6 Tips for Reading with Your Toddler

Reading With Your Toddlers

 Why is Reading to Your Toddlers Important? 

Reading is a fun and engaging way to promote early language development. Use books to target vocabulary, grammar, answering simple wh- questions, descriptive words, predicting, imitation, and rhyming skills. Reading to children as young as eight months old has proven to have an impact on early language development. In addition to building your toddler’s language skills, reading at a young age will promote school readiness and help make future reading more enjoyable.

Helpful Tips When Choosing a Book for Your Toddler:

1. Keep it basic – They don’t need lengthy stories! Choose books that have short and simple stories or picture books and make up a story. Keep it simple so that they can learn useful vocabulary and are able to follow along.

2. Pictures – Choose books with colorful drawings or real life images. It is important that the images aren’t too busy so that you can keep their focus on the concepts you are targeting! When teaching vocabulary, point to the picture, label it, and provide a simple explanation of what the word means.

3. Engagement – Books that have pop ups, things your toddler can feel, and sounds/songs will keep their attention for much longer!

4. Rhyming – Rhyming is such an important foundational skill for children to obtain. Choose books with rhyming words to introduce them to this concept!

5. Repetitive books – Repetition gains a child’s interest and helps them learn specific words since they are presented to them over and over.

6. Follow your child’s lead – Children learn the most when adults follow their lead in what interests them. Let them pick out their favorite book and go with it! If they aren’t ready to hear the whole story, that’s okay! They can hold the book, turn the pages, and look at pictures.

Reading has so many educational benefits while also being fun for you and your little one! For author and book recommendations, talk to your lead therapist today!