Books for toddlers: How to engage your 1-3 year old with books!?
Using books for toddlers language development is a no brainer! It’s a no-prep activity that you can do any time of the day while teaching and exposing your toddler to new vocabulary that they are not often exposed to during everyday life!
However, it’s common for many mums and dads to find it difficult to engage your toddler during book-share when all they want to do is run around and pull everything off the shelves!â €
Here are some of my go-to tips for helping toddlers attend to books:
- Reduce distractions (e.g. share the book in a room with minimal toys, screens etc)â €
- Choose books that are colourful and have simple pictures.â €
- Think of ways your child can have a turn (e.g. turn the page, open the flaps).â €
- Ask fewer questions! Turn your questions into comments instead (e.g. What’s that called > “I see a frog”). â €
- Be patient, wait and watch your child: observe what your child notices, let there be quiet times where you’re not talking, so you can observe what they point to, and what sounds/words they say. â €
- Use books with predictable patterns and repetitive words or sentences, that way after time, your child may be able to join in (e.g. We’re going on a bear hunt).â €
- Use interactive books (i.e. flip books, sound, sensory touch) that will entice your child.â €
More tips about using books for toddlers learning
Here are some links to useful videos and posts on my Instagram page, that will help you use books with your toddler (and older children!):
Related articles on the Online Speechie Journal
