Sharing books – Toddler

Sharing books with your toddler is a fun activity to include in your child’s day.

Did you know?

Sitting so that your toddler can see your face and the book helps the sharing experience and your child’s language development. You get to know what captures their interest and talk about that. Children learn faster if the words match what they are focused on.

Children love to be read the same book over and over again. Repetition reinforces learning.

Books can be a calming activity to share at bedtime.

Add language

Choose books that are appropriate to your child’s spoken language. Start with books with short sentences and simple story lines.

Tell stories from picture books in your own words so you can match the length of the story to your child’s attention span.

Variations

Encourage your child to hold the book and turn the pages as you read.

You could visit your local library’s rhyme or story time sessions. Check with your local council for session times.

Visit your local library to discover new books. Young children feel important when they can have their own library borrower’s card!

Across the ages

All the activities listed on our “Play Ideas” page can be applied across different age groups. Check out sharing books for babies, children and playgroups.

Activities listed under “toddler” are suitable for children aged 1-3 years. Toddlers enjoy activities that include exploring their environment and finding out how things work.