Reading with Toddlers

• Make reading a regular daily activity.
• Have the child sit on your lap or next to you—close enough to see the pictures.
• Turn off the television, radio, or stereo.
• Read many kinds of books with a variety of pictures: simple stories, nursery rhymes, and books with repetition.
• Use expression in your voice.
• Encourage the child’s participation by pointing to pictures, asking questions, and talking about the story.
• Shorten the story or postpone reading if the child seems restless.

Ten, Nine, Eight
by Molly Bang
Father and daughter count down to bedtime.

Busy Toes
by C. W. Bowie; illustrated by Fred Willingham
Toes can do many things, as this book playfully shows.

Goodnight Moon
by Margaret Wise Brown; pictures by Clement Hurd
Say goodnight to each object in the great green bedroom.

My Big Boy Bed
written by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Maggie Smith
A little boy delights in his move from crib to bed.

Clap Your Hands
by Lorinda Bryan Cauley
You can’t sit still for this interactive rhyme.

Cows in the Kitchen
by June Crebbin; illustrated by Katharine McEwen
While the farmer sleeps, his animals make a mess in the house.

Freight Train
by Donald Crews
A colorful train is on an exciting journey.

Mama Cat Has Three Kittens
by Denise Fleming
While two kittens copy everything their mother does, their brother naps.

Where Is the Green Sheep?
by Mem Fox; illustrated by Judy Horacek
You’ll find lots of other unusual sheep while looking for the green one.

Up!
by Kristine O’Connell George; illustrated by Hiroe Nakata
A father and daughter enjoy the day together.

Where’s Spot?
by Eric Hill
A dog finds eight other animals before finding her lost puppy.

Daisy Is a Mommy
by Lisa Kopper
A canine mother takes care of her puppies while a human mother takes care of her baby.

Here Are My Hands
by Bill Martin, Jr. & John Archambault; illustrated by Ted Rand
This book celebrates the parts of the human body.

What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best
by Laura Numeroff; illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Mothers and fathers show love for their children in similar ways.

Here Comes Mother Goose
edited by Iona Opie; illustrated by Rosemary Wells
Energetic animals populate this collection of nursery rhymes.

Millions of Snowflakes
by Mary McKenna Siddals; illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles
A child delights in counting the flakes as the snow begins to fall.

Come Along, Daisy!
by Jane Simmons
A duckling named Daisy is so busy playing that she temporarily loses her mother.

Fire Truck
by Peter Sís
Matt loves fire trucks so much that he turns into one.

Spots, Feathers, and Curly Tails
by Nancy Tafuri
Questions and answers highlight some characteristics of farm animals.

What the Sun Sees; What the Moon Sees
by Nancy Tafuri
The world is pictured in sunlight and in moonlight.

“More, More, More,” Said the Baby
by Vera B. Williams
Three babies are given loving attention by family members.

Toddlers and the Library

• Visit the library often with your toddler.
• Check out books that you can enjoy together.
• Attend library story times regularly.
• Sign up your toddler for his or her own library card.

Fingerplays and Action Rhymes to Enjoy With Toddlers

I Wiggle My Fingers
(suit actions to words)

I wiggle my fingers, I wiggle my toes,
I wiggle my shoulders, I wiggle my nose.
Now the wiggles are all out of me,
I’m just as still as I can be.

My Turtle

This is my turtle; (make fist; extend thumb)
He lives in a shell. (hide thumb in fist)
He likes his home very well.
He pokes his head out when he wants to eat. (extend thumb)
And pulls it back in when he wants to sleep. (hide thumb in fist)

Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill;
(hands closed, thumbs up to resemble birds)
One named Jack, one named Jill.
(slightly raise one hand, then the other)
Fly away Jack; fly away Jill.
(open right hand, raise above head, same with left)
Come back Jack; come back Jill.
(right hand, then left, back to original position)

We Can Jump
(suit actions to words)

We can jump, jump, jump. We can hop, hop, hop.
We can clap, clap, clap. We can stop, stop, stop.
We can shake our heads for yes.
We can shake our heads for no.
We can bend our knees a little bit,
And sit down slow.