When it comes to books for 2 year olds, it's always a good idea to select books that foster curiosity and comprehension. Good books to begin with include board books that come in vibrant colors, engaging shapes and sizes, and fun textures. These books will likely focus on simple words, repetition, and word recognition. For example, books such as “Where Is Baby's Belly Button?” by Karen Katz, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Eric Carle, and “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown.
Once your child is more familiar with simple patterns and stories, you can transition to more interactive books like touch-and-feel books, rhyming books, puzzles, and lift-the-flap books. These types of books will make your child feel involved in the story and encourage their engagement. Some books to try are “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney, “I Love You through and Through” by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak, and “Animals Sound and Their Babies” by Antonio McEnroe.
Finally, for slightly older 2 year olds, look for books that feature vibrant illustrations, increasingly complex stories, larger vocabularies, and more fictional characters. This is a great way to develop your child's imagination and knowledge of the world. Some worthwhile books are “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister, “Mama, Do You Love Me?” by Barbara M. Joosse, and “Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site” by Sherri Duskey Rinker.
No matter what type of book you choose, the most important thing is to have fun reading with your child!
