2 year old educational books

20 Best Books for 2-Year-Olds Who Love to Hear Stories

These reads are definitely toddler-approved!

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When it comes to story time with your toddler, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that 2-year-olds are capable of selecting the books, repeating some of the words or phrases you read aloud to them and asking questions like, "What's that?" (You might want to prompt them with your own questions, too.) But while the toddlers can pluck the books off the shelves, stocking the library is up to you, and you're going to want to fill them with the best reads out there.

These are the best books for 2-year-olds in 2023. Many of them are current and past Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Award winners, meaning they were approved by librarians and literacy experts and then tested by real families with toddlers. Others are classics that have stood the test of time. But no matter which ones the toddlers choose, you're both in for a treat!

Looking for more great reads ? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides:

The Best Books for 1-Year-Olds | The Best Books for 3-Year-Olds | The Best Books for 4-Year-Olds

Written and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

A honeycomb-like, hexagonal die-cut lets kids peek through the pages as they follow along in a story about a bee. As it goes between the flowers and back to the hive, the text explains why bees are so important to the health of the planet. Ages 0 – 3

Roar! I’m a Dinosaur

Written and illustrated by Merrill Rainey

Dino enthusiasts will love flipping through the pages of this book and seeing all different types of dinosaur. But the real fun begins when they actually get to become the stegosaurus, brontosaurus and T-rex. When the book is opened all the way, two die-cut holes turn the pages into a mask that kids can hold up to their faces (or yours). Ages 0 – 4

Good Night, Gorilla

Written and illustrated by Peggy Rathmann

It's hard to say that you can "read" this book out loud in the traditional sense, since there are very few words in it. Instead, the illustrations tell the story of a dutiful zookeeper who says goodnight to all the animals, and the mischievous gorilla who takes the keys and lets them all out. Toddlers love discovering the gorilla's plan — and figuring out where the animals want to spend the night. (Spoiler alert: It's the zookeeper's room.) Ages 0 – 3

Look, it's Woof Woof Dog

Written by Camilla Reid, illustrated by Clare Youngs

There are so many features to this book that kept our toddler testers engaged: The illustrations of all the animals — a Woof Woof Dog, a Quack Quack Duck and so on — are done in an interesting, collage style that really catches the eye. There are also felt flaps throughout that let kids look for more hidden creatures. And, best of all, according to our testers, there's a mirror in the back that asks, "What do YOU say?" All of it kept our readers captivated. Ages 0 – 3

A Bedtime Hug for You!

Written by Samantha Sweeney, illustrated by Dawn Machell

Stick your fingers through the die-cut holes in this book, and they transform into puppet arms. Throughout the story, different baby animals are heading off to sleep, and asking for one more bedtime hug. Will your puppet fingers oblige? The arms were a hit with Good Housekeeping Institute testers, who reported that the kids liked slipping their own fingers in and trying to give the hugs, which is "a genius way to build fine motor skills,” one mom noted. Ages 2 – 5

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Written by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle

By asking, "What do you see?" over and over again, this book invites kids to take a closer look at the illustrations — a good thing, because the pictures were done by the inimitable Eric Carle. The story asks the question of a purple cat, a blue horse and a yellow duck, among others, so toddlers will also get to practice naming their colors. Ages 2 – 5

Little Faces Big Feelings

Written by Amy Morrison

Great for social-emotional learning, Little Faces Big Feelings describes a different emotion on each left-hand page, while the accompanying right-hand page shows an array of photos of people showing that emotion. On the last page, there's a mirror that lets kids try and show the same feeling on their own faces. Testers — especially ones with neurodiverse kids — really appreciated the variety of different, real faces throughout the book. Ages 1 – 6

My Party, Mi Fiesta

Written and illustrated by Raúl l the Third, colors by Elaine Bay

It's time for a celebration! Whether it's friends or amigos, cake or pastel, music or música, this book goes through all the parts of a birthday party in both English and Spanish. Ages 0 – 3

Written and illustrated by Don Freeman

When a shopper informs Corduroy, a teddy bear for sale in a department store, that he's missing a button, he waits until night and goes on an adventure trying to find it. In the end, he finds out he was really looking for a friend. If your toddler is enamored of the overalls-clad bear, there's a series of Corduroy books that follow, including Corduory Takes a Bow , written by Oscar-winner Viola Davis. Ages 0 – 3

Mail Duck Helps a Friend

Written and illustrated by Erica Sirotich

The delightful Mail Duck helps toddlers review their colors through a sweet story: When Mail Quail is feeling ill, Mail Duck looks for colorful items that might act as medicine, from orange pumpkin soup to minty green tea. Kids have to lift the flaps to discover the items. “I haven't seen my 2-year-old daughter this engaged in a book in months,” one parent tester said. Ages 0 – 3

The Going to Bed Book

Written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton

All of Sandra Boynton's books are populated with a cast of whimsical animals, and it's hard to go wrong with any of them. This one shows animals on a cruise ship (hilarious) going through the steps to get ready for bed, from doing light calisthenics (even more hilarious) to brushing their teeth. It's a great one if you have a bedtime-avoider at home, since it'll reinforce the idea of a good bedtime routine. Ages 0 – 4

Harold's ABC

Written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson

Harold takes his magic purple crayon and draws an adventure that takes him through all the letters of the alphabet. Toddlers can follow along, practicing their letters and matching them to the sounds that go with them. Ages 2 – 4

Alma, Head to Toe/Alma, de pies a cabeza

Written and illustrated Juana Martinez-Neal

Primer books are huge with toddlers, who use them to practice everything from counting and numbers to colors and shapes . This book is a two-for-one primer, in that it goes over 15 different parts of the body in both English and Spanish. Good Housekeeping Institute parent testers appreciated the bilingual nature and how different-colored text made it easy for kids to distinguish the English words from the Spanish ones. Ages 2 – 5

The Runaway Bunny

Written by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

If they've already worn out their copies of Goodnight Moon (and its even more impressionistic companion book, My World ), there's still more ways to enjoy Margaret Wise Brown's lyrical prose and Clement Hurd's sweet illustrations. In it, a mother and child bunny play an imaginary game of hide-and-seek — and no matter how far the little one says he'll go, the mother always vows to find him. The mother/child aspect to the story makes this a great gift for first Mother's Days or baby showers. Ages 0 – 4

My Hair Is Like the Sun

Written and photographed by St. Clair Detrick-Jules, illustrated by Tabitha Brown

The photographs of actual kids in this book were a big hit with Good Housekeeping Institute testers. “The real pictures of kids with their awesome natural hair are very cool," one dad tester said, "especially since my boys don’t see kids with hair like theirs too often." The story is told in rhymes that compare natural hair to beautiful elements in nature, like the sun, stars and trees. Ages 0 – 3

I'm Still Up!

Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis

Toddlers will certainly be able to relate to the main character in this book — a baby that refuses to go to bed. The baby fights sleep until the last page, when it finally nods off. (And maybe the toddlers in your life will, too?) While the kids loved the book, it was the Good Housekeeping Institute parent testers who really got a kick out of it, and it kept them giggling to the end. If it's a hit, there's a companion book, I'm Up , about waking up for the day. Ages 0 – 3

8 Little Planets

Written by Chris Ferrie, illustrated by Lizzy Doyle

This book takes readers on a rhyming trip through the solar system, offering info (and adorable illustrations) about the planets along the way. The pages have a big die-cut at the center (with a smiling sun in the middle), which little ones can learn to grasp. Ages 0 – 3

Whistle for Willie

Written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats

Fans of The Snowy Day will recognize Peter, the urban-dwelling protagonist of many Ezra Jack Keats story. But whether the toddlers in your life live in a city or not, they'll relate this story about a kid who really, really wants to learn how to whistle so he can call his dog. He tries all sorts of tricks, like putting on his dad's hat to feel more grown up, but ultimately it's all the practicing that works in the end. It helps toddlers — who often want to do things for themselves they're not quite great at yet — to try, try again when they don't master new skills the first time. Ages 0 – 3

Yummy Yucky

Written and illustrated by Leslie Patricelli

The intrepid baby in this book goes through pairs of items and declares them — you guessed it — either yummy or yucky. ("Yucky" things include soap, stinky socks and blue crayons, poor kid.) After reading it aloud with your toddler, you can talk about their favorite and least favorite foods and make your own "yummy" and "yucky" lists. Ages 0 – 3

Little Green Boxed Set of Bright and Early Board Books

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

It's hard to choose just one book by Dr. Seuss — so don't. This set comes with four of his classics, and they're both smaller in size and packaged in a box with a handle, which makes them great for travel. In the box, you'll get Fox in Socks ; Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? ; There's a Wocket in My Pocket! and Dr. Seuss's ABC . Ages 0 – 3

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

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70 Best Toddler Books for 2 Year Olds

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Find and read aloud the best toddler books for 2-year-olds to the growing readers in your life to benefit their brain cells, future literacy skills, and social/emotional growth. Plus, you’ll love the bonding time together with the child you’re reading to –it’s a sweet, sweet time. (Not to mention, it’s fun!)

I loved reading aloud to my own kids and the kids in the daycare where I worked– sometimes, if I didn’t know what else to do, reading a board book or picture book was the easiest and best activity choice!

But how do you pick the best board books and picture books ?

I’ve read thousands of picture books over the years and hundreds each month to review on this website, so I can help you find the best read-aloud choices for toddlers–books approved by kids, teachers, and parents!

Top Toddler Books for 2 Year Olds

• Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site  by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Go Dog Go  by P.D. Eastman
• Peekaboo Morning  by Rachel Isadora
• Where Do You Poop?  by Agnese Baruzzi 
• The Going to Bed Book   by Sandra Boynton
• The Napping House  by Audrey Wood and Don Wood
• The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round  by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
• Lola at the Library  by Anna McQuinn

These curated recommendations and reviews updated for 2024 will help you find a new favorite toddler book for the young readers on your lap with this list of good books you can read to your 2-year-olds– that they will love!

With favorite authors like Todd Parr and Eric Carle , I’ll recommend even more notable authors and good books you might not have heard of before.

Start a reading habit with a bedtime book . Maybe even three before you say good night. Look for books with bold pictures and rhyming, silly humor, and relatable topics. See what appeals to your children and keep reading no matter what.

Toddler Books for 2 Year Olds

Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site  is written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. As each vehicle at the construction site finishes their job for the day, there is one last thing to do, and then they’ll say goodnight. Gentle rhymes and soft-colored pictures of favorite trucks are the perfect way to lull any child into sweet dreams. Say goodnight to more trucks at the construction site — Crane Truck, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator. Kids will tell you that this is the perfect bedtime story!

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Go Dog Go  is written and illustrated by P.D. Eastman. Even though I’ve read this book a MILLION times with my kids, my kids still love everything about it — red dogs, blue dogs, big dogs, little dogs—all kinds of wonderful  dogs —riding bicycles, scooters, skis, and roller skates and driving all sorts of vehicles on their way to a big dog party held on top of a tree.

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Where Is Fuzzy Penguin (Touch + Feel + Look + Find)  is written and illustrated by Yayo. You will LOVE this adorable toddler book! Not only are these cute  penguins  who are happily playing and swimming, but you also get to feel and search for the one who is fuzzy!

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Vegetables in Underwear  is written and illustrated by Jared Chapman. Giggle along with this very silly story about the wonders of underwear! Big, little, dirty, clean, we all wear underwear! “ Just remember to put your clothes on top. ” (Such sage wisdom!)

Peekaboo Morning  is written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora. Play peekaboo with this little girl, her family, her puppy, and more. Don’t you love the playful characters?

Old McDonald Had a Truck  is written by Steve Goetz and illustrated by Eda Kaban. Calling all  truck fans  — this is the book for you! Because Old McDonald has a lot of trucks — a bulldozer, front loader, motor grader, dump truck, and more. E-I-E-I-O! This is not just a favorite for age 2 readers but also a family favorite sing-along picture book.

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Where Do You Poop?  is written and illustrated by Agnese Baruzzi . My NEW FAVORITE GIFT BOOK for toddlers.  In this rhyming and pull-the-tab book, you’ll read all about where and when kitties, birds, hippos, wolves, and mice poop. Pull the tab and see the poop pellets in the wood chips. This was the most popular toddler book of all the books that I gave my dentist’s daughter  that she loved to read over and over again. (Use this book when you potty train !)

One Sheep, Two Sheep  is written by Tami Sauer and illustrated by Troy Cummings. The other silly farm animals interfere with the rooster, trying to count sheep to fall asleep. Poor rooster. He’s frustrated and it’s hilarious!

