Oh, toddlers. Those giggly, mess-making, tantrum-throwing, super loveable, and brilliant creatures that we love so much. This is such a fun stage, so much learning is going on. Your child is becoming their own self from a tiny baby.
Along the way to becoming a kid, toddlers have a unique ability to learn a ton during these years. So, reading toddler books is a wonderful habit to start now to instill a love for reading in their young minds.
But, if reading children’s books does a much better job of putting you to sleep rather than your 2-year-old, we have some great books to recommend. They are as fun to read as they are to listen to.
Here are our top picks for the toddler books worth reading.
This beautiful little board book by Rachel Bright brings a heartfelt story of love, acceptance of one’s differences, and a celebration of the uniqueness of the individual. It encourages kids to be ok with the fact that they aren’t like everyone else.
Through the adventure of the only googly-eyed monster who lives in a world of cute fluffy things, we learn that sometimes love comes around the bend when you least expect it.
A fun one to read and to listen to it has a great reminder of the bigger plan there is for all of us and that we can’t control everything, just our reactions to them.
This classic story by Deborah Diesen of a very sad fish who believes he can do nothing but frown has some playful rhymes and silly adventures that will charm your toddler and have you both laughing in no time.
All the fishes friends in the sea try different ways to cheer him up but it takes a special friend to finally get him there. This is the first book in a now-massive series of pout pout fish adventures so if your toddler loves this one they’ll be sure to want to read the others.
This simple rhyming tale by Anna Dewdney has been a favorite for over 10 years now. The wonderful artwork and simple story are thoughtful and ready to read over and over again.
As we follow Llama Llama through his nighttime drama there is a reassuring message that mama will always find her way back to him.
A wonderful book for any toddler having a little trouble keeping their hands to themselves. All children tend to go through a hitting phase.
This book, by Martine Agassi, reminds our young children that hands are not for hitting while telling them all the amazing things hands ARE used for like dressing, washing, hugging, and waving hello.
This is a great book to get your little one interacting with the examples on the page and thinking twice about whether or not to hit a friend or family member.
Eric Carle is a master illustrator and writes the most wonderful and lasting children’s books around. One of the best toddler books is The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Even the littlest of children love hearing about the caterpillar’s adventure as he eats through everything in sight and then becomes a beautiful butterfly. This is not only fun to read but helps children get familiar with common food objects and counting.
After a while, your child will start to read the book to you as they memorize the order the caterpillar eats everything in. There is even a lesson in not eating too much junk food when the caterpillar’s final meal of salami, cheese, candy, cake, pickles, and more end up not sitting so well in his tummy.
Hearing your voice, watching your face react, laughing together, learning together, reading books with your child is so much more than telling a story.
It’s the best way to take a pause in your busy day and curl up next to them showing them that they matter and you have time for them too. Finding books you both can love makes this an even more precious time that you both will enjoy and remember for years to come.
Oh! If apples are more your thing, check out our picks for the 3 best toddler books featuring apples here.
We take pride in reading here at Little Legends Learning Academy. Learn more about our school here.
What are some of your favorite toddler books? Did we miss your little one’s favorite? Go ahead and comment below any others you enjoy.