Let the real reading fun begin! Your child has grown by leaps and bounds since birth—and so has her brain! She’s grown into a real reader, too. She can “read” the pictures in a book to tell a story, and she can “read” your expressions and tone to figure out the meaning behind what you’re saying, although she’s still trying to understand what all the words mean.
Encourage your young reader by giving him books that are just right for his stage. Here are some tips from our Begin Smart experts to fill you in on what to expect from your toddler, and how to nurture his quest for knowledge. Have fun!
How Your Toddler’s Developing
Your toddler is growing at her own pace.
Toddler development varies greatly from one child to another. Your child may be leaping ahead or trying to catch up. One of her friends might be climbing the jungle gym while she struggles to make it past the first rung. Or she’s talking up a storm while her playmate is still pointing and grunting. The important thing is she’s exploring the world and learning to grow, and you’re there to help.
Your toddler can do many things for himself now, including carrying his own books around!
Your toddler may not be counting aloud yet, but she can tell the difference between one thing and two things.
Your toddler loves words.
Your child probably says at least ten words, and may be able put them together into simple sentences, like “More juice!” While those words may still get lost in babble at times, he’s learning that everything has a name, and he wants to know them all! This is the stage when “What’s that?” may be the driving force behind many of your shared reading sessions.
Your toddler likes to cooperate — at least some of the time.
Some toddlers at this age begin to go through the Terrible Two’s — and others don’t — as they learn to assert their independence and to make their own choices. Whether your child is a tiger or a lamb, she probably follows directions well and is eager to act “like a big girl” in helping you around the house. But even if she’s perfectly agreeable at home, she still may not necessarily know how to play or cooperate with other children — yet.
Why Reading Is Important
Your toddler learns that reading is fun. Reading with your toddler never has to be a chore. There’s no required reading list, there’s no set amount of time. You can read just the books he loves, whenever he wants to read them. When it’s time to head to school, you can send him off confidently knowing that he’ll bring his love for reading with him.
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