Hooray for Fish!  is written and illustrated by Lucy Cousins. Your kids will love the brightly colored fish described with fun words — “ spotty fish, stripy fish, happy fish, gripy fish .” There’s so much to look at and describe — this is sure to be a new reading favorite as it’s an excellent toddler book for boys and girls.

The Going to Bed Book   is written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton . A delightful rhyming adventure of animals on a boat as they prepare to go to sleep. It’s soothing, funny, and perfect for a bedtime story. (And another book I still have memorized 10 years later!) ANY book by Sandra Boynton is excellent — she’s such a gifted writer and illustrator.

Cerca / Close  is written by Juan Felipe Herrera and illustrated by Blanca Gomez. In this bilingual book, a young girl shows us her world, specifically what things are close to other things. She does this by connecting things together. Earthy colors, an important concept (close), and enchanting illustrations.

Underwear!  is written and illustrated by Jenn Harney. Little Bear is having a hysterical adventure with his  underwear  much to his parents’ exasperation. Rhyming, giggle-inducing text pairs perfectly with comedic, expressive illustrations.  Potty training  kids will be able to relate to this story about a little bear who has a lot of *fun* with his underwear.

Giggly Wiggly Playtime Rhymes  is written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Chris Riddell. I adore this board book! It makes a perfect baby shower gift. Its rhythmic poems are FUN to say and act out. “ Jiggle jiggle, we’re all wriggly. Wriggle wriggle, we’re all wiggly. Wiggle wiggle, we’re all giggly… ” Or, “ Fingers in bed / Fingers wake up / Fingers stretch / Fingers shake up.”

Yummy Yucky  is written and illustrated by Leslie Patricelli. What a silly and fun story! See if you agree with the author’s assessment of what is yummy and yucky. “ Spaghetti is yummy. Worms are yucky. “

100 Dogs: Playful Pups to Count   is written and illustrated by Michael Whaite.  “ Small dog, tall dog, playing with a ball dog, big dog dig dog, burying a bone. ” You’ll love seeing all the different kinds of dogs in this colorful, inviting toddler book that will be a favorite read-aloud!

Not Now Cow  is written by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Troy Cummings. Perfect for preschoolers, this funny take on the seasons shows the farm animals celebrating each season…with a clueless Cow dressing in the wrong outfits for each season’s weather . Each season is the same — the playful animals do seasonal activities and Cow shows up wearing something not quite right…Toddlers will love this!

The Napping House  is written and illustrated by Audrey Wood and Don Wood. One of the most beloved picture books EVER, certainly by my family if not the world,  The Napping House  is a gentle, rhythmic story about the inhabitants of a sleepy house slowly falling into slumber– then waking back up again. Muted blue-toned illustrations enhance this book’s perfectly sleepy ambiance.

The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round  is written by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and illustrated by Lorian Tu.  Sing along with this cheerful and exuberant story that rewrites the words to the familiar “Wheels on the Bus” song, making it a story about a large, multi-generational Chinese family sharing a meal together. Seeing the yummy foods will make you hungry for some rice, noodles, and dumplings yourself.

Hello, Friend Hola, Amigo  is written by 123 Andres and illustrated by Sara Palacios. Gently narrated in English and Spanish rhyming text, this bilingual book based on a song encourages you to be friends with anyone– no matter the differences. It encourages children to remember we’re all the same.

Please, Baby, Please  is written by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. My kids LOVED this book so much — and repeated readings were no problem because so did I. The parents implore their spunky young child to please behave, PLEASE. Great use of  repetition  and relatable to 2-year-old children …and their parents.

Press Here   is written and illustrated by Herve Tullet. The most original,  interactive , and imaginative toddler book of them all! Make magic with the dots… press, rub, shake, tilt, blow, clap,  . . . and watch what happens!

R is for Robot: A Noisy Alphabet    is written and illustrated by Adam F. Watkins.  Bright cartoon-like illustrations show expressive  robots  doing noisy things. “ Ick, Jolt, Kapow, La La La, Meep. ” An engaging toddler book with gorgeous and entertaining illustrations.

Lola at the Library  is written by Anna McQuinn and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw.  Here’s yet another favorite book for your growing readers about a little girl and her mom’s  library  ritual. It’s simple and absolutely wonderful.

Global Baby BEDTIMES  is written and illustrated by Maya Ajmera. Toddlers love photos of other kids! In this sweet  board book  about getting sleepy and going to sleep, each page shows a baby from a different country. Some babies sleep in a cradle, some on their mama’s back, and some snuggle near a sibling.

Go Sleep In Your Own Bed!  is written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Lori Nichols. Each animal goes to bed and finds another animal sleeping in the wrong bed. “ Go sleep in your own bed! ” the pig orders the cow, the cow orders the chicken, the chicken tells the horse, well, you get the picture. What will happen with the kitten? She gets to stay and cuddle in the little girl’s bed! Giggles all around for this darling  bedime story .

Things That Go!  (Indestructibles) is written by Amy Pixton and illustrated by Stephan Lomp. Chew-proof, rip-proof, and drool-proof, these paperlike little books are lightweight and  indestructible . Learn all about vehicles on the road, in the air, in town, on the construction site, and on the sea. Bright illustrations and interesting information.

The Babies and Doggies Book  is written by John Schindel and Molly Woodward. This diverse book is spot-on for the age group as it shares the fun antics that both babies and dogs do — things like cuddle, peek, sniff, and squirm.

You Can Be  is written and illustrated by Elise Gravel. “ There are many ways to be a kid. You can be . . . ” begins this brilliant book filled with acceptance for a child’s ways of being, including funny, sensitive, noisy, artsy, caring, dirty, strong, studious, helpful, and scared. Gravel shows the possibilities in being yourself and feeling different emotions. Parents reading this book will express their parental love and acceptance of their children.

The Poop Song  is written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by Claudia Boldt . Rhyming, adorable, and fun  — especially for the  potty training  toddlers.

Everyone Says Please (Except Cat)  is written by Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Katie Mazeika. You’ll crack up at this book showing animals with good manners and a cat who stops and fumes and demands CHEESE. It’s a full-on meltdown until he realizes that Mouse got cheese simply by saying please. So the cat says please, too…and he finally gets what he wants.

Cuddly Cow  is written and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Cuddly Cow is sleepy and looking for a good, quiet place to sleep. The cows are too noisy. So are the chickens. Where will she go? Includes a sound button which while cute, may get slightly annoying to parents, or at least to me.

My First Baby Signs  is written and illustrated by Phil Conigliaro and Tae Won Yu. Talk about a must-own board book!  Parents, you’ll want this for you  and  for your little ones. It will first teach and then reinforce the important signs that kids ages 9 months, age 1, 2, and even age 3 can use to communicate with caregivers. This book’s colorful pages show eight essential signs that young children can use to communicate basic needs.

Up, Up, Up, Down!  is written and illustrated by Kimberly Gee. Lyrical and repetitive, this relatable storyline captures  a day in the life of a talkative toddler and a stay-at-home dad  with evocative, diverse illustrations. Sure to bring a chuckle to both you and your growing reader when you read it aloud.

Monsters in Trucks  is written by Laura Baker and illustrated by Nina Dzyvulska. Toddlers  and  preschoolers  will love the exuberant explosion of colors, monsters, and trucks filling every page. The rhyming text shows monsters building, drilling, and working very hard, whether they’re cleaning the street or eating everything they can. 100% adorable.

The Wonky Donkey  is written by Craig Smith and illustrated by Katz Cowley. This wonky donkey is walking down the road, he hasn’t had any coffee and up to mischief.  It’s on this list of the best books for 2-year-olds because it’s a silly (very silly!) cumulative story filled with rhyme and onomatopoeias like “ stinky dinky lanky honky tonky winky wonky donkey .”

The I Love You Book  is written and illustrated by Todd Parr.  Read about unconditional love shown in Todd Parr’s characteristic colorful style . . . Your little one’s fingers will want to push and poke the puffy heart cover. It’s a warm-hearted book you are going to read and reread.

Red House, Tree House, Little Bitty Brown Mouse  is written by Jane Goodwin and illustrated by Blanca Gomez.  Fall in love with the simple, lyrical  story showing the colors of a little girl’s world  around her illustrated with bold graphic-style pictures.

Forty Winks: A Bedtime Adventure  is written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by Lita Judge . This large mouse family’s bedtime routine feels familiar and sweet.  They get ready with rituals of reading books, whispering prayers, tucking in tight, goofing around, and procrastinating, and it’s a read-aloud delight!

What Can You Do with a Rock is written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Katie Kath.  What an inspiring book to show children the creative ways to play with rocks…You can skip them, drop them, sort them, study them, change them, and so much more. There are many things you can do with a rock. “ Skip drop kerplunk. ”

I Say OOH, You Say AAAH  is written and illustrated by John Kane. Readers get to participate in telling this very silly story — and they’ll be cracking up the whole time. Meet the narrator’s best friend named OOH, who you’ll scare away. Then you’ll help him find his underpants… Or are they YOURS? What a crack-up! I love it!

I’m Brave  is written and illustrated by Kate & Jim McMullan.  Firefighter fans are going to love to read about the life of a brave (and good-looking’) fire engine driving through smoke and heat to a blazing fire. Filled with lots of  delightful sound effects : CLANG, HONK, WHOOSSSSSH, and EEEEEEOWOOOO for young children.

Can You Yawn Like a Fawn!  is written by Monica Sweeney with Lauren Yelvington and illustrated by Laura Watkins. This gorgeous sleepy-time book shares the nighttime rituals of baby animals and asks if the reader can yawn like them. It’s so  perfect for bedtime , Yawn along with this highly recommended bedtime story.

F is for Fairy Tale  is written and illustrated by Greg Paprocki. Starting with A for adventurous, this beautiful board book captures castles, dragons, jewels, a unicorn, and more with an  alphabet  of  fairy tale  scenes featuring kids and animals for each letter all the way to ZZZZZzzzzz.

Richard Scarry’s Super Silly Seek and Find!   Perfect for toddlers, this is a playful, oversized  seek and find  board book. From the bedroom to the bathroom to outside on a busy street and gas station, your littles will get to look for one or more items such as 3 trash cans, 7 green bugs, and 1 potted plant. Highly recommended to share with the toddler readers on your lap.

Teeny Tiny Farmer  is written by Rachel Matson and illustrated by Joey Chou. This female farmer drives to town with a load of vegetables. But, oh, no! Her truck won’t make it up the hill! And then it gets stuck She needs help and who should help her — the tiny pig and cow and sheep and chickens — the farm friends work together to save the day and get the truck unstuck!

Treasure Hunt for Kids  is written and illustrated by Roger Priddy. Develop counting and sorting skills while searching for the  hundreds of hidden things in the busy, colorful scenes  packed with multiple images and objects to seek and find.

Mommy Snuggles   is written by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben. Animal mothers take good care of their babies. “ Mommy swan glides with her cygnet / under her wing. ” In this book, 2 year olds will see the animals and learn the names of the adults and babies animals.

Jungle  is illustrated by Jane Ormes . What an adorable toddler book to  learn about animal families!  I love the color schemes with neon orange, blues, and greens. For each animal, you’ll read what the daddy is called, the mommy is called, and then lift-the-flap under the mommy to read what the babies are called.

Roar!  is written and illustrated by Katerina Kerouli. Playful descriptions and lift the flaps show kids the mouthes of different safari animals like a snake, lion, crocodile, monkey, and tiger.  “S nap Snap, ” it says inside the crocodile. “ Such colorful scales, such a flicky tongue, such pointy fangs…Look out, everyone! Hiss Hiss. ” A darling, interactive animal book for 2 year olds!

How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?  is written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Mark Teague. Mark Teague’s illustrations wonderfully depict these playful dinosaurs doing fun things that kids do all day long — playing with blocks, balls, toys, and teddy bears! Can you count along?

Your Nose! A Wild Little Love Song  is written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton. Perfect for young readers learning body parts,  this sweet song in a book celebrates YOUR amazing nose.  Sing it your own way or check out Boynton’s version of the song on her  Blue Moo album . (We highly recommend it!)

Touch the Brightest Star  is written and illustrated by Christie Matheson. We love this sweet, interactive picture book. Touch, press, pat, and blow as you say good-night to the deer, the tree, the stars, and the owls. Shhh. Breathe in deeply. It’s time to sleep! Your youngest readers will really enjoy this. 🙂

Is Everyone Ready for Fun?  is written and illustrated by Jan Thomas. We are addicted to  Ready for Fun  –it’s a great book for reading together and practicing your silly voices.

