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It's every parent's goal to instill a love for learning in their child, and this cannot be done without the fundamental skill of reading. Some start while the baby is still in the womb and make holding a book a daily ritual or tradition. However, given the diverse and innumerable offerings of learning materials in bookstores and online, some parents wonder if they are giving a fitting book to their child. After all, the toddler years are very crucial, when a child goes through several developmental milestones.
Not to worry! We've gone ahead and picked out 10 of the best books you can hand over to your little angel; you don't even have to go out to a bookstore to get them. Our favorite pick is First 100 Words by PriddyBaby for the realistic photographs, bright colors, and simple way it teaches toddlers about a wide variety of topics. Check out our buying guide below to help you select the right material for your curious child because we know you won't end up with just one or two books!
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Our guide will help you pick out the right toddler book based on your child's age, the book's type and texture, and whether it will be read together or independently.
Think about what you'd like to teach your child when selecting a book for them. Many focus on basic themes about colors, numbers, words, machines, the weather, and animals. These are the most popular because they teach children about the world around them.
Others feature stories about characters your child's age going on adventures, learning about the world around them. There are also books that focus on people and identity, friendship and other abstract concepts, or emotions, and these are popular themes for toddlers as well.
Consider how the book will be used. You can buy one that the child could engage in alone or a more complex book which you can read aloud.
There are many books out there that you can leave with your child to keep them engaged and entertained so you can go about getting things done! Even if they are often crawling all over the place, a book is still essential for development during their downtime. Plus, this is a critical age to get them used to the idea of physically holding a book.
Toddler books which you can hand over to your child to explore are usually full of bold, colorful illustrations, made of cloth or thick cardboard with no sharp edges. These books don't have many pages and are sturdy and easy for children to carry around and use without damaging them.
Reading to your child encourages independent reading and sets them up with good reading habits once they start going to school. When it's parent-child engagement time, books with a story or those with lines which you can teach and say aloud to your child are highly-recommended options.
Toddlers adore having your full attention; therefore, this is the perfect time to hone their pronunciation as they start learning the alphabet and more.
You can also grab a bedtime storybook and read it to them as they fall asleep. They also may ask you to read the same story repeatedly. It may seem pointless, but the words they hear boost language acquisition and brain development.
The toddler years start when they turn one and end around three years old. At this point, they take much more interest in the design, appeal, and content of their books.
While each child develops at their own pace and there is no definite standard stating that your child should be doing this or that at a particular age (a common concern among parents), you can use the general range below in picking out an appropriate book based on age.
Picking out books for a toddler at this stage is exciting because they start zeroing in on interests such as cars, animals, fairies, unicorns, or dinosaurs.
Pick out books with large photos and bold illustrations: the brighter, the better. You can even begin to give them books with simple stories which they would enjoy reading with you. Thick board books are best at this age.
Go for books with songs, and don't worry if you can't sing! Look for repetitive verses that they can become acquainted with and eventually repeat. Books that teach the alphabet, counting, and colors are great at this age, too.
As your child grows older, you can start selecting books with a fictional story or short plot. At this age, they enjoy pictures with more detail, pages filled with more information, and actions like running or playing. They start turning paper pages at this age, so it's time to switch from board books to hardcover or paperback books.
Toddlers also love books with their favorite TV characters. They're sure to enjoy seeing these characters on paper!
There are many variations out there, from board books with flip pages or cloth books that develop fine motor skills. The competition is quite tough for book publishers as they strive to offer the best with their products.
Children and parents alike love books with buttons, lights, and sound effects. Gone are the days when an interactive book only held animal noises.
Today, we have a wide range of books teaching different things to children through sound, touch, and sight. A multisensory adventure stimulates your child's imagination and develops motor skills at the same time.
These books are perfect for teething babies. There's no hard surface or corners to injure your baby, and they can carry, throw, or drop them without damage. And when it's covered in saliva, the book can easily be washed to make it safe for future use.
Cloth books not only help your child release some baby stress, but they improve sensory development and are often filled with simple illustrations that teach basic skills such as the differences between textures or colors.
Most toddler books come in thick board pages to make it easier for them to hold the book and flip through its pages. Board books are also very durable and can last years, even being passed down to their siblings or donated. Some board books also have interactive pages with pull-tabs with a surprise underneath, pop-ups, or textures and patterns.
Activity books can prep your child for more engagement and learning. Grab a jumbo crayon and let them doodle through a coloring book while getting them acquainted with different shapes and boosting their fine motor skills.
