The books that you choose for your child can have a big impact on how they learn language. Children are ready for different types of books at different ages. The type of pictures, the language used, even the use of color versus black and white can play a huge role in how your child attends to and learns from a book. We’ve listed specific characteristics to look for in books for each age range and included specific book titles that we’ve found to be popular with the little folks (and links to buy them - JUST CLICK ON THE BOOK IMAGE).
Babies 6-12 months:
- Board books with photos of other babies.
- Brightly colored "chunky" board books to touch.
- Black and white books
- Books with photos of familiar objects like balls and bottles.
- Books with sturdy pages that can be propped up or spread out in the crib or on a blanket.
- Plastic/vinyl books for bath time.
- Washable cloth books to cuddle and mouth.
- Small plastic photo albums of family and friends.
Younger Toddlers 12-24 Months
- Sturdy board books that they can carry.
- Books with photos of children doing familiar things like sleeping or playing.
- Goodnight books for bed time.
- Books about saying good-bye and hello.
- Books with only a few words on each page.
- Books with brightly colored, engaging illustrations.
- Books with simple rhymes or predictable text.
- Touch-and-feel books.
- Animal books of all sizes and shapes.
Older Toddlers 24-36 Months
- Books that tell simple stories.
- Simple rhyming books that they can memorize.
- Bed time books.
- Books about counting, the alphabet, shapes or sizes.
- Animal books, vehicle books, books about playtime.
- Pop-up books, pull-the-tab books, touch-and-feel books.
- Books with humorous pictures and words.
Preschoolers 3-5 Years
- Books about children that look and live like them, as well as about children living very different lives.
- Counting books or other "concept" books about things like size or time.
- Simple "science" books about things and how they work—like garbage trucks, flowers or tools.
- Books about things in which they have a special interest in such as trains, animals or cooking.
- Books about making friends. (Also books about dealing with the challenges of friendships—making up after an argument, dealing with a bossy friend, etc.)
- Books about going to school or to the doctor.
- Books about having brothers or sisters.
- Books with simple text that they can memorize or read!