Guess How Much I Love You Here I Am! A Finger Puppet Book  is written by Sam McBratey and illustrated by Anita Jeram. Play hide-and-seek with the Little Nutbrown Hare finger puppet! Big Nutbrown Hare searches for Little Nutbrown Hare. Wiggle the Little Hare’s puppet hiding in a tree, under a rock, near white flowers, and other places. 2-year-olds love this playful, sweet board book showing a loving relationship between caregiver and child.

The Snowy Day  is written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats. Not only was this best picture book a favorite from my own childhood, but it still endures today as a must-read classic toddler book! It has finally snowed and the little boy can’t wait to go outside to play…

We Are the Dinosaurs  is written by Laurie Berkner and illustrated by Ben Clanton. Laurie Berkner’s popular song  is now a super cute  dinosaur book  for toddlers. As you read the song lyrics, follow along with Dax as he and his friends go exploring, marching, picnicking, napping, and roaring. Clanton’s animated illustrations with cartoon-like dialogue bubbles make these dinosaur friends inviting and friendly. A best toddler book for 2-year-olds.

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight  is written by Penny Parker Klosterman and illustrated by Ben Mantle. Jaunty rhymes and plenty of silliness make this a read aloud favorite , now in a  board book  version. This dragon swallowed a knight — and so much more. That’s not polite! Which the dragon realizes when his tummy gets too big. He burps and they all, well, almost all, leave his stomach.

The Underwear Book  is written and illustrated by Todd Parr. As you read these do’s and don’ts, I predict your kids will crack up  like my kids always did. For example, do put your clean underwear away. But don’t put it in the freezer! Helpful and silly tips will encourage your kids to embrace their  underwear , especially those  potty-training  kiddos.

A Parade of Elephants  is written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes. My kids and I were immediately attracted to the pastel-colored illustrations of elephants who are going through their day until they fall asleep at night. One, two, three, four, five begins the rhythmic text with over, under…in, out, and marching. Gentle. Perfect for reading aloud at bedtime or anytime. It’s sure to be a new two-year-old read-aloud favorite. 

Counting Kisses: A Kiss and Read Book   is written and illustrated by Karen Katz.  Bedtime snuggles  were never so much fun! From ten kisses on ten tiny toes all the way to one kiss on a sleepy head, count and kiss baby goodnight.

KEEP READING

Picture Books with Predictable, Repetitive Text

Books About Colors

Number and Counting Books for Kids

Books for 3-Year-Olds

Bedtime Stories for Kids

Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

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The Best Toddler Books to Get Kids Started on a Lifetime of Reading

These are the books kids love—and that parents don’t mind reading again and again.

In This Article

Our Favorites

Our experts.

• Factors to Consider

Your Questions, Answered

Parents / Alli Waataja

Everybody knows that reading to children is a great way to settle down before bed, but the best toddler books (at any time of day!) can also encourage a love of reading and help your child develop language skills from a young age. Before selecting a book for your toddler, start by making sure it’s age-appropriate—both in subject matter and ability. Toddlers have a brief attention span, so selecting a book that’s quick, lighthearted, and filled with engaging images will ensure that they stay interested until the last page. 

“It’s all about meeting your kid where they are and keeping it interactive,” said Rebecca Mannis, PhD, learning specialist at IvyPrep.com. If your little one likes to interact by turning the pages themselves, opt for a board book that’s made from more durable material than thin paper. 

As parents, we also highly recommend choosing books that you enjoy reading too—because if you have a book that truly annoys you in your child’s library, there’s a very good chance they’ll make you read it over and over again.

An engaging and calming book can help even the wiggliest toddlers settle down, whether it’s before bed, on a long car ride, or even in the waiting room of a just-a-little-bit-scary doctor’s office. In search of the best toddler books of all time, we spoke to literary experts and utilized our own experience as parents to compile this list of our favorites. 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Moo, baa, la la la, our skin: a first conversation about race, dragons love tacos, where the wild things are, everyone poops, feminist baby, goodnight moon, the gruffalo.

Toddlers can’t seem to get enough of this simple book filled with bright, bold images. It features some exciting foods—like lollipops, strawberries, cupcakes, and oranges—that most kids love to eat, each with a caterpillar hole burrowed straight through the page. The simple storyline depicts the life cycle of a caterpillar in an approachable, easy-to-follow format that sticks with young kids. One of Eric Carle’s most popular hits, this timeless story has already been a classic for decades, and it’s sure to be one for years to come. 

Sandra Boynton’s whimsical, fun-to-read stories are beloved by toddlers and parents alike. This lively story describes the sounds animals make—something toddlers are for some reason trained to do from an early age—but it also subverts expectations. The surprises align just right with toddlers’ sense of humor, too. 

Teaching kids about race is challenging at any age, but if you start when they’re young, the concept of acceptance will always be in their minds. This toddler book by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli, experts who specialize in early childhood and activism against injustice, touches on concepts like race, body positivity, consent, and gender, with illustrations by Isabel Roxas, Though these might sound like big topics for a toddler, the research-backed read-along book gives parents a safe place to discuss tough topics at an early age. 

Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri’s best-selling book is a hilarious read for toddlers and grown-ups. Dragons may love tacos, but if they get a bite of salsa with spicy jalapeño peppers—it could be a disaster. Kids will be laughing through every page of this fun book, so it’s a great option for daytime reading. 

One night when Max is busy making mischief, his mother sends him to bed without his supper. Moments later, an ocean tumbles by and the ceiling hangs with vines. Max is transported through his imagination to the place where the wild things are, and he becomes the king of all wild things. Maurice Sendak’s story is packed with adventure and big, vibrant illustrations, but the best part is the gentle reminder at the end. Sometimes, no matter how big and grand the adventure is, it’s better to be back at home where someone loves you best of all. 

While an elephant may make a big poop—and a mouse may make a tiny poop—the truth is everyone poops, and Taro Gomi’s modern classic seeks to be a fun but matter-of-fact guide to all things number two. If you’ve started the potty training process and you’re looking for some amusing reading material to help move things along (pun intended), this book serves as both inspiration and entertainment. The cute illustrations are filled with animals and silly depictions of where they poop and what it might look like. 

Fearless, funny, and smart, Loryn Brantz’s book dismisses gender stereotypes while empowering your pint-sized peanut to be exactly who they are. This simple board book explores feminism in a way that’s approachable for young children. It’s an inspiring reminder that girls can be anything, do anything, and feel anything that they want—regardless of societal boundaries or expectations. 

When orphan Madeline has to be rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night, Ludwig Bemelmans well-loved story shows young children that even scary events—like getting your appendix out—don’t have to be so scary when there are toys, candy, and visits from friends involved. Once all the other little girls see how much fun Madeline is having in the recovery room, they all want to have their appendix out too. Full of rhyming fun and colorful images of Paris, this classic story is appropriate for kids ages 1 to 5. 

This poetic piece has been a classic among children and parents for generations. The calming, quiet imagery by Clement Hurd is combined with simple, repetitive text by Margaret Wise Brown that’s a pleasure to read and relaxing to listen to. While some pages are simple black and white, others show a cozy, colorful bedroom. To get your child to follow along every page, have them search for the tiny mouse that moves around the room from page to page. 

A clever mouse convinces all the other animals in the woods to fear him by creating a phony monster, the great-big-gruffalo. That works well until the mouse stumbles upon the very monster he created. Then he tricks the gruffalo into fearing him too, in a way that will amaze kids and make them giggle. Julia Donaldson’s book is packed with talking animals and vibrant images by Axel Scheffler for kids to enjoy. 

It's Okay to Be Different

Written by best-selling author Todd Parr, this is a reassuring book about embracing who you are. Building confidence, compassion, and empathy is important at any age, but this little board book makes it easier to do it from the start. Toddlers will love the bright, vibrant colors and simple illustrations. Each page features a meaningful thought, like, “It’s okay to say no to bad things,” to help toddlers build confidence in their differences from a young age.

Parents of busy toddlers will love Ian Falconer’s story about Olivia, a little piglet who is very good at wearing people out. Whether at the beach, in a museum, or at home eating dinner, Olivia is always on the go, and her family does their best to keep up with her. The sweet story with beautiful images of Olivia, her brother, and all of her activities is an easy read before bedtime—it’s heartwarming, silly, relaxing, and quick. Parents will also sympathize with Olivia’s loving but very worn-out mother.

Llama Llama Red Pajama

Almost every kid can relate to the anxiety of saying “good night” to their caregiver before bedtime—even parents remember being scared of those first moments alone in a dark room. That’s why we love how Anna Dewdney’s sing-songy rhyming tale comforts reluctant sleepers. It’s a reminder that your loved ones are always near, even when they’re not in the room with you. The expressive illustrations help even little toddlers follow along with the emotions in the story. 

When it comes to crafting an interactive story for toddlers, Herve Tullet does it in one of the most creative and out-of-the-box ways in Press Here . Instead of relying on flaps or pop-up pages, this instructional book acts almost more like a game than a story. Each page features a series of small, solidly colored dots and a simple instruction for your child to follow, like, “Press here” or, “Rub the dot.” The following page reveals a magical result that will wow your young one every time. This book continues to excite kids, no matter how often you’ve read it to them.

Love You Forever

This classic story written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw will pull on your heartstrings every time you read it. While a bit of a tearjerker, the super-sweet message is one that we hope every parent shares with their child. Many adults might even remember reading this story of family, life, and the unifying power of unconditional love when they were young. In the book, a new mother passes her undying love on to her newborn child and continues to do so through every stage of life until ultimately, roles reverse and the child becomes the caregiver. 

Little Blue Truck

Courtesy of Amazon

Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry’s story about friendship and support is loaded with fun pictures of recognizable characters like a cow, sheep, pig, horse, and duck. Appealing to animal lovers and vehicle lovers alike, every page features a great rhythm for reading aloud plus an opportunity for silly noises like a beep, moo, quack, or oink. The story imparts the importance of helping friends, and it shows how it pays to be kind. 

The Story of Ferdinand

First published in 1936, Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson’s tale describes Ferdinand, a bull who would rather sit and smell the flowers than fight in the ring in Madrid. For some, it’s just a story about being true to yourself, but it can also be more than that: Ferdinand was lauded by civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi as an important, thought-provoking example of pacifism and nonviolence.

Yummy Yucky

Candlewick 

Leslie Patricelli’s silly book with simple, emotive illustrations is sure to make your little one giggle. Each page depicts two opposites—one yummy and one yucky—while showing a toddler’s reaction to eating each one. It’s a humorous way to learn about opposites that we can find, and it keeps your toddler engaged whether you’re reading to them or they’re flipping through it themselves.

Where's My Teddy

If your toddler's got a lovey, then there's a good chance they will relate to Jez Alborough’s book, which involves a search for a missing teddy bear. This simple story will tug at their heartstrings just enough to usher in a wave of relief at the end. The deep, dark woods are illustrated with bright and vibrant colors, and each page uses just enough text to entertain while keeping the story moving. 

Counting Kisses

Nothing’s better than a kiss from your loved one before bedtime, and Karen Katz’s toddler book is an easy way to encourage lots of sweet snuggles. It’s a lift-the-flap that’s filled with emotion, so kids will immediately recognize the happy, sad, and affectionate faces on every page. 

Baby Happy Baby Sad

One of the best things about reading to children is that it can help them learn important skills like identifying different emotions in other people. Leslie Patricelli’s illustrations are appealing to kids and easy to interpret, which makes it a great option for younger toddlers who are just learning about feelings and opposites. It’s no secret that a toddler’s moods can easily swing, and we love that this book creatively helps them understand their most common emotions.

The Book That Makes No Sense

Adults who've spent the day trying and often failing to attend to the whims of a toddler will appreciate how this book captures that feeling with alarming accuracy. The book, written by Melanie Berliet and illustrated by KJ Parish, joyfully celebrates the silliness of toddlerhood and puts a fun emphasis on the way they often make absolutely no sense at all. Toddlers themselves will just be tickled by its nonsense. 

Green Eggs & Ham

Try as you might, you cannot resist Sam-I-Am and his green eggs and ham. This wacky rhyming classic is as fun now as it was the first time you read it. A classic for generations, Dr. Seuss’ sense of humor is splashed across every page, with illustrations that will delight and puzzle your toddler. Kids will love to try to follow along with the rhyming cadence of the book, whether they understand the cleverly made-up words or not.

