Kids > Reading and writing > Booklists > Books and Music for Toddlers
Books and Music for Toddlers
Toddlers are actively exploring their world, learning new words, singing songs, walking, running and reaching for things they want. Early literacy activities for toddlers include sharing conversations with adults and other children, sharing books, singing songs, saying rhymes and playing.
- Print motivation and print awareness
- Vocabulary development
- Narrative skills
- Phonological awareness
- Dialogic reading
- Music
Print motivation and print awareness
Share books often with toddlers. They will develop a love of books and stories. Don’t worry if they can’t sit still for a story — they are still listening and learning as they play. Try reading aloud to them as they play beside you, splash in the tub, or eat a snack. It’s okay if you don’t read the entire book. Keep it fun and relaxed.
Toddlers learn about books by watching and listening to you and by handling books themselves. Let them practice turning the pages. Talk about favorite pictures.
- Chodos-Irvine
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jE CHODOSIRV
- George
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jE Toddler GEORGE
- Hoban
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jE Concept HOBAN
- Hudson
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jE Toddler HUDSON
- Lee
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jE Toddler LEE
- Martin
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jE MARTIN
- Savadier
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jE Toddler SAVADIER
- Wallace
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jE Concept WALLACE
- Walsh
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jE WALSH
- Williams
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jE WILLIAMS, jbb
Vocabulary development
Toddlers are learning up to nine new words a day. Books and nursery rhymes offer a fun way to introduce new vocabulary and concepts. Let your toddler practice new language skills by talking about the pictures in the books you share.
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jE MOTHER
- Ashman
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j591.563 A827b 2003 Beginning Facts
- Barry
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jE Concept BARRY
- Butler
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jE Toddler BUTLER
- Crews
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jE CREWS
- Hindley
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jE Toddler HINDLEY
- Rau
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jE Concept RAU
- Rockwell
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j629.225 R684b 2003 Beginning Facts
- Schofield
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j591.74 S367a 2004 Beginning Facts
- Slater
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jE Toddler SLATER
Narrative skills
Read favorite stories over and over again. Your toddler is learning about how books tell a story. Encourage your toddler to tell you stories about the illustrations. Ask questions. “What do you think will happen next?”
- Bell
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jE BELL
- Doyle
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jE DOYLE
- Martin Larrañaga
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jE Toddler MARTINLAR
- Pilkey
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jE Pilkey
- Smee
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jE SMEE
- Uff
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jE Toddler UFF
Phonological awareness
Phonological awareness is an important skill for learning to read. It is the ability to hear the smaller sounds in words. Books and songs with rhyming sounds are a fun way for toddlers to learn about the sounds that make up words.
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j398.8 T448 2005
- Doyle
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jE Toddler DOYLE
- Kuskin
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jE Toddler KUSKIN
- Kutner
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jE KUTNER
- London
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jE LONDON
- McGee
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jE Toddler MCGEE
- Murphy
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jE Toddler MURPHY
- Perkins
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jE Reader PERKINS
- Singer
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jE Parenting SINGER
- Weeks
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jE Toddler WEEKS
- Ziefert
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jE ZIEFERT
Dialoglic reading
How we read with young children is just as important as how frequently we read to them. Toddlers learn best when they are actively involved with books often. Dialogic reading means having a conversation with your child about the book you are sharing.
- Ask a question about the story or the pictures. “Look, that baby has a toy! What do you think she’s going to do with that?”
- Wait and listen for your child’s response. This pause introduces young children to the give and take of conversation.
- Affirm the response, repeat it for your child and expand on it. “Yes, she’s putting the car in the bathtub! That looks like your little red car.”
- Dodd
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jE Concept DODD
- Emberley
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jE EMBERLEY
- Horácek
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jE HORACEK
- Hort
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jE HORT
- Inkpen
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jE INKPEN
- Mockford
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jE Toddler MOCKFORD, jbb
- Smee
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jE INKPEN
- Look for books by these authors:
- Byron Barton
- Stella Blackstone
- Eric Carle
- Lucy Cousins
- Marie Torres Cimarusti
- Eric Hill
- Margaret Mayo
- Todd Parr
- Nicola Smee
- Philemon Sturges
- Nancy Tafuri
Music
Music encourages early literacy development. Songs teach rhyming, introduce new words, and help your toddler play with sounds that make up words. Singing with your toddler and listening to music will develop your child’s listening skills, memory, and motor skills.