Some books have built-in keyboards, tracing pages, buttons, writing activities, or pages to put stickers to recreate scenes.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
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1 | PriddyBaby Look, Look! | $4.78 Low Mid | Best for New Readers to Learn First Words | ||
2 | Melissa & Doug Around the Farm | $14.99 High | Best Soft, Plush Book for Sensory Development | ||
3 | Marion Dane Bauer Goodnight Moon | $4.69 Low Mid | Best for Teaching Anatomy Through Peek-a-Boo | ||
4 | Sesame Street If Animals Kissed Good Night | $5.68 Mid | Best Book to Teach Hygiene | ||
5 | Sandra Boynton The Going to Bed Book | $3.59 Low | Best to Encourage a Bedtime Routine | ||
6 | Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar | $5.18 Mid | Best Classic Story for Basic Concepts | ||
7 | Leslie Patricelli Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book | $7.93 High Mid | Best Book for Starting to Grasp Emotions | ||
8 | Tanya Emelyanova, My First Toddler Coloring Book Fun with Numbers, Letters, Shapes, Colors, and Animals! | $3.99 Low Mid | Best Coloring Book to Learn Letters and Numbers | ||
9 | Hervé Tullet Peek-A-Boo Forest | $8.08 High Mid | Best for Interactive Adventures | ||
10 | Dr. Seuss The Little Blue Box of Bright and Early Board Books | $11.98 High Mid | Best Mini Dr. Seuss Books in a Colorful Case |
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First 100 Words by PriddyBooks has many essentials for parents looking for their first book to introduce to their child. Realistic photographs and bright colors introduce babies to a wide variety of vocabulary topics including animals, vehicles, household objects, and other babies!
A few reviewers find some pictures and words confusing for kids or repetitive. On the other hand, most reviewers think this book is a great way to get their young toddlers to begin recognizing and pointing at common things. They also like that it's sturdy and love the diversity of children in the book.
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Toes, Ears, & Nose! cleverly teaches children about the parts of their body and various clothing items. Interactive flaps that reveal each body part provide an entertaining way to learn. A diverse group of children is featured, as are bright colors and patterns to attract the attention of a toddler.
Some reviewers feel that the book isn't durable, since the flaps are not made of the same material as the board pages. However, most parents like that this book is a quick read and shows diversity among children. They also love the bright illustrations and say that their children love to repeatedly lift and look at the flaps.
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P is for Potty! is a fun, interactive book where Elmo teaches kids how to use the potty and have good hygiene habits. This book also teaches children about accidents and helping one another learn. There are multiple interactive flaps containing surprises for children throughout the book.
Several reviews say that their children focus more on lifting the flaps than on the story itself. Still, many other parents felt that this book's flaps and bright colors adequately keep their children entertained, and it helps their children learn to consistently use the bathroom.
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Sandra Boynton's The Going to Bed Book is a wonderfully humorous story featuring a bedtime ritual with silly animal characters and catchy rhymes. As the animals bathe, brush their teeth, and get ready for bed, the story reinforces nighttime routines for your children in a lighthearted way. It's available as a hardcover and sturdy board book.
Several reviewers are not happy that the characters exercise after they bathe, because that part got their kids wound up! They also say that, for a board book, it is thin and their children weren't engaged. But, most love the illustrations, quality of the book, and rhymes. They also appreciate that the story is short but engaging and humorous.
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Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a classic children's book that teaches little ones about colors, food, and days of the week in a uniquely written and illustrated story. It has interactive die-cut pages to show the caterpillar's journey as it eats its way through the story.
A few reviewers say the book is smaller than previous versions. On the other hand, most reviewers say that this classic book is a necessity. Their children love the colors, the die-cut pages in the book, and reading about all of the things the caterpillar eats.
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This coloring book has large, bold-lined illustrations for easy learning. Your child can learn new words and practice their numbers and letters as they have fun coloring in each picture. Its interactive design makes it a favorite among parents, teachers, and children alike. It’s available as both a paperback and spiral-bound book for easier use.
Some reviewers wish that more was included on each page, and think it's not engaging enough for three-year-olds. However, most reviewers find that this book is helpful for teaching kids their letters and numbers. They also love that the book is sturdy with thick pages that are easy to turn and color on, especially the spiral bound format.
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Hervé Tullet's Press Here is an innovative take on interactive children's books. The yellow button on the cover starts your child's adventure, which encourages them to shake or tilt the book, changing what happens on every page. This provides a unique experience for parents and toddlers together or during independent reading.
Some parents find that this book's concept is not surprising enough for their children. However, most reviewers say that this book makes learning to read fun and is very creative and engaging without using sounds, actual buttons or other traditional features of interactive books.
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Dr. Seuss books are a must-have for many homes. These four compact board books encourage independent reading, imagination, and recognition of shapes and counting in a case your toddler can take anywhere. This collection makes a wonderful gift or a great start for your child's library.
Quite a few reviewers remark that the small size of the books makes them difficult to read and share with others. Yet, most parents find this collection to be the perfect size for their kids' hands. They also say that their children love carrying around the case and storing other items in it.
If you'd like to add more enriching learning materials to your child's collection, take a look at these suggestions we've compiled for you!
Amazon has an extensive selection of children's books for you to check out if you'd like to look into more options for your child. Click the link below to take a look at the list!
No. 1: PriddyBaby|Look, Look!
No. 2: Melissa & Doug|Around the Farm
No. 3: Marion Dane Bauer|Goodnight Moon
No. 4: Sesame Street|If Animals Kissed Good Night
No. 5: Sandra Boynton|The Going to Bed Book
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