Barnes & Noble

Everybody needs a friend, and Don Freeman’s classic is a good reminder of that. As it says on the first page, “Corduroy is a bear who once lived in the toy department of a big store.” But when a sweet little girl comes in one day to shop with her mother, Corduroy finds a home, a bed, and a friend. Your toddler will love to follow Corduroy on his adventures throughout the store looking for his lost button, and the loving story of friendship and hope is a great way to settle down before bedtime. 

Pat the Bunny

If you have a grabby toddler who loves to touch every page of the book you’re reading, then you need this interactive favorite from Dorothy Kunhardt. Available in spiral-bound (which does make it easier to put together when your little one rips a page out), the book is fun and approachable. With unique materials and textures and an array of pleasing colors, each page has something for your child to do—like pat the bunny, scratch daddy’s beard, or put their finger through mommy’s ring. Whether you read it together or your little one tackles it on their own, it’s a timeless classic that’s sure to please.

The Family Book

No two families are alike, and this fun book by Todd Parr is a great way to celebrate our differences. Adopted families, stepfamilies, one-parent families, families with two parents of the same sex, and families with a mom and a dad are all represented here in a silly and accepting way. It's a terrific tool for teaching children about differences, which is essential in raising a child who is accepting and empathetic. The vibrant colors and simple illustrations will engage your little one from start to finish. 

Are You My Mother ?

This P.D. Eastman book is ideal for the restless toddler who relishes audience participation. Each time the confused young bird asks a strange animal, "Are you my mother?" kids will knowingly answer, "No!" And they might even explain why not. It's a wonderful teaching tool that gets children involved in the reading process on every page. The repetitive, easy-to-follow narrative finishes with a warm-and-fuzzy ending. 

Diary of a Worm

This is a hilarious book about the surprisingly intriguing life of a young worm, written in diary form by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Harry Bliss. Our worm observes the differences between being a worm and being a human. He laments that he can't have a dog or chew gum but is relieved that he doesn't have to visit the dentist. ("No cavities. No teeth either.") We can all relate, and your little one will love the opportunity to see the world through a worm’s eyes.

Walter the Farting Dog

If the word "fart" is taboo in your house, maybe all of you need to read this book. Author William Kotzwinkle follows Walter through some embarrassing escapades, all to show him that gas might be kind of funny. The hilarious story is an easy way to make your child laugh out loud, especially if they love dogs. The best part? Parents can join in on the fun—the story is silly enough to make even the biggest kids crack a smile, too.

The Monster at the End of This Book

If your child can’t get enough of Sesame Street , they’ll love following along with huggable Grover in this fourth-wall-breaking story by Jon Stone, with illustrations by Michael Smollin. As you turn the pages, Grover confronts his fears—with a little prodding from the reader—and discovers the unknown isn't as scary as he imagined. The fun and interactive story is a great way to teach your kids about dealing with scary things.

Baby Beluga

We love this board-book version of Raffi's most popular tune about a baby whale and his animal friends. Singing the pages adds a little bit of fun and engagement, and it’s a great way to encourage a child’s language and listening skills. It’s fun and brief, and Ashley Wolff's lighthearted illustrations bring the song to life.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Rhyming has long been used as a tool to help children learn to read, and this book by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle combines brief, easy rhymes with bright, vibrant imagery. The timeless classic is a must-have for newborns, babies, and toddlers, so it makes a great baby gift or baby shower gift. Easily identifiable animals are present on every page, so the board book is perfect for letting little ones read by themselves.

A Pocket for Corduroy

The follow-up to Don Freeman’s original classic, this book tells us what happens after Lisa and Corduroy meet in the big department store. After spending every day together, the duo head to a laundromat where Corduroy decides to look for a pocket of his own. A soapy adventure ensues that is sure to deliver tons of giggles.

There Was an Old Monster!

Kids will get a good laugh out of every page of Rebecca, Adrian, and Ed Emberley’s bright and funny twist on “There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly.” Read the rhymes as prose or sing it as a song and enjoy the escalating silliness with each animal the monster swallows. Bright, bold colors make up the simple illustrations, and toddlers will love searching the monster’s belly for each animal.

Bluey: Sleepytime

From Joe Brumm, the creator of Bluey —arguably the most parent-approved toddler show on TV—comes this creative read-along version of one of its most popular episodes. The picture book features fold-out pages for kids to follow along with Bluey and Bingo as they tackle bedtime at the Heeler house.

The Pout Pout Fish (A Pout-Pout Fish Adventure, 1)

If your toddler has a frown that you’d like to turn upside down, then a reading of Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna’s The Pout Pout Fish might be just the thing. A gloomy fish swims around with a consistent pout, spreading his “dreary wearies” all over the place, but with the help of some friends and a little inspiration, things turn around for him. 

Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book

For younger children, Rod Campbell’s flap book is a fun way to build anticipation and let them show off their expert knowledge of animals. It’s a quick read, and curious kids will love finding out which animal is hiding behind the flap on every page. 

The city can get hot in the summer, and one hot dog has had enough. After he plops down in the middle of the sidewalk, his owner scoops him up and heads out to the beach. Every page is filled with lyrical text and fluid art by Doug Salati. It’s a reminder of how important it is to find the simple joys in life each and every day.

Blueberries for Sal

While out picking berries with her mother, Sal veers off the path and begins to follow someone else—with her head in the blueberry patch, she doesn’t realize she’s started following a mama bear. At the same time, Sal’s mother continues on picking berries, and feels reassured by the consistent “kaplunk” she hears when a new berry hits the inside of her bucket, thinking Sal is behind her. Robert McCloskey’s adorable story of mixed-up mamas has stood the test of time since it was first published in 1976.

All of Those Babies

This fun picture book introduces your little one to babies all across the animal kingdom while teaching them all the funny different names babies in the world have. I’m sure your child knows that baby dogs are called puppies, but did they know that baby puffins are called pufflings? Mylisa Larsen and Stephanie Laberis’ book is educational, fun, and an easy read for animal lovers from newborn to 8 years old. This book comes out in February 2024, but you can preorder it now.

We picked many of the books on this list based on research, our childhood favorites, and experience with our own kids. But we also reached out to the following experts for their picks, to find out what makes a book good for toddlers, and to learn how reading with very young children helps their development:

• Rebecca Mannis , PhD, learning specialist and founder at Ivy Prep
• Carol Denby , children’s librarian and elementary school educator with Emma Clark Library in Setauket, New York, (and mother of the author of this article)

Factors to Consider When Buying Toddler Books

Toddler books differ from older children’s books in subject matter, imagery, and length. Due to their limited attention spans, toddler books should be brief, easy to follow, and include fun and engaging illustrations. 

• Age Appropriateness: Whether you’re picking out a book for a toddler or a teenager, keeping the appropriate age level in mind is essential. Toddlers have a brief attention span, so books for them should have enough words to craft an engaging story without so much text they tune out. Dr. Mannis recommends considering your child’s language development before selecting a book. This will tell you if your child can follow a storyline and if the vocabulary makes sense to them, she says. She also says to consider the time when deciding what to read with a toddler. Read more complex, advanced books while they’re awake and alert and save repetitive, relaxing books for bedtime. 
• Eye-Catching Photos or Illustrations: When selecting a book for your toddler, make sure they can follow along with you by looking at the pictures. This is a great way to encourage reading skills from an early age and can also help them gain a deeper understanding of concepts like emotion and relationships. “​​Picture books for toddlers are important because the pictures help the child understand that the words have meaning,” says Denby. She adds that pictures help children connect meaning to different words, which can aid in their reading comprehension as they get older. When selecting a book, try to find one that has images of characters and objects your child is interested in—like animals, trucks, or fairies. 
• Engaging Topics: You want to make it through the whole book without them losing interest. Rhyming books are particularly helpful for young children because the sing-songy cadence helps them follow along. Denby says that rhyming words help children develop phonological awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate the different sounds in our language. Denby says that rhyming also helps children develop word “families” (like bat, cat, and rat), which is an important foundation for early reading. Dr. Mannis adds that books with brief, memorable phrases that repeat—like in Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? —help children anticipate what’s coming next, so they can follow the story. “These predictable, engaging, concrete books serve as the canvas against which kids can increase their association between words and concepts, and where their parents can use the books as a way to make sense of the world and interact through these wonderful classics,” Dr. Mannis says. Lift-the-flap books are also a great way to encourage curiosity in your young reader.
• Something Parents Don’t Hate: Keep in mind that if a toddler finds a book they love, it means you’ll be reading it over and over until they move on to the next favorite. Don’t forget to keep adult readers in mind when shopping for a book. Are there certain topics you like or characters that you were fond of at a young age? Finding a book that you won’t mind reading on repeat is essential in being an enthusiastic part of your child’s reading journey. 
• Durability: Select a book that can hold up to the thrashing, tossing, and tearing of toddlers who don’t know any better yet. If you’re buying a book for a toddler, try to avoid pretty pop-up books or valuable first editions. Toddlers tend to reach and grab for pages, which means they can easily rip them off or rip off the pieces of a pop-up book. Instead, select board books or heavy-duty hardcover books that you can monitor and keep safe. 

What are the benefits of reading to toddlers?

Reading to toddlers can help lay the groundwork for reading comprehension at an early age. Dr. Mannis says that reading to toddlers is a great way to help expand their language abilities, practice listening, and understand the world around them. She adds that storytime can also be a great way for toddlers to settle down at the end of the day, and it’s the perfect time for parents and kids to reconnect. 

How often should I read to my toddler?

Dr. Mannis says that when it comes to reading to your toddler, more is more. She suggests keeping a stash of books readily available at all times—whether in your child’s backpack, in the car, or in your purse. She adds that the more opportunities there are for children to engage with the world around them through books and get some quality time with their caregivers, the better.

How can I make reading time more fun?

Making reading an interactive activity always adds to the fun. Denby suggests having your child help you find something in the illustrations throughout the book. For example, Denby suggests having your little one find the tiny mouse in a book like Goodnight Moon . The mouse appears in every page, so having your toddler track it down is a great way to keep them involved from start to finish, she adds. 

Laura Denby is a food, parenting, and lifestyle writer who is also the mother of a very active and curious 2-year-old. She aims to help her audience become more informed shoppers by selecting products that are functional, educational, and affordable. Laura’s work can be found in FoodNetwork.com, Food & Wine, Forbes, and Taste of Home. For this piece, Laura spoke with librarians and literacy experts to determine the best books for toddlers.

Related Articles

The Ultimate List of the Best Books for Toddlers

Inside: Here are the best books for 2-year-olds to inspire a lifelong love of reading in your toddler. Endorsed by toddlers AND parents.

As parents, we know we’re supposed to read aloud to our kids because it’s good for their growing little brains .

But sometimes reading aloud to a 2-year-old makes you question whether it’s actually doing any good .

They can’t seem to sit still and focus, they want to turn the pages before you’re done reading them, and they toddle off halfway through the book. Hey! Don’t you want to know what happens to the bowl full of mush?!?

And yet, it’s important to keep trying because the relationship our children have with books and reading when they’re young directly impacts how much they’ll love to read when they’re older. According to the research on raising readers:

“The more you read, the better you get at it; the better you get at it, the more you like it; and the more you like it, the more you do it.” Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook

But it’s not just about fostering a love of reading. Looking ahead to when our kids are older, reading is essential for the learning process, and kids who struggle with reading tend to struggle in school:

“Children who aren’t reading proficiently by fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, and…only 34 percent of America’s fourth graders read at grade level.” The New York Times

The Secret to Turning Your 2-Year-Old Into a Bookworm

As a mom of four on my fourth toddler now, I’ve had lots of firsthand experience nurturing active 2-year-olds into becoming toddler-sized bookworms who will sit still and happily listen to a whole book…most of the time.

And among friends, I’ve also become known as the friendly neighborhood toddler book whisperer. Give me an upset 2-year-old and a good book (more on this below), and I’ll have that toddler tamed in no time .

