Best books for toddlers that will delight and educate
If you are seeking the best books for toddlers to instill a love for reading and spending time with books, then you’ve come to the right place.
Before we delve into that, I’d like to quickly mention that if you’re interested in other items related to children, such as the best toys, be sure to check out my article on the Best Montessori Toys for Toddlers.
Table of Contents
What to look for when buying the best books for toddlers
Books are among the most invaluable tools for our children’s learning journey. They offer a blend of fun and engagement while enhancing various cognitive skills. Over time, they foster a deep love for reading and literature in our little ones.
When it comes to selecting the finest books for toddlers, I strongly advise establishing clear goals or identifying specific interests. Without this focus, the temptation to amass a vast collection can be overwhelming.
Prior to acquiring the majority of my toddler’s books, I delved into research to grasp how each could contribute to his development. My aim was to ensure that the learning experience remained both enjoyable and interactive.
In this article, I will share a curated selection of the best books tailored for toddlers aged 1-2, accompanied by my personal insights gleaned from observing my son’s interactions with each of them.
Don’t worry if you see that the books in my photos are in Romanian, I will recommend the English versions, or similar books (some of our books don’t have an English version, sadly).
Just to let you know… This post (probably) contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links, and I may receive a small commission when you click on the links. This is at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep running this website. How cool is that?! I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own.
Best books for toddlers
Interactive books (touch and feel books)
Starting with the baby phase, interactive books are usually the first books that are recommended. Before they start to see the world clearly, babies start their timid explorations using their hands. Touch and feel books are a great tool to encourage them to feel different textures. These books are perfect also as the baby grows into a toddler, because in time they will associate the texture with an object.
Unfortunately, the interactive books that David had are now destroyed, so I don’t have any pictures, but below I will leave you some recommendations:
Patterned sound books
Sound books are so fun and one of the best books for toddlers for several reasons. Associating the sound with the animal or the thing that it’s making will help your kid understand how to recognize a cat, or a dog, or the rain.
The market is flooded with an abundance of sound books, making it incredibly tempting to acquire them all. Among our collection are the delightful offerings from the Osborne series. One features charming farm animals, while the other transports us to the lively sounds of the jungle. David’s enthusiasm for these books knows no bounds. He eagerly delves into the intricate illustrations, reveling in the joy of pressing each button to hear the corresponding sound. Additionally, the inclusion of brief descriptive texts enhances our short reading sessions.
We take pleasure in mimicking the sounds together, seizing the opportunity to expand David’s knowledge of animals and their names.
Check out my favorite toddler sound books below:
Picture storybooks
Picture storybooks undoubtedly rank among the finest choices for toddlers, particularly if you, like me, have a fervent love for reading. I thoroughly enjoy sharing stories with David, and our collection boasts a diverse array of narratives. From tales featuring lovable animals to those depicting children engaging in various daily activities, we have it all.
In my experience, introducing new routines to toddlers is most effectively done through subtle exposure in books.
Rather than overtly pointing out specific behaviors, such as tantrums at bath time or reluctance before brushing teeth, I find it beneficial to immerse them in stories where characters joyfully embrace these activities.
By depicting positive attitudes towards these routines, picture storybooks serve as invaluable tools in instilling healthy habits in our little ones.
It’s remarkable how a simple reference to characters in books can have such a profound impact on a child’s behavior. I’ve noticed that whenever David resists brushing his teeth, a gentle reminder of how delighted Tudor was to do so every night sparks his enthusiasm to emulate his fictional friend.
This approach not only encourages David to follow in Tudor’s footsteps but also fosters a sense of excitement and cooperation in tackling everyday routines. It’s just one example of how leveraging storytelling can creatively and effectively aid in shaping our children’s behaviors and routines.
Picture storybooks are also fun for developing imagination and learning about feelings, people and the world.
They are also good to introduce new concepts or activities to your kid, like going to kindergarten, or going on a trip. There are books with planes or cars or with household items.
If you’re on the hunt for top-notch picture storybooks for toddlers, the options are truly abundant.
Drawing from our own collection, here are a few examples of beloved books that David simply can’t get enough of.
Feel free to use these as a starting point in your quest to discover the perfect reads for your little one.
If your toddler is very fond of a certain animal, or item (like cars, trees and so on) you can find for sure a story featuring that preferred main character.
For example, David is now in a “vrumm vrumm” phase which means lots of stories featuring cars, trains or helicopters.
