8 Simple Ways to Help Toddlers Engage with Books

Reading to toddlers can be a wonderful experience, but it rarely resembles the peaceful, cozy pictures we often see in storybooks. If you’ve ever tried to read to a toddler who’s more interested in running around or chewing on the book than listening to the story, you’re not alone. The good news is, there are many ways to bring books into your toddler’s world in a fun and stress-free way. The goal is not to make them sit still, but to help them enjoy books energetically and curiously.

In this article, we’ll explore practical, everyday reading tips for toddlers that make story time fun and engaging, even if they can't sit still for more than a few seconds. Let us delve into some of the ways we can achieve this goal. 

Choose Toddler-Friendly Books

Toddlers love to touch, throw, and even chew on things, and books for toddlers are no exception. To make sure your toddler's story time isn’t spent rescuing torn pages or soggy covers, choose books made especially for little hands.

Board books are a great choice. Why? Because they’re thick, sturdy, and can take rough handling. Cloth books and bath books are also fun and safe options. Let your toddler explore the book however they like, even if it includes a little chewing. This stage won’t last forever, but allowing them to engage with books on their own terms is an important step in building a love for reading.

Forget the Perfect Picture: Toddlers Move Around

It’s a common image: A quiet toddler sitting on a parent’s lap, listening closely to every word in a story. But the truth is, most toddlers don’t sit still for long, which is fine! They learn by moving, touching, and exploring.

Instead of expecting your child to stay put, let them move around while you read. Let them choose the book and even the page they want to start from. If they open a book in the middle, just start reading from that page. It doesn’t matter if you skip pages or read out of order. What matters is that your child is involved and interested.

Also, encourage them to turn the pages themselves. It gives them a sense of control and helps develop fine motor skills, one of the many benefits of engaging toddlers with books.

Give Them a Book of Their Own

One helpful trick for active toddlers is to give them their own book to hold while you read another one aloud. It keeps their hands busy and gives them the freedom to explore.

You’ll observe that they might flip through their book, point at pictures, or even “read” aloud by babbling or repeating words. It’s great because it’s their way of practicing and imitating your reading behavior.

Having two books, one for you and one for them, can make toddler story time more peaceful and productive. Introducing books to children at such a young age helps encourage reading and cultivate the habit at an older age. 

Make Books an Integral Part of Your Home

If toddler books are always kept on a high shelf or only brought out during bedtime, toddlers might not see them as something they can choose on their own. But if the books are easily accessible around the house, your child is more likely to pick them up and bring them to you.

Place a few books in baskets in different rooms, near the couch, in their play area, even in the kitchen or bathroom. Ensure the books are always within your toddler’s reach. When they bring a book to you, that’s the best time to read. They’re showing interest and focus, which is half the battle.

Read with Energy and Fun

One of the best reading tips for toddlers is to make your voice exciting. Use funny tones, animal sounds, and different voices for different characters. Toddlers love silly sounds; they’ll often join in and repeat the noises with you.

Choose interactive reading for toddlers with books that include repeating phrases or sounds. For instance, books with simple, catchy lines like “Roar, roar!” or “Splash, splash!” allow your child to say the words with you. This repetition builds speech skills, memory, and confidence, and most importantly, it makes reading fun. 

Read When They’re Ready

Reading doesn’t have to happen only at bedtime. In fact, some toddlers are too exhausted or cranky by then to enjoy a book. Instead, try to spot moments in the day when your child seems calm, curious, or focused.

If they bring you a book, stop and read it, even if it’s just for a minute or two. These moments are golden. Having said that, it’s also a good idea to make reading a part of the daily routine, even if it’s just 5 to 10 minutes a day. Consistency helps make how to read to toddlers a natural part of parenting, rather than a task.

Use Pictures and Props to Build Vocabulary

When reading to toddlers, you don’t have to stick to the words in the book. It’s often more helpful to focus on the pictures. Point at objects in the illustrations and name them clearly: “Look, a red ball!” or “Can you see the dog?” Encourage your child to point at things too.

Some toddler books have repeating images on each page, like a butterfly or a teddy bear. Create a game out of finding that object on every page.

If you have toys that match the items in the book, use them as props. For example, if there’s a book about cars, bring out a toy car and show how it matches the one in the picture.

Essentially, interactive reading for toddlers builds vocabulary and connects words to real-life objects in a playful way. Building new vocabulary goes a long way in helping them enhance their language skills. Language skills help in language development, essential to building a foundation before delving deeper into it.

Talk About the Characters and Connect to Real Life

As you read, take time to talk about what’s happening in the book. If a character is eating lunch, ask your toddler, “What do you eat for lunch?” If a character is helping wash the car, say, “Look, Daddy washes the car too!”

Reference to these personal connections helps toddlers understand and relate to what they see in books. It also encourages them to talk, share memories, and make sense of the world around them. You can also use your facial expressions to express certain emotions that you come across in the story, making it all the more relatable.

Sometimes your toddler won’t answer, or may just babble in response. That works as well because it keeps the conversation going anyway. You’re showing them how to use language and engage with stories. 

Final Thoughts: Let Reading Be a Joy, Not a Task

The most important thing to remember is this: Reading with toddlers isn’t about following rules or reading every word. It’s about spending time together, playing with words and pictures, and making books a fun part of daily life. There will be days when your toddler chews the book instead of reading it. There will be times when they walk away halfway through a story. That’s all part of the process. Keep offering books, keep reading with joy, and most importantly, let your toddler lead the way.

How to read to toddlers is less about perfection and more about connection. Reading builds imagination, confidence, vocabulary, and a lifelong love of stories. And those are gifts that will stay with your child forever.

Tools that can help

Kutubooku's reading guides are a great tool to understand more about what the book you are reading is about and how can you engage effectively while reading. The right book at the right time, read in the right manner makes a huge difference. Talk to us to understand more about Raising a Reader.