Over the years, I’ve learned four guiding principles for teaching your 2-year-old to love books:

• Let your toddler see you reading something for pleasure at least once a day – magazines, comic books, the newspaper – whatever you enjoy.
• You can read to yourself or read aloud to older kids , but do read something because your toddler is watching you to learn how much fun books and reading are.
• Side note: If you tend to read e-books on a mobile device, your toddler has no idea that you’re reading and may think you’re watching funny cat videos instead. Consider getting a physical book you can read a little at a time every day while your toddler is around.
• Share power – Toddlers have a healthy need for power , but they don’t get to exert power over their situation very often. You can win them over to books and reading by sharing a little of the power you have. For example, let them pick out a book to read from your bookshelf, let them turn the pages for you as you read, and let them ask questions about the book you’re reading or stay on a page longer if they want to talk about what they see – even if that makes it take longer to finish the book. ( I know. But a little power-sharing goes a long way!)
• Keep going – Even if it seems like it’s not working, it is. Every time you read aloud to your toddler, you’re strengthening their future love of reading. If your toddler can’t manage to sit still long enough to listen to a whole story, that’s okay. Keep trying because listening is an acquired skill. Plus, when you read aloud, you increase your child’s ability to pay attention and concentrate – skills that will help your child in school and in life beyond school. Try reading at bedtime when your child is calmer or when your child is held captive like when they’re eating a meal, in the bathtub, or in the toddler swing at the park. Get creative!
• Choose wisely – All books for 2-year-olds are not created equal. One of the biggest causes of a toddler not enjoying read-aloud time is when the book is the wrong fit for their age, temperament, and developmental stage. If you want your toddler to love books and reading, it’s essential to pick the right books for 2-year-olds. If you have a favorite childhood book that your child won’t sit through, that doesn’t mean they won’t ever enjoy it. It’s just that it might be the wrong fit for your child right now . Because this is so important for growing toddler bookworms, below I’ve included a list of the best books for 2-year-olds.

Related: The Most Powerful Habit for Raising Smart Kids (And Kind Kids, Too)

Look for This When Choosing Books for 2-Year-Olds

In general, you’ll want to look for the following things when picking out books for toddlers. (In the list of best books for 2-year-olds below this section, you’ll find that many of those books have at least one of these qualities in their favor.)

• Short – As much as I adore a book like Rosie Revere, Engineer , most 2-year-olds aren’t ready to sit through a story with that much text on each page. If your toddler toddles off in the middle of a story, it might be too long for where their listening skills are right now. Put that one back on the shelf and try again in a month or so.
• Rhyming or rhythmic – Rhyming books are fun for toddlers, but they’re also awesome for developing their literacy skills. Research shows that rhyming stories increase phonemic awareness , improve memory, and build vocabulary because rhymes tend to include unique words kids wouldn’t otherwise hear. In other words, good rhymers grow into good readers.
• Repetitive – Toddlers love books with a refrain that gets repeated throughout the book. A toddler’s memory skills aren’t as developed as an adult’s, and it’s easier for them to learn and understand when you repeat something over and over. And some research indicates that repetition is what toddlers need in order to learn new words.
• Funny – Your goal in this stage of reading aloud is to show your toddler how much fun reading and books can be, and a book that will make them giggle does exactly that. Plus, humor makes it easier for kids to understand what’s happening in the book.

Also, this may go without saying, but print books are better than digital ones because print books do much more to develop your child’s literacy skills.

Related: The Ultimate List of the Best Picture Books, Endorsed by Kids And Parents

65 Best Books for 2-Year Olds – Most Loved by Toddlers And Parents

A while ago, my kids and I spent months and months putting together a list of the best picture books , and parents message me every week to say thank you for that list. But some parents also have another request: What are the best books for 2-year-olds ?

And so my family set out on another months-long research project to find awesome books for 2-year-olds that both toddlers and parents will enjoy. (If toddlers are going to ask us to read it again and again, it may as well be something we’ll get a kick out of, too!)

Over the years, we’d already read tons of toddler-friendly children’s books, but we wanted to do a thorough review of all the best books for toddlers age 2. So every week, I put 30+ books on hold at the library, plus at every visit I browsed the shelves for even more books for 2-year-olds. All told, my kids and I read hundreds of picture books and board books to prepare this list.

In fact, we’ve been working on this list so long that my child who was a toddler at the start of our research project has since aged out of that phase into the preschooler stage, and my youngest has joined the ranks of toddlerhood.

The list below is the cream of the crop from those hundreds of books: the books I loved reading, and the books my toddlers couldn’t get enough of. When you read the best books for 2-year-olds, you’ll be growing your own toddler-sized bookworm!

Note: indicates my family’s absolute top favorites on the list. These are the books my kids absolutely can’t get enough of!

The Best Books to Make Your Toddler Feel Known + Heard + Understood

These books are perfectly attuned to what’s going on inside a toddler’s brain developmentally. When you read these books aloud to your 2-year-old, she’ll think, “YES! YOU TOTALLY GET ME.”

1. Little Excavator

Toddlers especially love this picture book because of the fun sound effects – but also because they can 100 percent relate to being told you’re not big enough to do something.

Tip: Haven’t heard of Bookshop yet? It’s an online bookstore with a mission to support local, independent bookstores. As of March 2023, they’ve raised more than 25 million dollars for local bookstores! If you want to order books online while also supporting local bookstores, feel free to use the Bookshop buttons under each book recommendation in this post.

2. Knuffle Bunny

Toddlers relate to this book on two powerful levels: first, how losing your lovey feels like the end of the world. And second, how incredibly frustrating it is when you’re still learning to talk and you’re trying to say something that’s important, but your parents can’t understand you.

3. Red Is Best

You know how giving your 2-year-old the “wrong” color cup can make them flip out? This book helps your toddler feel understood, and it gives them the language to communicate why the color of something is important to them. Anytime you can give a toddler the language to describe the emotions she’s feeling, that can help decrease the freak-out factor. And as a side benefit, this book gave me more compassion for my toddler in those moments too!

4. Not a Box

This book features two things 2-year-olds love: pretend play and cardboard boxes. Inside, you get a sneak peek into what’s really happening inside the imagination of your toddler. With simple illustrations, this is a great little book about the power of your imagination.

5. Yes Day!

Toddlers love the idea of having a day where they get to do anything they want. Also, because of this book, we now have a tradition in our family that on your birthday, you get a “yes day”!

• A Big Mooncake for Little Star – Because 2-year-olds struggle with impulse control, they immediately relate to the main character in this book. And here’s the important part: Even though she struggles to control her impulses, her mom still loves and accepts her.
• Wait – Toddlers know what it feels like to be told to hurry up when they want to just be in the moment. The end of this story is so satisfying for toddlers!
• Little Pea – This book has a little more text on each page than most other books for 2-year-olds in this list, so you may need to try a few times before your toddler can make it all the way through. However, this book perfectly turns a typical toddler power struggle on its head, so it’s worth it – Little Pea doesn’t like candy but has to eat it for dinner. If your toddler loves this one, also try Little Oink and Little Hoot . Or you can get the whole set of three books for cheaper here .
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus – Toddlers relate to the pigeon being told “no” over and over again, and it’s fun for them to reverse roles and be the one who’s dishing out the “no”s for once.
• The Story of Ferdinand – In this story, Ferdinand is forced to do something he doesn’t want to do, and 2-year-olds can very much understand what that feels like.
• Where the Wild Things Are – At this age, kids are starting to feel shame for disappointing their parents. So every toddler I’ve ever known can totally relate to Max’s situation.
• Oh No, George! – Toddlers can’t help but giggle at the main character’s struggle to control his impulses because they know exactly what that feels like.
• Today – This book puts 2-year-olds in the driver’s seat for once and lets them pick what they want to wear, what they want to eat, where they want to go, and more.
• Make a Wish, Midas! – Toddlers love how Midas wants to wear different clothes, and they can relate to how he has a favorite color he prefers everything to be. But then the idea of “too much of a good thing” surprises them and makes them think!
• Don’t Blink – This book gives 2-year-olds a safe and healthy situation where they can exercise their independence, plus have fun doing it!

Related: The Toddler Brain: 7 Things Your Toddler Wishes You Knew

Alphabet + Counting + Colors + Shapes Books for 2-Year-Olds

When you’re looking for learning books for 2-year-olds, look for books that will make the learning process fun. All these books fit that bill!

• Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z – This book is a fun way to expose toddlers to different fruits and vegetables and practice the alphabet. A couple fun ideas for this book: on each page ask your child to pick out one thing they want to eat (and then pretend to pick it off the page and eat it!), or bring the book along to the grocery store and see if your child can find the fruits and veggies from the book. Bonus points if you let them pick out one thing to take home and try!
• 123 Dream and ABC Dream – These are gorgeous books. The 123 version is great for getting 2-year-olds to practice counting, and kids love picking out the hidden objects in the ABC version.
• Creature ABC – In this alphabet book, toddlers love to guess the animal before you get to the next page.
• Technicolor Treasure Hunt – This book is great for learning colors, counting, and new words. Plus, it’s a book your child can continue to grow with. When my 2-year-old turned three, she would sit and count everything in this book on her own.
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? – This is one of the most quintessential books for 2-year-olds because it has a little of everything: colors, repetition, rhyming, an opportunity to make animal sounds, and a great rhythm to the words as you read. Over time, your toddler will memorize the order of the animals, and you can build their memory skills by asking them to say the animal before you turn the page.
• Mouse Paint – Learning books for 2-year-olds don’t have to be boring. This book teaches your child about primary and secondary colors but with a cute storyline.
• Hippopposites – Such a fun way to teach opposites! Plus, nothing could be cuter than hearing your toddler say “opaque” and “transparent.” If you like this one, also check out Llamaphones and Rhymoceros .

Emotions Books for Toddlers Age 2

At two years old, kids are starting to learn how to cope with big emotions in a healthy way. Read these books for toddlers to help them through this challenging stage.

• The Rabbit Listened – I never get tired of reading this one. It’s a simple but perfect story about how it feels when something goes wrong – and how to overcome those challenging emotions and move forward. My kids ask for this one at least once a day. A must have!
• No Matter What – Because of this book, “no matter what” has become a common refrain in our house. It’s the perfect phrase to remind my kids of my unconditional love for them, even when they’re in the middle of feeling tough feelings.
• Calm-Down Time – This book teaches kids what to do step-by-step when you’re feeling upset so that you can feel calm again.
• Mad, Mad Bear – In this simple story, toddlers see helpful examples of what to do when they feel angry, such as take a breath, get some rest, and so on.
• The Color Monster – This book steps through several different emotions and how they feel, plus it reinforces color learning.
• Owl Babies – Toddlers love the repetition in this book. If your child experiences separation anxiety such as when being dropped off at daycare, this book will especially resonate with them.
• Mrs. Biddlebox – This is possibly my favorite picture book of all time , and I don’t say that lightly. Unfortunately, it’s out of print. The good news is you can get a used copy in good condition on Amazon. Mrs. Biddlebox wakes up in a bad mood, but instead of sitting around like a grouch, she tackles that bad mood and turns it around in time for sleep. We reach for this book anytime my toddler and I have butted heads during the day, and it’s the perfect tool to help us process the bad mojo and end the day feeling connected. The rhythm of this story is perfect for toddlers!

Funny + Silly Books for Toddlers

These funny books for 2-year-olds will make them collapse into a fit of giggles!

• Good Night, Gorilla – This book makes my kids giggle every time, even though we’ve read it a gabazillion times. The youngest ones love doing different silly voices for the animals saying good night.
• Bark, George – On the surface, toddlers enjoy making the animal sounds in this story, but when they figure out the joke, they’ll be tickled . And then every time after that, they’ll love being “in” on the joke.
• Cat the Cat, Who Is That? – What I love about this series is that they’re written simply with few words, but they still make kids laugh. Side note: This is a great one to hang onto for when your child starts reading on her own! If your toddler digs this book, also check out Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! , What’s Your Sound, Hound the Hound? , and Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly! . They’re all so good !
• The Monster at the End of This Book – I was skeptical about this book because my kids don’t watch much TV so haven’t even seen Sesame Street. But my toddlers fell under this book’s spell too. Young kids can barely contain themselves when you keep doing exactly what the book is telling you not to do. For maximum fun, read this one in your best Grover voice!
• A Monkey Among Us – This is out of print, but it’s worth getting a gently used copy on Amazon. It’s deliciously silly and surprising, and it plays with rhyme and rhythm, which 2-year-olds love.
• Mr. Tiger Goes Wild – Toddlers relate to this story because it shows we all have a “wild” side, and it can be hard to contain that and fit into the world around us. But this book is more than just silly. It also gives kids a subtle but poignant take-away about the importance of being true to yourself.
• Orange Pear Apple Bear – This silly story is just the same four words over and over again. Perfect for the short attention span of a 2-year-old!

Interactive Books for 2-Year-Olds

Because listening is an acquired skill, toddlers can have a hard time sitting still while you read aloud. Read these interactive books for 2-year-olds to keep your wiggly toddler engaged in the story. For more great books like this, check out 12 Best Interactive Books for Kids That Will Burn Energy…Quickly .

