Reading with Your Toddler
Celebrate Read Across America week by reading with your toddler!
If your toddler is anything like mine, you might be laughing at the thought of reading with them. Just trust me, if I can convince 1-year-old twin boys to “sit” for story time, you've got this!
Why does it matter? Reading with toddlers…
· Improves engagement and builds caregiver-child connection.
· Increases joint attention.
· Provides early language learning opportunities.
· Builds social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
· Builds early literacy skills and more!
Follow Their Lead
Toddlers are I N D E P E N D E N T (did you sing it too?). Don’t turn story time into a power struggle, whether it’s picking the book, flipping the pages, or insisting on reading every single word exactly as written.
Pro tip: offer two or three choices instead of opening the entire bookshelf. It gives them choice without the chaos.
Yes, you may end up reading Goodnight Moon on repeat until they leave for college. But remember what really matters: connection with you, growing their language and thinking skills, nurturing social-emotional development, and building a genuine love of books and literacy. That’s the win.
Don’t Read Every Word
You do not have to read every single page word for word, and if you try, you might lose them by page three.
Pediatric SLPs (and teachers—truly superheroes in disguise) can grab any book and turn it into a shortened, animated, engaging version of the story. The good news? That’s not magic. It’s practice.
Moms, dads, grandparents, and everyone in between, if this doesn’t feel natural yet, that’s okay. You don’t have to master it overnight. Just start practicing. Your child doesn’t need perfection. They just need you.
Repetition
Don’t sound the alarms, and definitely don’t call Nana or Gigi, but your child does not need 100 books on their shelf to benefit from shared reading.
When it comes to little ones, repetition is a good thing. Reading the same book again (and again… and again) helps them hear the same words over and over, which makes learning easier and strengthens their language skills.
So if you’re stuck on one well-loved favorite, you’re not doing it wrong. You’re doing it right!
Make it Interactive
Break out the silly voices. Add the big, animated movements. Throw in the gestures.
Bark when the puppy jumps out. Knock when it’s time to open the door. Honk when the car appears on the page.
You might feel a little silly at first, but lean into it. That animation is what keeps your child engaged and makes the story come alive. Don’t be surprised when their attention grows right along with your sound effects.
No matter when you do it, where you do it, or how you do it, just do it. And what better time to start (or recommit) than during Read Across America Week? It’s the perfect reminder that building a love of reading doesn’t require perfection, just presence.
If you’re thinking, “My child is already past this phase,” don’t worry, you’re not late to the party. Stay tuned! We’ve got tips coming your way next week just for you.
Spoiler alert: reading, writing, and speaking are all connected—and together, they lay the foundation for long-term academic success. Read Across America Week is a celebration, but literacy at home is what keeps that momentum going all year long.
