The former Kindergarten teacher in me jumps for joy when the girls ask to me to read them books! Laikyn is obsessed with any and all children’s books and I’m so thankful that a fire for reading is already lit inside her. She has all of the concepts of print awareness down and has even started recognizing some letters! I am so proud of her. We have been using the Kindergarten Tool Kit for shapes, colors and some letter recognition. This has been so fun for her! I wish I could tell you that we sit and play “school” often, but we don’t. I try not to push the teacher onto my kids while I’m being mom. I know there will come a time when I have to be both, but right now we all need to enjoy the baby stage.
One of the things that I do with the girls is get a few books out to read each day. It’s important to be read to as a child, so I read to them and let them listen, ask questions, point to the pictures and talk about what is happening in the illustrations. Lennyn has already started turning pages in board books and finding animals. It’s crazy to me how she already knows these things but I know it’s developmentally normal. Laikyn, is always making up her own story to the book. I love that, and I love that she tries to read the story and even puts her fingers underneath the words like she is reading.
Even though my girls are not old enough to read or be in school; they are reading. They are reading through pictures, through the story of the illustrations and by being independent with the pages. I just pray that they continue to love reading as they grow up, because I think that is a lot of the battle in learning. I hope they always want to come curl up on the couch with me and read. That would make my mama heart the happiest!
Reading blanket c/o Romwe
I wanted to share a list of 10 books that we have found the best for toddlers! I know there are thousands upon thousands out there but these are just our favorites! Some of these are ones that I used in Kindergarten and some of them are board books that we got when the girls were little. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what you’re reading to your kids as long as they are hearing you read. I cannot stress how important it is!
10 Books to Read with Your Toddler
- Llama Llama series books by Anna Dewdney
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- I Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (My all time favorite!!)
- Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
- There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Pam Adams (GET THIS ONE FREE!)
- Potty Time Chickies by Janee Trasler (This is the one Laikyn usually reads on her own!)
- No, David by David Shannon
- Brown Bear Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr, Eric Carle
- Peppa Goes Swimming by Scholastic (GET THIS ONE FREE!)
- Moo Bird by David Milgrim (GET THIS ONE FREE!)
We love books, if you can’t tell! I always dreamed of having a children’s library (my classroom is as close as I ever got) but it’s important to us. Take time to read with your kids. Take time to let them read to you. Take time to let them read to each other. They learn from “reading” even if you think they aren’t “reading”… they learn to hold and navigate books. They learn from illustrations. They learn from you just talking to them! I promise they will benefit from reading in any form. It won’t be long before they are in school and expected to read, so remember to make it fun!
Speaking of school (which makes me want to cry thinking about my babies going to school) I want to tell you about the coolest thing I came across while shopping at Sam’s for our groceries and diapers a few days ago. We bought a box of Cheez-it Original Crackers that had a logo on it. The logo represents Kellogg’s Family Rewards which helps children across America start school like a champion. When you purchase one of the selected items, not only do you receive a free book for your home, but you will be donating 1 book to a classroom in your area or you can choose to donate 2 books to the classroom. You can even see which school you will be donating to when you are in your local Sam’s Club. I thought that was the coolest thing ever, especially when I know teachers will take all of the books they can get!
You can redeem your free books in 3 easy steps:
1. Buy any participating Kellogg’s or The J.M. Smucker Company product by 9/30/2016
2. Upload your receipt at FreeBookOffer.com/Sams within 30 days of purchase.
3. Redeem for your free Scholastic book and one book will be donated to a local classroom as well!!
There are over 80 full-length Scholastic titles to choose from for beginning readers to teens! I love the cause that Sam’s Club is promoting, which makes me want to continue shopping there! So, get to shopping so you can get some more books for your toddlers and for classrooms that are in need!
What is your favorite book to read with your kids? What is your favorite children’s book?
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, Kellogg’s and The J.M. Smucker Company but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #SamsClubBTS https://my-disclosur.es/OBstV. Photos by BonBons Photography. Clothing courtesy of Pink Blush Boutique.