• From Head to Toe – Toddlers get into this book quickly because the text point-blank invites them to act out the animal movements.
• Peek-a-Who – This is a simple story with 10 words total. Toddlers love this one because they can get an easy handle on the pages to reveal the next surprise, make the sounds with you, and check out their reflection in the mirror at the end.
• Dear Zoo – Your 2-year-old will enjoy the repetition in this story, plus they’ll be able to flip the pieces to see what animal is underneath. For super wiggly toddlers, challenge them to walk like each animal and make the sounds!
• Press Here – My toddlers get so into the instructions to press and shake and tilt this book that we’ve outlawed it from the pool of bedtime stories in our house. They can’t get enough of this one!

Related: 12 Best Interactive Books for Kids That Will Burn Energy…Quickly

Bedtime Books for 2-Year-Olds

When you’re looking for the best bedtime books for 2-year-olds, that’s pretty much the opposite of interactive books for toddlers. To calm toddlers down for bed, books with repetition make for an excellent choice. For more bedtime books for kids, check out 10 Calming Bedtime Story Books for Kids Who Fight Sleep .

• I Just Want to Say Good Night – If you have a child who stalls at bedtime, this is a must read. Toddlers especially love how the main character Lala exerts some small amount of power over her own bedtime, plus they’ll feel “in” on the joke when they get the meta reference to Goodnight Moon at the end.
• Ten, Nine, Eight – I prefer this simple, quiet bedtime book over Goodnight Moon because of the sweet, loving relationship between the girl and her father. No matter how wiggly my toddlers are, this counting book calms them right down.
• Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes – Young kids love this book for the diverse pictures of babies and toddlers from all over the world. Don’t forget to count or tickle your toddler’s toes for the “ten little fingers and ten little toes” refrain!
• That’s Me Loving You – This book is especially perfect for bedtime because it reassures toddlers who are nervous about being away from you at night.
• I Am a Bunny – This simple, soothing book moves through each of the seasons until the end, where the bunny cuddles up for a long winter sleep, looking forward to spring. Excellent for calming toddlers down before sleep!
• All the World – This one has more text than the other bedtime books for 2-year-olds on this list, but it’s worth it to keep trying. Not only is the rhythm calming for little ones, but the illustrations are gorgeous and peaceful.

Related: 10 Calming Bedtime Story Books for Kids Who Fight Sleep

Potty Training Books for Toddlers

Potty training is a huge milestone for toddlers, and these books for 2-year-olds will help get them ready. (By the way, if you need a book to help you make it to the other side of potty training without losing your mind, check out Oh Crap! Potty Training . That book helped me with my reluctant potty trainer when nothing else did!)

• Everyone Poops – This book helps remove the shame your toddler may feel about using the potty by showing how normal it is. This has helped lots of potty-training-resistant toddlers I know get over the mental hurdle of going poop in the potty!
• You Poop Here – This book steps through different animals and where they poop, then ends with a spread showing where kids go. My kids all loved the animal trivia in this book and couldn’t help giggling throughout!
• Toot or Potty – This series of books by Leslie Patricelli is perfect for toddlers! We like to start with Toot because it normalizes an everyday bodily function, then as our toddlers get older we add in Potty to normalize all things potty-related.

All-Around Awesome Books for 2-Year-Olds

These books for 2-year-olds don’t necessarily fall under any of the previous categories, but they’re all excellent and perfect for toddlers!

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Not only is the repetition in this story exactly what a toddler’s brain loves, but the holes in the pages and the different sizes of pages are super engaging for them, too.
• First 100 Words – This book and others by author Roger Priddy are awesome for building your toddler’s vocabulary. And the best part is you don’t have to read anything! Just have your toddler point at a picture, you say the word, and repeat until your toddler is done with that page and flip it. Another favorite for toddlers similar to this book is My Big Animal Book .
• Plant a Kiss – My whole family has this book memorized (even the toddler’s got most of it down). This is a powerful message of putting out kindness into the world and expecting nothing in return, and toddlers especially love to feel the glittery pages.
• Yummy Yucky – This is another book by Leslie Patricelli that’s perfect for toddlers because it’s hilarious and actually kind of useful for showing your toddler what she should and should not put in her mouth.
• Egg – This is such a simple little story but so clever! Plus, it’s great for your toddler’s cognitive development because on the last page, you can ask them to guess what will happen next.
• Hello Hello – This book mesmerized my toddlers. They loved learning about all the different animals, and it’s a fun challenge for them to pick out the animal that’s repeated from the previous pages.
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee – Such a lovely story of what friendship really means. Toddlers especially love the idea of zoo animals hopping on a city bus!
• Click, Clack, Moo – This is a fun, silly story with a refrain of animal sounds that toddlers enjoy saying along with you as you read.
• Bear Snores On – The rhythm of this book is perfect for toddlers. My kids all loved this one so much that I have the whole book memorized!
• The Wonderful Things You Will Be – Such a sweet but important message for 2-year-olds to hear: that as their parents, we’re excited to see who they become and that we love and support them as they are.
• The Family Book – This is a great book to show your toddler that families come in all varieties, and all families love each other.
• This Is My Rock – In this quirky little book, toddlers see how keeping things all to yourself actually isn’t as much fun as sharing.
• The Circus Ship – This story hooks young kids with the rhyming text, and then it keeps them even more engaged with the hidden animals on each spread. Almost like a game of “I Spy” embedded in the story!
• Thank You, Earth – Toddlers love real-life photos, and this book is full of gorgeous shots to build their understanding and appreciation for the world around them.
• The Airport Book – What I love about this book is all the detail on each page. Toddlers just stare and point and soak it all in. This is an especially perfect fit if your child has never flown before (or if they have flown and had a hard time with it) because this book steps you through the whole process and helps calm any nervousness they may be feeling.
• Ivy Loves to Give – Toddlers can relate to this story because sometimes when they try to do what’s “right,” it still ends up being “wrong.” But kindness prevails!
• Mr. Gumpy’s Outing – This is a silly story about what happens when you don’t listen. And a reminder that even when you make a mistake, your parents still love you.

Before you go, get my FREE cheat sheet: 75 Positive Phrases Every Child Needs to Hear

What are your family’s favorite books for 2-year-olds? Share in a comment below!

I'm a mom of four, a Certified Parent Educator, and the author of Happy You, Happy Family . I believe if you want a loving parent-child relationship that will last into the teenage years and beyond, the time for nurturing that kind of relationship is now . The good news? All you need is 10 minutes a day. Start here »

Note: All information on this site is for educational purposes only. Happy You, Happy Family does not provide medical advice. If you suspect medical problems or need professional advice, please consult a physician.

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One of our favorites has been Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton. Repetitive, a great way to learn colors, and funny! My kids giggle and giggle after every “Oops!”. We also love the Usborne That’s Not My series.

Hey is there this same list for 4 and 5 year olds? Thank you! Great article

YES PLEASE!!!!

The wild bunch is awesome and both my kids have loved it since 3 years old. Son still enjoys it at 5.

We love all the Jon Klassen books, but especially what we’ve dubbed The Hat Trilogy (This is Not My Hat, I Want My Hat Back, and We Found a Hat).

I would also include books that are also songs. They are easy to ready or sing for adults and the familiar song helps little ones connect to the book. Songs support language development as they naturally slow down language and allow children to hear all the parts of the speech. That along with the repetition make them favorite books for toddlers. There are so many books of songs out there so just look for a favorite song like Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Baby Beluga, Itsy Bitsy Spider etc…

I am a mother of two and a grandma of four. My youngest grand is now 8 yrs old. All of them are avid readers. One of my favorites from your list is “I am a Bunny.” We received it as a baby shower gift and read to my oldest when she was a month old. I have given copies as a baby gift many times over the years. Another favorite is “Goodnight Gorilla.” It has so many levels of learning! The color matching keys and locks, the balloon as it floats further away. I think there is a little mouse to look for on each page – it has been a few years now since we read it, but it can grow with them past the toddler stage.

We have that book and I never noticed the keys or balloon haha! Excellent.

You can nurture a warm + loving relationship with your child—in just 10 minutes a day.

I’m Kelly—a mom of four, a Certified Parent Educator, and an author.

If you want to nurture a loving parent-child relationship that will last into the teenage years and beyond, the time for nurturing that kind of relationship is  now .

I believe with a few small tweaks, you can build a home your kids will want to come home to—without having to sacrifice your own personal needs.

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Best Books for 2-Year-Olds

With bright illustrations and colorful characters, these must-have books for two-year-olds will make every story time special..

Your baby makes a big language leap once they become a toddler. Their vocabulary is not only growing , but they’re also starting to make connections between the books they read and real life. Discovering the best books for your two-year-old can help improve their cognitive ability, social-emotional understanding , and future literacy skills.

Interactive Board Books and Early Educational Titles

From a young age, children explore the world through their senses. Some board books have a focus on sensory stimulation and encourage children to touch, explore, and learn about different textures. Such books are not only a great way to introduce your toddler to simple concepts like counting, animals, opposites, and so on, they also lay a strong educational foundation and help build important reading skills. In addition to the educational benefits, an interactive book can be a good way to get children who don’t yet have the attention span to sit through a story interested in books.  

My Busiest Book Ever! is a Scholastic Early Learner full of fun touches on every page. The embedded popper on the back cover and singsong text helps children develop fine motor and early literacy skills. And for little ones who love animals, Touch and Feel Baby Animals is a padded board book filled with tactile areas to touch and explore. 

The “I am…” series is the perfect way to teach your two-year-old about different vehicles and how to identify them. I Am a Garbage Truck shows us what happens to our trash after it’s collected, and I Am a Train will have your two-year-old chugging along with excitement as they travel from town to town delivering passengers and cargo.

Books About Everyday Life 

As your two-year-old toddler gets into the rhythm of a routine, such as eating, potty training, naptime, and going to bed, reading books about these everyday experiences can help them understand their importance.

Making bedtime stories a part of your child’s evening routine is the perfect bonding opportunity at the end of a long day and a healthy way to adopt a daily habit of reading. Seeing their favorite characters get ready for bed models good behavior for your child and lets them know it’s almost time for them to say goodnight, too.  

In Clifford’s Bedtime , the adorable little red puppy exasperates his mother by thinking of creative ways to postpone bedtime. For older two-year-olds, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen is a rip-roaringly funny page-turner that shows us that we all go to bed — albeit, kicking and screaming — one way or another.    

Introduce potty training with  George Goes to the Potty . In this title, Peppa helps her younger brother learn how to recognize the signs of needing to go. 

Best Books for 2-Year-Olds About Feelings

Big feelings can be difficult to understand and express for everyone, but especially two-year-olds. Family read-aloud time is a good opportunity to talk to your little one about their emotions and teach them new skills for recognizing and expressing the way they feel.    

Social-emotional learning (SEL) books help young readers make sense of their emotions while guiding them on how to manage and resolve them. When reading these books, channel your inner actor by using exaggerated facial expressions and body language, silly voices, and mannerisms to evoke different emotions.

Endearing Books About Friendship 

Making and maintaining healthy friendships is an important part of growing up. Friendships allow you to find your true self, feel supported, and discover the world around you through different perspectives. At this stage, your toddler is learning valuable friendship skills, like sharing and turn-taking. Books that celebrate friendship and emphasize empathy and kindness can help foster these early skills and set your child up for social success when they start school.  

Bear Learns to Share is an adorable book that teaches young kids the timeless lesson of sharing and what it means to be a good friend. Meanwhile, We Are Better Together carries a great message about the power of community and getting along. 

Stay up-to-date with the best new children’s books every month to grow your home library and keep your young readers learning. Plus, explore more children’s books by age and popular read-alouds that other parents love . 

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Educational Books for 2-Year-Olds: Making Story Time Fun

Looking for educational books for 2-year-olds to help with language development and reading readiness? You’ve come to the right place! This post is the next in our series that addresses reading readiness skills by age group .

I am also a trained, licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with teaching certification who has been working with children for 15 of my 20 years in the field.  Because of this experience, I am in a unique position to offer advice about the importance of reading. The reading readiness skills I’m going to talk about combine two of the things I love the most: Books and language.

It is crazy how fast your baby becomes a toddler. By now they are walking and starting to speak in 2-3 word sentences. Their vocabulary of 50 words will expand to more than 500 words by the end of the year. Your child can now follow simple two-step directions like “Take your book and put it away.” However, this does not mean that they will necessarily do what you ask because they will also begin to use negative forms like “no” with other words (“No ball.”).

So how do you incorporate reading into your everyday life with a toddling little one who may not sit still? With educational books for 2-year-olds!

*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.

Table of Contents

Interactive Educational Books for 2-Year-Olds

I always kept a book in my bag. Whenever we had some downtime, I would read to my kids. It is also great to read to your kids before they go to sleep. Reading is the perfect activity to wind down.

