As I’ve discussed in the past, children receive all sorts of benefits from having their parents read to them. But what are the best books to read to babies? This is a question that many parents ask quite regularly. It’s fairly easy to find the most popular books for babies depending on their age, and luckily these books also co-inside with finding the “BEST” books to read to your child. However, the question of finding the best books for your child is somewhat subjective. What makes a book the best choice for your child? Does this mean the most well-written? Not necessarily.
Know Your Tone
Before your child starts to recognize words, it’s likely that he or she will respond to the tone of the person reading the story. That being said, one of the most important factors in selecting a book to read to your child, is that it engages the parent, and isn’t annoying to read. Well before your child can speak, he or she will pick up to nuances in your voice, so it’s important that you are able to read in a way that is soothing, not peeved at the idea of reading an inane story for the millionth time. So as long as you’re not reading something wildly inappropriate to your child, in those early stages it’s fine to read something that’s more relevant to your interests than your child’s.
The Strength of the Story? Or the Durability of the Book?
Another thing to keep in mind when selecting books for your baby is the actual durability. Though this won’t be too much of an issue in the earliest days, it will be a good habit to select books that can withstand being chewed, pulled and thrown. As kids get older, books will not only provide stories, but will also serve as toys that your child may seemingly want to destroy. Never provide a child with a rare or delicate book as it will likely be completely destroyed in moments.
What is the Color and Texture of the Story?
Another quality that’s great for books for your child are those that include colorful illustrations, and storylines or topics that may be of particular interest. It’s also a great idea to include books in your child’s library that are a bit more tactile (Think Pat the Bunny or the That’s Not My … series, once they are old enough). No matter what you pick, make sure that you choose texts that both you and your child can enjoy!
Additionally, I have included a list of some of the most popular books for children below.