David also adores books featuring Bluey’s adventures. We introduced him to the Bluey cartoon when he turned two, and it quickly became a favorite pastime. I highly recommend the cartoon for its entertainment value, especially for family viewing. The episodes are short, around 8 minutes each, which is ideal for managing screen time. Bluey is completely safe and enjoyable; its animation is gentle and suitable for toddlers, with calm pacing and minimal distractions. The content is wholesome, portraying endearing family moments with positive messages that offer valuable lessons for young viewers.
In the article, I only recommended two books, as those are the ones we own, but there are many others available. I suggest starting with a few and expanding the collection if your child develops a fondness for them.
- Little Blue Truck Collection (fun and cute stories about the adventures a little truck)
- I love you to the Moon and Back
- Bluey – The Beach
- Bluey – Good Night, Fruit Bait
Participation story books
These are the best books for toddlers if you want to encourage your kid to get involved in the story. Participation books are other types of storybooks that are awesome and fun for the little ones because they can repeat the book’s suggestions, like clapping hands, jumping around or touching toes.
For example, we have a book with a dog named Toni that is doing things like jumping in a lake, hiding behind a bench and so on. While reading the little story, I have my son doing the things that the book suggests such as patting the dog’s fur or shaking the book to dry it’s fur.
Seasonal books
Seasonal books offer a wonderful opportunity to infuse your home with holiday cheer and create cherished traditions with your little one. Whether it’s baking cookies together and then snuggling up to read stories about Santa Claus or engaging in other festive activities, these books help cultivate a sense of excitement and anticipation.
Moreover, seasonal books serve as a delightful avenue for introducing children to diverse holiday customs, such as decorating the Christmas tree or painting Easter eggs. Through engaging stories, toddlers not only absorb the magic of the season but also gain insights into the traditions and celebrations that surround it.
Beyond holidays, books featuring different seasons provide valuable learning experiences.
From exploring the beauty of blossoms in spring to marveling at the wonder of snow in winter, these books offer opportunities for children to discover and understand the natural world around them.
So whether it’s tales of holiday magic or stories celebrating the changing seasons, seasonal books are indeed among the best choices for toddlers, serving as both entertaining reads and invaluable learning tools.
Final thoughts
I want to point out some things that you should consider before you buy the best books for toddlers:
- Choose books that will help you introduce a new habit to your toddler, like brushing teeth, napping, drinking water and so on.
When you are buying books for your toddler it is so helpful if you have a goal in mind. Kids often tend to imitate what they see characters in their favorite books do.
For example, we want to start potty training with David, so I started to read him a book about a racoon that no longer needs a diaper and how he is having so much fun without it. Now he always tells us when he is about to poop and shows us the bathroom, because he understands the connection.
- The best books for toddlers include a lot of images and very little text.
At this age kids don’t have the patience necessary to listen to you read them pages of text. Without interactive images they get bored, and it’s a normal reaction at this age.
This is why it is recommended to buy books with more images than text. If you observe in time that your toddler is more and more interested in the story and to listen to you while you read, then you can buy books with more complex stories.
- Realistic books are very important.
I know that there are a lot of cute books out there, with polar bears putting their little ones to sleep, or little mousses going home when it is time to sleep and it’s hard not to buy them. I know I did, in fact we have a big collection of fantasy books.
But that being said, the truth is that the best books for toddlers are those that mimic real life situations like a child going to kindergarten and following a certain routine. So I suggest you also include these books in your child’s collection.
- Adapt the books to your toddler’s age or stage development.
For example, when they are very little, babies and toddlers use their hands a lot to explore the environment around them.
Around age 1 it is recommended to buy books with different textures, without any text and with fewer colors.
Around age 2 toddlers start to learn about colors and to differentiate small from big, therefore it’s time to buy books that classify items according to colors and size.
I hope this article got you inspired and excited in buying books for kids. Indeed, books hold immense potential to strengthen the bond between parents and children, fostering deeper connections and sparking meaningful conversations.
As a fellow book lover, I can’t help but envision the joy of sharing quiet moments with my child, wrapped in a cozy blanket, savoring hot cocoa, and diving into the pages of our favorite stories. It’s a dream I eagerly anticipate turning into reality.
So here’s to the magical journey of parenthood, enriched by the wonders of literature and the enduring power of storytelling.
Happy reading!