-flap book about zoo animals. Children will learn animal names, practice pointing their finger to a picture named, and imitate animal sounds. They will learn object permanence, knowing that an object still exists when covered or “out of sight” and enjoy playing peekaboo with the zoo animals in this delightful interactive book.
2. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Slide and Find (Brown Bear and Friends) Eric Carle’s and Bill Martin Jr.’s illustrations of this interactive children’s book make it a must-have. In this book, you and your child will explore new animals with unusual colors. The rhyming text and slide flap keeps young children engaged. With this book, you can practice labeling colors, new animals, combining two words (yellow duck) and asking “What” questions. It also helps in developing improved fine motor skills with the slide flap. Your child is sure to ask to read this often.
3. Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? A Lift-the-Flap Book Karen Katz has written this bestselling book. The book will help children learn to identify the name and location of their body parts. This helps in building self–esteem and a better understanding of one’s self. The illustrations and interactive flaps help keep the child’s attention. This book also helps in practicing asking “Where” questions. This book is great for all children, but especially for those who may have a new baby in the home.
4. First 100 Words (Bright Baby) Roger Priddy’s passion for educating children led him to create this ideal book for teaching children about everyday object labeling. The pictures in this book represent everyday, real items helping a child build their vocabulary. Children love discovering new words, animals and objects. You can build on this book by asking your child to point to different objects, practing word pairing and sentence building. I like to pretend things are hot/cold or loud/quiet.
5. Press Here Hervé Tullet has created this very silly book Press Here. Each page of this book instructs an action that introduces listening to commands and motor planning. Children enjoy story listening while playing with the physical form of the book and are asked to manipulate the book in fun ways. The idea of this book is so smart, especially for those children that are used to interactive screens. My own children still ask to read this book!
6. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You : Dr. Seuss’s Book of Wonderful Noises (Bright and Early Board Books) Dr. Seuss‘s classic rhymes introduce children to new words and encourage imaginative play. This is an amazing book where children learn animal identification and sound imitations. In addition, this book helps children to learn early rhyming and early story listening skills while enjoying being silly. Your child can also practice asking “Can” questions.
7. I Kissed the Baby! This book by Mary Murphy is about the excitement of welcoming a new baby and helps build a bond with the child. It offers early back and forth communication through question-asking. This book is in black and white, which tends to be visually stimulating for very young babies. As your baby becomes a toddler, they will enjoy this book and build anticipation for the end of the book when the mama duck kisses her baby – parents this is your cue to kiss your baby and engage in snuggle time.
8. Peek-A-Boo! (Baby Faces Board Book #01) Roberta Grobel Intrater’s engaging book has photographs of babies from diverse backgrounds, which helps children recognize and accept peer diversity. Children learn identification of self while developing early play skills. Peek-a-Boo is the perfect playtime book that builds on back-and-forth communication.
9. Noisy Farm (My First) The book Noisy Farm by Marion Billet has lovely illustrations, sounds, and textures. This is a great book for children not showing a huge interest in toys as the noise often draws them in. This book helps teach children the cause and effect as they hear the sound on pressing the button.
Children learn animal names, sounds, and color identification. It is a great book to begin engaging your child in early reading.
10. A is for Apple (Smart Kids Trace-And-Flip) Georgie Birkett offers an engaging way for children to learn letter formation and letter identification in this trace-and-flip book. This book aids tactile stimulation, early fine motor skills as children trace each letter by following the tracks with a finger to learn the shape. Children develop hand-eye coordination as they lift the flap on each page. Its perfect for early learners or those children that may struggle with early letter formation. Reading with your child is an important activity that helps your child generalize developmental skills and expand on new ideas. The top 10 books for early learners listed above are a great source of learning for young children. Reading promotes brain development, imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships. In addition, reading is the finest way to improve vocabulary, spark your child‘s imagination, and stimulate curiosity. There is no right way to read to your child, just as long as you both have fun and learn together!
READ A BOOK TO YOUR CHILD AND HAVE A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE!
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