How To Get Your Busy Little One Reading With You

Written By: Ashley McCargish

My 1 year old is a busy baby! He is all over the place trying to keep up with his 3 year old brother. Let’s be honest he doesn’t have much time these days for sitting and listening to a book.

 

My oldest son has always loved being read to. I can’t remember a time in his life that he has not wanted me to read with him or hasn’t brought me books.

 

I’ve made it a point to make reading a priority in my home from a young age, but my 1 year old was too busy for that! He started crawling, then walking, and books were the furthest thing from his mind.

 

It’s no secret that all kids are different and clearly this is true of my littles as well. I wasn’t going to let this stop me from making a reader out of my little guy I knew he just needed a different approach.

 

However I’m happy to tell you that my youngest is 17 months old today and he is bringing me up to 10 or more books a day! He is also sitting through me reading to him each book!

   

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These are my top tips for getting your busy 1 year to sit and listen as you read to them.

 

Make Books Available to Them at Their Eye Sight Level

 

We love books in our house and we keep them accessible to our kids heights. We have book boxes and crates full of books in just about each room of our house that we spend time in regularly. This allows them to be in their line of vision. I keep books there to keep them in their thought process.

 

We also keep books in their rooms at their height. This keeps them right in with their other toys. Sometimes while they are playing with a toy and go to the shelf they will come back with a book (mom win)!

 

I also put books in their toy boxes and in the bathtub! They sell toys perfect for this at the Dollar Tree in their baby department.

 

It is no different than companies that have products at the grocery store. They have to pay extra for their product to be put in your line of sight. If it’s easily accessible and in your line of sight you are more likely to buy.

 

Keep your child’s books at their level and in their environment. They are bound to become curious about them!

 

Keep Books Out That Spark Their Interest

 

When my oldest was 1 he loved all things Mickey Mouse! So we had multiple Mickey Mouse books (along with other favorites). But my younger son isn’t as much into Mickey so I found books that he is into.

 

In the early years they are so curious about everything! That is why books with touch and feel and lift the flaps are perfect for them! Some of his favorites include the “Where’s the …” series, Peekaboo series, and books with puppets. If you want some specific examples of his favorites, check them out here.

 

Make it Part of Their Routine

 

It might shock you to hear but even as a teacher, books at bedtime are not part of our daily routine. If that works for your family and kids, I think it’s great!

 

However we do read books during our routine almost daily. We usually read right after our morning walk. My boys will curl up to me and I’ll read a couple of books to my younger sons books before his nap. Then during his morning nap I can read to my older son. This allows me to make sure I’m reading to them books that are appropriate for their age and development. Although you can alter most any picture book to be appropriate at any age, and we will get to that in a bit!

 

Keep the Same Books Out and Avoid Rotating Them Too Much

 

Toddlers and children love repetition, routine, and structure. By rotating through the same 20 books they learn those books. They will learn the vocabulary, characters, plot and more! It has taken my 1 year old a bit longer to “find time” to sit with me reading a book but now he’s able to find things in his books. I can say “point to the ice cream” or “point to the duck” and he will! This is because he has had repetition & exposure with this book.

 

It also makes it more intriguing to him because he can look at them on his own and he already knows about them. My 1 year has about 15 books that he hears probably everyday (if not at least every other day). This is helping him with his memory, supports the knowledge of how to look at a book, and gives me an opportunity to apply it to everyday life (a skill his teachers will continue to teach later).

 

Make it a Priority

 

Whenever one of my kids brings me (or my husband) a book about 90% of the time or more I will stop whatever I’m doing to read it to them. It is so important to me that I let them know that reading is a priority to me.

 

At this age their books are so short (and usually I have them memorized) that I can read it while putting on my 3 year olds shoes or making a sandwich! Today I folded and put an entire load of laundry away all while reading book after book to my children. It may have taken me twice as long to finish the laundry but they learned that they are important as well as reading is important. Laundry can wait … they are a day older tomorrow!

 

Use Emotion

 

If a child brings you a book and 2 seconds into it they are hoping down it could be because of their lack of impulse control. However it could be because you didn’t engage them.

 

Reading aloud to young children is one of my favorite parts of being a teacher because you get to become the characters! Ours kids need you to become the truck driver, nurse, or fireman in the story. They need to hear your expression.

 

Opposites by Sandra Boynton is a simple book with cute illustrations. There isn’t much to it but it quickly became my older sons favorite because on the page that says “fast, slow” my husband would read them that way. “FAST! And Ssssssssllllllllllloooooooooooowwwwwwww” it was his favorite part! I have linked to it below if you are interested.

   

Summarize

 

I know you remember Cliff Notes … even if you DID read the whole book you had a friend that used you as their Cliff Notes! The truth is that sometimes thats EXACTLY what your toddler needs, just the Cliff Notes (and its totally okay)!

 

Now that we have 2 children reading for different purposes, we have a variety of books out. It’s getting better that my 1 year old is realizing which books are “his” but he does bring me books that are out for his older brother on occasion.

 

I still read them to him but it’s not a traditional read. I tell him all about the pictures. I summarize the story down, use expressions, and the pictures to engage him! He gets to feel like a big kid and he’s learning valuable vocabulary at the same time.

 

Let them Interact

 

I let both of my boys turn the pages, lift the flaps, and interact with the book! This is a skill they need to know so it’s important to teach it a young age. It also makes the book feel more like a “toy” and something they can engage with using different senses. This way they can see the pictures, hear the story, and feel the pages.

 

Sing & Make it Fun!

 

Toddlers love music! You can make reading more engaging to them by adding in your own songs or rhymes within the story or text. If you are struggling to be creative with this I recommend this book from from Caroline Church titled “We Love to Sing Along”. It has bright pictures and words of popular children’s songs to get your child engaged! She also has books with just one children’s song like You are my Sunshine and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

   

Read While They are Playing

 

When children are independently playing, let them do their thing! Let them imagine and create! It does WONDERS for their brain. Do not interupt this precious learning time.

 

However if they are having an off moment, struggling to engage, or showing no interest in your suggestions getting a book out and reading out loud will sometimes help! It could engage them and even if it doesn’t they are still hearing your voice and learning the words associated with that book. It could also just be the thing to turn their mood around.

 

When my busy little guy gets down and we are only on page 1 or 2, I just finish reading while he is playing. He is still hearing my words and it will help him to sit with me longer next time. He will have more exposure to the text next time.

 

I even had a friend tell me she read to her son while he was playing in the bathtub! Hey its a great option! He is contained, you have all of your attention right there with him, and even if he doesn’t pay a bit of attention he is STILL picking up on all of that great content from the book!

 

Be Consistent

 

Just like anything else with toddlers you have to be consistent. You have to continue to show them everyday that reading is important. If you continue to do it (even if they are doing something else) eventually they will be curious enough to find out what you are doing!

 

 

So there you have my TOP TIPS for getting your busy little ones to find time for a book or 10 during the day! What other ways do you get your little ones to read with you? Please comment below and be sure to share this with a friend that has a wiggly little one!

 

Love, Ashley E