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There’s a good chance that if you took the time to come to the this post. you already know how important reading to your child is. (If you don’t know, check out this link – it’s really eye opening!) But what’s a parent (guardian, grandparent, daycare provider, etc) supposed to do when your baby or toddler simply doesn’t like sitting still long enough to read a book?
You find books for toddlers with a short attention span!
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That’s right! You simply scour the internet for a list of short books to read to your child. After all, a child that doesn’t like to sit still can’t be bothered with long books!
This is exactly why I created this list of 13 books to read to your toddler who has a short attention span! Each of these is a book I have personally read to our son. Better yet – they’re books he brings to have read and re-read on a regular basis!
Starting with the book with the least words:
- 17 words – Oops!
- 22 words – Oh, David!
- 31 words – David Smells!
- 36 words – You Are My Sunshine
- 43 words – Llama Llama, Nighty-Night
- 53 words – That’s Not My Lamb…
- 53 words – That’s Not My Panda…
- 74 words – The Best Mouse Cookie
- 78 words – Good Night, I Love You
- 79 words – Click, Clack ABC
- 86 words – Click, Clack, 123
- 96 words – I Love You As Big as the World
- 99 words – Time for School, Mouse!
There are other options as well. I’ve had great luck buying small board books at dollar stores. Often you can get 2-4 books for just $1. These books typically have just 1-3 words per page, or 20 words total. Plus they teach necessary skills – like counting, colors, animals, and more! It’s a great option to get books at a low price!
Another thing you may want to consider is a magazine. Yes, a subscription to a baby magazine! Our son got one for Christmas, and he has loved getting a new “book” each month to read! “Babybug” is meant for children ages 6 months to three years (<– that’s the one we get!). You can learn more here. “Ladybug” and “Click” magazine are both great for children ages 3-6. Learn about “Click” here or “Ladybug” here.
What I love most about these magazines is that they are relatively kid proof. They’re not your typical, cheap magazine paper. Ours typically last 2-3 months of “use and abuse” from our son, who’s currently 15 months old. He has ripped the cover off of two, but they were over three months old and already well loved.
If your toddler doesn’t currently love books, don’t expect this change to happen overnight. Start reading books. Keep books on hard. Let them simply sit, explore, and play with the books. They need to be exposed to books a LOT before the love of books and reading becomes second nature to them. This is why board books are such a great option! They’re virtually baby and toddler proof – so it’s going to take a LOT of wear and tear to ruin them. My only word of caution is to keep them out of reach when teething is taking place. Otherwise they can end up a bit rough edged. #oops
I highly recommend buying board books for toddlers. If you are trying to get your toddler to read more and they finally show an interest, the last thing you want to do is be yelling at them for ripping a page. We have nearly 50 board books currently in our home. Since our son’s birth, we’ve had to throw away two. Both had already been used in my Kindergarten classroom, and they were just the dollar store cheapie books. I consider it a win! It means our little guy is comfortable enough with books that he’s willing to play with them on a regular basis. Plus, #lifehappens!
Phew! There are the my 13 must have books for toddlers with a short attention span, as well as a few other tips to help your child become more of a book lover now and then a better reader later in life. If you think there’s a book I forgot, please share it (with the word count) in the comments below!