But, I liked to read to my kids during the day as well. Interactive educational books for 2-year-olds offer the perfect way to keep their attention when there are so many other things to look at. I loved taking stories and making them into an activity that extended beyond the book.

Pizza! An Interactive Recipe Book by Lotta Nieminen

This adorable book is the perfect way to keep your little one engaged while reading. They can stir and mix while learning how to follow directions.

When you are done, why not make a pizza to eat for dinner? You can have your child help put on all the toppings! Or you can engage in pretend play with this adorable Melissa and Doug set .

Why We Love This Book: Encourages imagination, promotes language development (following directions), interactive. Find this book in Educational Books for 2-year-olds / Interactive Books for Kids.

Don’t Push the Button by Bill Cotter

This funny story is the perfect interactive book for 2-year-olds. It will give your little one a chance to change Larry’s color, give him polka dots, and have a little fun!

We love this interactive book for kids because it combines humor with language development. What will happen? Appropriate for ages 3-5

Tails by Matthew Van Fleet

My kids and I LOVED reading this book together. It is interactive with flaps, tabs, scratch and sniff, and different textures. Discovering which animal belongs to the tails is only half the fun.

I used to read this book with my kids before we went to the zoo and count how many animals we saw. There are so many fun and imaginative ways to read this book.

Find this book in Educational Books for 2-Year-Olds

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

I love the fact that this book has no words because it allows you and your child to make up the story together. Flora and the Flamingo dance together.

Your child can not only flip the pictures and dance with Flora. When you are done, you can put on some music and dance with your little one. This is one of our favorite interactive picture books.

Why We Love This Book : Wordless picture Books help with language development, Caldecott Honor-Winning book, wonderfully interactive Appropriate for ages 1-4 Find this book in Educational Books for 2-Year-Olds / Wordless Picture Books / Baby Girl’s First Library / Interactive Books For Kids

20 Amazing Interactive Books for Kids of All Ages

If you love interactive books and are looking for more, we have books for kids of all ages.

Educational Books for 2-year-Olds with Questions

You will start to notice that your 2-year-old is not only able to answer simple questions but, they will begin to ask questions using inflection (“more apple?”). This is the perfect time to start introducing books that ask questions.

Where’s the Dog by Nosy Crow

This book is a “beginner” question book that looks at “where”. As you and your child read this together, you can start by having your child point to the dog. You can then progress by having your child answer you.

Initially, they might answer “there” and can progress to using words like on or in. (See the next section on preposition books for toddlers). The felt flaps make this book interactive too.

Why We Love This Book: Kids have an opportunity to answer you non-verbally. This way they can demonstrate their comprehension!

Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

This book is a more advanced question book to read to two-year-olds. The idea that your child can grow up to be anything they choose is a more advanced concept but, the story itself has engaging illustrations that open the door to asking so many more questions.

Why We Love This Book: We love that not only does this book ask questions, but it also looks at gender norms and questions them as well. Appropriate for Ages: 2-5 Find this book in Educational Books for 2-Year-Olds / 14 Fantastic Books to Encourage Children to Be Unique

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

The question “Have you seen my hat?” is repeated throughout this book. And while your two-year-old might not see the humor, you will enjoy reading this book and they will enjoy the illustrations.

The simple pictures and text open the door for you to ask your child questions. This is one of our favorite educational books for 2-year-olds.

Why We Love This Book : This book has great illustrations and it’s funny! As a parent, that is a huge plus when choosing a book for a home library Appropriate for Ages : 2-5

Educational Books for 2-year-olds with Prepositions

As your child begins to talk more, they will begin to understand prepositions like in, on, and under. This new skill will add so much to your child’s understanding of the world around them. They will start to understand that things exist even when your child cannot see them. We have a small list of educational books for 2-year-olds with prepositions to help them learn this new and important skill.

Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

As Rosie the chicken takes a walk around the farm, she is followed by a hungry fox. This book is the perfect introduction to prepositions as Rosie walks through, over, and around. You can set up a little obstacle course for your toddler to help them learn their prepositions but to also make story time interactive and fun.

Why We Love This Book: This book is not only educational, but this classic can help develop motor coordination. It is also great for a more active child.

The Napping House by AudreyWood

The illustrations and repetition in this book make it one of my favorite books with prepositions for toddlers.

Everyone in the napping house piles onto the one bed to sleep. The rhythm and repetition make it easy for your toddler to “read” the book with you. This is one of my favorite read-aloud books and is a delightful bedtime story.

Why We Love This Book : The repetition and rhythm of the story are great scaffolding for children who are learning to put two words together Appropriate for Ages: 2-5 Find this book in Educational Books for 2-Year-Olds / Best Books for a 3-Year-Old: Create a Love of Reading

Yellow Ball by Molly Bang

Follow the yellow ball as it takes an adventure on the high seas. The wonderful illustrations and limited wording allow you to follow the ball and ask your toddler questions like “Where is the ball?”.

If you have a ball, you can play hide and seek with the ball to make story time more interactive because we all know how restless toddlers can be. This is one of our favorite educational books for 2-year-olds.

Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

I loved reading this book to my kids. There is something about the family adventure that was so much fun. We would go over pillows, under the table, upstairs, and through chairs in our search. Not only was this the perfect way to learn prepositions, but it also made the book interactive.

This book is filled with repetition which is also good for child language development.  It is filled with onomatopoeia- the best words to convey sounds and sensory input that I just love: squelch, squerch; swishy swashy; etc.

Why We Love This Book : It is interactive, helps with language development, has wonderful pictures as well as repetition Appropriate for Ages: 2-6 Find this book in Educational Books for 2-Year-Olds / The Best Books for a 2-Year-Old

Did you find any educational books for 2-year-olds to add to your home library?

The Importance of Reading and 7 Helpful Reading Readiness Tips

If you are looking for information on reading readiness and do not know where to start, this is the first post in the importance of reading series that will help you navigate all the ins and outs of creating a lifelong love of books.

The Best Books for a 2-Year-Old Your Toddler Will Love

If you are looking for more books to add to your two-year-old library, these are our favorite books!

Co-founder and Editorial Director

Jackie is the mother of three children and a Speech-Language Pathologist who uses her love of books to create language-based learning opportunities in her speech therapy practice and with her own children. Her 20+ years of experience in regular and special education classrooms ensures the website content is relevant and informative. She started this website with Kirsten to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids.

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17 Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds: Teaching Toddlers Through Play

Play-based learning is the best way for your toddler to learn about themselves and their world.

The world of your 2-year-old is full of exciting possibilities. They are developing quickly, and you will find them ready to dive into learning experiences. They are actively looking for ways to assert their independence and test their boundaries (and yours!).

Learning activities for 2-year-olds should look at their development holistically and engage them in new ways of thinking. Toddler learning activities are a fun way for you to connect with your child as you learn and grow together.

Play-Based Learning for Toddler Development

When your 2-year-old is playing, they are learning how the world works. Play ignites their curiosity and gets them to think creatively about simple tasks.

“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning” – Diane Ackerman.

Here are some other ways that play is beneficial for development:

• Practice life skills
• Improves communication
• Develops empathy
• Encourages imagination
• Allows for independence and autonomy
• Fosters problem-solving skills

17 Learning Activities for Your 2-Year-Old

When it comes to educational activities for toddlers, you want to make them hands-on and fun. Learning should be joyful and creative. Fun activities can teach your child and keep them happily immersed in play.

Activities for Gross Motor Skills Development

1. Play Silks and Dancing

There is something magical about watching a child lost in their own world. Play silks are a great way to encourage imaginative movement in little kids. 

Put on some music and let your little one move to the rhythm. This unstructured activity allows them to use any movements they want. The play silks help them move their bodies, become aware of themselves within a space, and embody different characters. 

Fun Tip: Try music that evokes different moods. Watch as your child adjusts their movements to the music.

Benefits: 

• Imagination
• Free movement
• Express emotion

2. Animal Imitation

What toddler doesn’t love pretend play? 

You can use animal cards, toy animals, or even recorded animal sounds for this activity. Help your child think about how each animal moves and then watch as they try to imitate that movement. They can include the sound the animal makes to really get into character.

Fun Tip: Do this activity with your child. Yes, it may seem silly, but they will love it. Play is how our kids communicate with us, and something special happens when we join them in their world.

• Crossing the midline and gross motor skills
• Builds core strength
• Improves focus and attention

3. Mud Monster

Getting dirty is a great way to learn and a fun activity. Not only is mud a fantastic sensory experience, but it contains friendly bacteria that stimulate the release of serotonin . 

To create your mud monster, draw one on a wall with mud or build one around a hula hoop placed on the ground. Your toddler will then make mud balls and have to throw them into the mud monster’s mouth. Your 2-year-old is learning to throw overhand at this stage, and this is a fun activity to practice.

Fun Tip: Let your toddler help you make the mud. The process of mixing sand and water is a valuable learning opportunity.

• Develops tactile skills
• Strengthens throwing motion
• It helps them identify their dominant arm

Activities that Develop Fine Motor Skills

4. Building Blocks

Building blocks are a classic toddler activity that has a multitude of benefits. Simply place a bag of blocks on the floor and watch as your little one begins to create. At this age, your 2-year-old will be able to build a tower of 4-7 blocks, opening up a world of possibilities for them.

Fun Tip: Add other elements such as cars, animals, and wood planks. This will help your toddler play with the blocks in new and imaginative ways.

• Problem-solving
• Early math skills

5. Simple Tracing

Your 2-year-old might not be holding a pencil confidently, but they will enjoy simple tracing activities. They will help them develop tensile strength in their fingers and work on their fine motor skills.

Use simple shapes and lines with an easy-to-follow dot-to-dot pattern. A chunky pencil or marker will work best for your child’s inexperienced fingers.

Fun Tip: Start with sidewalk chalk to encourage large, free-flowing movements. Before starting with a pencil, try a Q-tip and paint to follow a series of dot patterns.

• Hand-eye coordination
• Concentration
• Crossing the midline

6. Paper Washing Line

Reaching the washing line outside might be tricky, but you can create a mini version indoors. All you need is a cardboard box, some twine, and two pieces of dowel rod. You can cut out clothing from cardboard and let your 2-year-old peg them onto the line.

Fun Tip: You can use clothes pegs to hang up art, count, color sort, and paint with. They are a versatile option for 2-year-old development activities. 

• Improve pincer grasp
• Motor accuracy
• Hand preference

7. Playdough Jars

Play dough is fantastic for sensory play and fine motor skills development. Put playdough and loose parts into different jars with the lids on. Then let your toddler open the jars and empty the contents. Opening the jars is good fine motor practice and your toddler is also at a stage where they love to empty containers.

Fun Tip: Ask your toddler to sort the items and place them back into the jars at the end of the activity. 

• Strengthens fingers, hands, and wrists
• Improves concentration

Activities for Language Development

8. Picture Books

Picture books are essential in child development, particularly for emergent language. Reading picture books allows you to foster connection with your toddler while demonstrating a love of reading. Your 2-year-old will also learn to connect the words to the pictures. This will help them understand their meaning better.

Fun Tip: Play a game of ‘spot the x.’ You can help your child learn new words as they associate them with a picture.

• Listening skills
• Strengthen visual thinking skills
• Encourage conversations

9. Mystery Bag

This is a versatile game that you can play with almost any object. Put a selection of things into a bag. Ask your toddler to reach into the bag and try and name an object they feel before pulling it out. This is a fun way to introduce new words to your child’s vocabulary.

Fun Tip: For an interesting variation of this game, draw the outline of your toddler’s body on a large piece of paper. Then ask them to point to and name their different body parts. 

• New vocabulary
• Improved tactile sense

10. Story Cubes

Story cubes have scenes/characters/objects depicted on them. Your toddler can choose the order of the cubes, and you can create a story together. This activity is excellent for teaching toddlers about creative thinking and future scenarios.

Fun Tip: Incorporate tower building into the process. Then start the story from the top of the tower and reverse it. This is a fun way to introduce the concepts of top and bottom while helping your toddler use their imagination.

• Imaginative play

11. Nursery Rhymes

Nursery rhymes are great for teaching 2-year-olds about phonics and help with language development. Keep your rhymes simple and choose ones with repetitive verses.

Some great nursery rhymes for 2-year-olds are Incy Wincy Spider, Old MacDonald, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Humpty Dumpty, and Hickory Dickory Dock.

Try to incorporate rhymes that have corresponding movements. The car is also great for practicing nursery rhymes with your toddler.

