Choosing Library Books For Babies & Toddlers
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on books to provide your child with amazing books to read! Library books are free and totally limitless— you can take home as many as your little hearts desire! But with great variety comes great overwhelm. We mean, which of the hundred million books at your library should you choose for your child?
Do you pick the educational ones?
Do you let them pick the just-for-fun titles?
Is it bad if they read and re-read the same few titles over and over?
Library and book stress ends here! Keep reading for a few simple, easy-to-remember factors to consider when you’re choosing library books for babies and toddlers. They’ll make your next library trip a breeze!
Short Cut: Steal our Booklist!
Want to skip over the whole making-your-own list part and just steal ours? Download our free booklist— complete with tons of titles that are baby, toddler, and speech-therapist approved!
Make Reading Part Of Your Daily Routine
Regular reading with your child really is key! It’s one of the simplest ways you can help support and encourage their language and literacy development, and especially if you utilize your local library, it’s super low-cost!
Related: 4 Reading Tips To Help Your Toddler Participate In Story Time
Tips for Choosing Age-Appropriate Books for Babies & Toddlers
This doesn’t have to be super complicated or complex. The books you’re choosing now are probably great! But, if you need some tips, inspiration, or fresh ideas, these should help you find new, exciting, age-appropriate books for your baby or toddler.
Related: Choosing Engaging Books for Babies & Toddlers
Look For Topics They Show Interest In
We all learn best while having fun! Whether it’s construction, animals, or space, toddlers often naturally gravitate towards specific interests. Feel free to lean into these interests while choosing books for your child!
A great bonus to this is that, while you read, you can let your child grab a related toy and play with it! This will keep them engaged, especially if they’re particularly wiggly.
Related: Tips For Sitting & Reading With A Busy Toddler
Find Books About Other Cultures
Opening a book is like opening up a whole new world to a child. It’s an amazing opportunity for them to learn about people who look or live differently than they do! Look for books that feature characters from a variety of races and backgrounds.
Pick Books Related To Daily Life
Books about going to the park, eating out at a restaurant, or going to bed are great options for toddlers. These books can help your child learn about appropriate behaviors and routines. And, they tend to use familiar vocabulary, which makes it easier for them to participate.
Grab Books That Catch Their Attention
If you remember one thing about choosing books for babies and toddlers, let it be this: any book your child enjoys is a great option.
When they’re young, reading every single word on the page or learning about new topics isn’t all that important. Reading is more about building positive memories and associations with books and learning. This love of reading will be so crucial as they get ready to start school.
Library Tips & Book-Finding Hacks
Where are our bookstore and library lovers at? We could spend all day...
Ask The Librarians
Librarians are so knowledgeable and they’re a huge, free resource available to your family. They can often help you find the perfect book for your little one— and yourself!
Use The Online Request Feature
As we mentioned, we love aimlessly browsing around the library. But with kids and busy schedules, we don’t always have the time. If you’re not a browsing kind of person, or you just don’t have the time, use the online requesting feature! It’s really convenient, and it does save tons of time.
Your local library might also have an online reservation system that is worth trying out, too! These systems make it easy to request a great assortment of books with just a few clicks.
Search For Authors You’ve Previously Enjoyed
If there’s a book or two your family already loves reading, look up the author and see if they’ve written other children’s books. This is a great way to discover new favorites!
Grab A Few Kids’ Books That Catch Your Eye
One reason we love getting books from the library is that it keeps things interesting for us, too. It can get old reading the same books every day. Having new ones on hand keeps reading time fresh!
Grab Seasonal and Holiday Books
Seasonal and holiday books are some of our favorite types of books to get at the library. Since they’re not relevant all year, many parents don’t want to invest in them for home libraries— which makes tons of sense.
Bonus: These books also provide a great opportunity to learn about other cultures! If you’re celebrating Christmas, why not add a Hanukkah or a Kwanza book to your stack?
Library Storytime, In Your Living Room
If you love library story time but find it hard to get there sometimes, we have something you’ll love! We created our Songs+Stories membership which is basically like a virtual storytime that families can tune into from the comfort of home.
It’s screen time that supports your child’s development and is the perfect break for parents who are intentional about what their kids learn, listen to and watch! Right now you can try 3 free storytime videos PLUS our new podcast episode for free!