How do you teach toddlers and preschooler to love books? By making them an active part of the reading process!!
Books are a perfect speech therapy tool for targeting everything from articulation, to wh-questions, to expressive language, to apraxia of speech! Not to mention they are a great way to build vocabulary and story retell skills.
I am sharing FOUR types of books (and my favourite five of each type) that keep toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners students engaged the entire time - even the wiggly ones!
1) Lift the Flap Books: There is something about that element of surprise that children just love! You can easily build anticipation by showing just a part of what is under the flap or slowly lifting the flap.
Some of my favourites are:
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell - watch it on Youtube here
Where is Maisy by Lucy Cousins - watch it on Youtube here
Peek a Who by Nina Laden - watch it on YouTube here
Do Crocs Kiss? by Salina Yoon - watch it on YouTube
Let's Go to the Farm by Fisher Price - watch it on YouTube
2) Repetitive Books: The benefits of repetitive books are that children can predict what is going to be on the next page, making it easy for them to fill in the blanks. The familiar text also helps them comprehend the story. Some of my favourites are:
Dada by Jimmy Fallon - watch it on YouTube here
Everything is Mama by Jimmy Fallon- watch it on YouTube here
Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can you?- watch it on YouTube here
Who's Making that Mess? by Phillip Hawthorn - watch it on YouTube
To read all about all of the benefits of repetitive books, check out this blog post!
3) Action Books: Books that encourage kids to MOVE are perfect for little ones. Some of my favorites are:
Shake a Leg by Constance Allen - watch it on Youtube here
Dance by Matthew Van Fleet - watch it on YouTube here
We're going on a Bear Hunt by Micheal Rosen & Helen Oxenbury - watch it on YouTube here
Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown - watch it on YouTube here
4) Interactive Books: Books with moveable pieces and tasks for littles ones to complete are a serious game changer. There is something about giving a child a job to do that makes them super accountable and focused. Some of my favorites are:
Tails by Matthew Van Fleet - watch it on Youtube here
There's a Monster in Your Book - watch it on Youtube here
Hi-Five Animals by Ross Burach - watch it on YouTube here
Never touch a monster - watch it on Youtube
Poke a Dot Book Series (They are all SOO good
I hope this list helps you find some new favourite books that you can use with your little ones.