• Develop motor skills
• Teach grammar
• Introduce counting, colors, and shapes

Activities for Social/Emotional Development

12. Emotion Cards

2-year-olds are learning about themselves in relation to other children so talking about emotions is vital. Emotion cards work well as they show the picture that relates to a feeling. Start your day with the emotion cards and regularly bring them out. 

Fun Tip: Take a ‘sportscasting’ approach to toddler behavior. That means you observe and repeat the facts of the situation. This allows your toddler to feel and deal with the emotion for themselves.

• Builds empathy
• It helps them learn self-regulation and self-control
• Emotional vocabulary development

13. Simon Says

2-year-olds are starting to copy the behavior they see around them. That makes Simon Says a fun and simple game to play. Your toddler is also becoming more aware of themselves, and Simon Says is a fun way to start teaching them about the parts of their body.

Fun Tip: Use the anatomical names for body parts. Children must know the real names as they become aware of themselves and their bodies.

• Developing body awareness
• Sequencing Skills
• Following instructions

14. Kitchen Time

Your 2-year-old is becoming more independent, and you may find them increasingly defiant. Spending time in the kitchen is a great way to help them feel empowered and capable.

Simple cookies, scrambled eggs, and banana muffins are easy recipes that your 2-year-old can make with you.

Fun Tip: Involve them in the whole process by allowing them to crack, mash, and scoop but also wash up.

• Basic math skills
• Builds independence
• Boosts confidence

Activities for Cognitive Development

15. Puppet Play

Puppet play is an amazing developmental tool for toddlers. Your 2-year-old is starting to engage in make-believe play and new language. Puppets encourage creativity, imagination, and new vocabulary. It also helps develop social skills.

Fun tip: You don’t need fancy puppets. Toddlers love craft activities, so why not make your own out of socks? You know, the ones that make it out of the dryer without a partner?

• Motor skills
• Builds self-confidence

16. Treasure Hunt

A treasure hunt is a versatile learning experience that you can use repeatedly. For example, you can have a color hunt where your toddler has to find items in the house that are a specific color. Or you can stick shapes around the house and ask them to find and sort them.

Fun Tip: Take this activity outside for a diverse sensory experience with different textures.

• Color identification

17. Sorting Basket

Sorting baskets are another fun matching game to help your toddler learn colors, numbers, shapes, and sizes. You can put almost anything in a sorting basket, from leaves and stones to blocks and fabric scraps.

Fun Tip: Mix up textures and color shades to challenge your toddler.

• Develops reasoning and thinking skills
• Encourage categorizing
• Early literacy and numeracy skills

Teaching Your Toddler Through Play

Play-based learning opportunities are the best activities to get your toddler engaged and excited. They allow you to introduce complex concepts through simple play that your 2-year-old can easily understand.

Watching your little one engage with the world around them is a magical time, so get on their level and get playing.

Two Year Olds Can Learn Through Play Activities

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I know that children can learn a significant amount of knowledge through their everyday play.

Toys and gadgets may be teaching them things like cause-and-effect, problem solving, and new language. They’ll also be developing key skills like hand-eye coordination and independence.

Both structured and unstructured play are important to develop these necessary skills. Most of what they learn, you won’t even realize that you’re teaching them!

However, if you’re not in the education field, you may be unsure of simple ways to teach your two year old or ways to incorporate new learning into everyday activities.

What You Can Teach Your Two Year Old

Below are a bunch of skills and concepts that you can help your 2-year-old to understand . Practice and exposure is the best way to develop new skills with your child.

Below is a list of learning activities for two year olds for the whole range up to 3. Not exclusively once they turn two.

Always remember that every child develops at their own pace so don’t worry too much if your child doesn’t know all of these concepts yet. This isn’t a list of what they should know at this point, but rather a guide to help you understand what they may be capable of learning at this age.

1. NEW WORDS AND CONVERSATIONAL SPEECH

Your 2-year-old should have gained a slew of new vocabulary words in the past year. Now they’re learning how to put these words together to form 2-3 word phrases, short sentences, and questions. Here are some of the common words, phrases, and concepts that your two year old may be able to say and understand:

• Action words to help them communicate (more, go, come, want, up, down, etc.)
• Manners (please, thank you)
• Names of body parts
• Animal sounds and names of animals
• Names (their own first and last name, and names of family and friends)
• Vehicles (cars, trucks, firetruck, airplane)
• Household objects (names of certain food, utensils, furniture, clothing, etc that they use daily)
• Colors and Shapes
• Sizes (big, small, tall, short)
• Direction words (below, above, next to, on top, underneath, etc. although this may still develop more later )
• Weather (sunny, rainy, cloudy, windy, snowy, hot, cold, etc.)

Before they turn 3, they should have a pretty extensive vocabulary. If your child has several words, help them to group words together if they’re not doing so on their own. For example, if your child says “more,” repeat after them, “more Cheerios?” and have them repeat the two words together. If they say, “want water,” repeat after them, “I want water?” and have them repeat that as well.

Adding on words to their current vocabulary will help them speak in longer phrases and sentences.

If your child is not continuing to gain more words throughout the past few months, consult your pediatrician. Here are more  tips to get your toddler to talk  here.

2. READING BOOKS

At 2, your child should definitely get the concept of “reading” a book. Of course, they won’t actually be reading the words , but they will most likely grab a book and snuggle in the corner of the couch to flip through the pages.

Make sure they understand how to read the book from front cover to back cover and the right way to hold it. They will simply look at the pictures at this age, but as they get later in their 2’s, they’ll start to recognize that there are letters and words on the page that actually mean something.

When you are reading to them, be sure to use your finger to follow along with the words on the page so they start to associate the letters with what you’re saying. At this point, you can stop making up your own words or just describing the pictures on the page and actually read word-for-word . This way, your toddler will get the concept that a story is being told.

Have your toddler describe the pictures to you and you can even ask them questions about the pictures or the words that you just read. Questions like, “What color is the girl’s dress” or “Which one is bigger, the lion or the snail?” are appropriate at this age.

They’ll still benefit most from board books where they can easily turn the pages, but may start exploring books with thinner pages. Some favorite types of books around 2 years old are Lift-The-Flap Books , Touch-and-Feel Books , and Play-A-Sound Books .

They’ll love books with lots of pictures, their favorite characters and objects, or silly books. Check out my list of the Best Books for 2 Year Olds here.

Related Post:  The Outstanding Benefits of Reading to Babies and Toddlers

3. PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE 

Your two-year-old is probably begging to do things on their own so give them these opportunities to learn, understand, and make mistakes (within limits, of course).

Of course they may not have perfected the skill yet, but the only way a child will learn these new skills is by doing it by themselves. You can help them to complete the task once they’ve already tried it on their own.

They should be increasing their independence in areas like:

• Dressing : choosing their own clothes, taking on/off shirt/pants with help, underpants/pull-up with help, shoes, and socks, and even learning the right way to put on items (backwards or forwards)
• Feeding:  using utensils with some spills, choosing their meals and snacks, opening containers, drinking from a straw cup regularly, and practicing with an open cup with supervision. I love these OXO utensils for 2 year olds as they have a good gripper and can really pierce the food, but if your toddler wants to be even more like mom and dad, these ones are great toddler utensils also.
• Brushing teeth and hair:   Teach them how to brush back and forth on their own and using a cup to rinse. My toddlers LOVE using an electric toothbrush like this one , especially the ones with their favorite characters.
• Cleaning up:  wiping up messes, putting toys away, bringing dishes, cups, & utensils to the sink when done, throwing away their garbage, and using a handheld vacuum to clean
• Hygeine : Blowing their nose, washing their hands, using a washcloth to wash themselves in the tub. Make washing hands and standing at the sink much easier by using stools and sink faucet extenders .
• Transitions:  Getting in and out of the car on their own, going up and down the stairs, ending one activity and moving to the next without complaining, turning on/off lights when entering/leaving the room

Be sure to model and show your childhood to do these skills the right way so that they don’t keep practicing something the wrong way.

4. PRETEND PLAY

Using their imagination opens up a world of fun and play for your toddler. This skill typically comes naturally as they copy and imitate what they see in the real world, in books, or on tv. They will use a combination of imagination and reality to copy the things they see daily , like these:

• Cooking in a play kitchen with pots and pans
• Hosting a tea party for their dolls and stuffed animals
• Feeding, burping, and changing a baby doll with play spoons, bottles, and diapers
• Talking on the phone with a play cell phone
• Playing doctor with a doctor or nurses kit
• Going shopping with a shopping cart and fake food
• Driving a car
• Sweeping, mopping , and vacuuming the floor

5. DRAWING AND COLORING

These are great fine motor learning activities for 2-year-olds . At this point, they should have moved past scribbling and be able to make some intentional marks on the paper, including a straight line down, straight line across, and maybe even attempt a circle. Of course, these may not be perfect, but they should get the concept of making intentional marks.

They’ll love coloring pictures, but getting them used to making marks will help improve their drawing and writing down the road. Print out pictures of their favorite characters or get a coloring book from their favorite tv show.

Also, you can draw or print out pages with letters so they can trace and get familiar with the alphabet.

I highly suggest  these finger crayons for the young ones.  They are perfect for little hands and promote a good grasp when holding the crayons.

If you’ve already started using markers, you have probably discovered that toddlers and markers aren’t a good match (unless you want a mural on your wall), so these Crayola Mess-Free Coloring Sheets are my absolute favorites!

The markers come out clear if they are used on any other surface besides the paper. On these special sheets, they’ll turn a color so your toddler sees the masterpiece that they are creating. They have so many characters available so I’m sure you can find a pack that your child will love.

6. NUMBERS AND COUNTING

Your 2 year old may be able to count to 10 (with some errors at times) from memory and maybe even higher with more practice. They can also work on recognizing and identifying those numbers and counting objects.

You can practice counting with so many different, everyday objects :

• count each step while you’re walking up the stairs
• count the number of French fries on their dinner plate
• count the number of toys in their bin

Numbers are everywhere so be sure that they are counting whenever they can.

The concept of one-to-one correspondence (one object is one number) comes later, but many toddlers can get the idea early on. Just show them how to point to each object as they count it and correct them if they start saying 2 numbers as they count one object or skip over objects when counting.

Related Post: 19 Activities to Introduce Counting to Your Toddler

7. LETTERS AND SOUNDS

Your child may already know many of the letters of the alphabet. They may be able to recite the ABC’s from memory (with some errors and help as needed). Now you can work on recognizing letters, as well as the sounds they make.

When talking about a letter, for example M: say M says mmm for mom. Always have them repeat you to etch it into their memory.

Be sure to have your child look at both uppercase and lowercase letters when learning . Most children are taught all of the uppercase letters first, however, the lowers case letters are the ones that they will see more often when they read or see words.

These name puzzles from Bloom Owl are a great way to get your child learning the letters of their name. They’ll love playing with the puzzle as they start to recognize the letters they see all the time.

By far my favorite resource for having your child learning letters and letter sounds is the Leap Frog shows on Netflix . They include Letter Factory, Phonics Farm, and more. If you have Netflix you can access these shows! My 20 month year old was reciting all of the letter sounds because he loves this show so much!

Related Post: Sticker Activity for Learning Letters

8. BUILDING

Building helps to improve your child’s hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. They’ll be able to use their imagination and creativity to create masterpieces and then knock them all down when they’re done.

This Melissa & Doug Alphabet block set  is great for small hands to stack. Two year olds also love Mega Blocks as they are perfect for stacking, putting together, and taking apart. My kids are obsessed with Magnetic Tiles and Bristle Blocks for building too.

These toys and learning activities for two year olds encourage imaginative play and let them problem solve and investigate the world around them. Tell them to build a robot, a tall building, or a table. They’ll love trying to come up with ways to make these items.

Puzzles are a great activity for fine and visual motor skills (hand-eye coordination). Having to fit a piece into it’s correct spot by turning and manipulating it is great for visual-spatial awareness.

Your 2 year old may still enjoy doing inset puzzles with knobs or pegs, which allow them to easily match shapes and items and fit the pieces in a spot. If they seem to have moved past simple inset puzzles, they may be ready to start with interlocking puzzles.

If you want to try out some more complicated interlocking puzzles try these to start. Also the name puzzles mentioned above are great to also enhance letter learning at the same time.

10. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND GETTING OUTSIDE

Two-year-olds are known to be pretty wild so you probably won’t need much coaxing to get them active. However, make sure they’re getting plenty of physical activity to learn new gross motor skills . These include:

• Pedaling a tricycle or ride-on toy
• Throwing/catching/kicking a ball

The best way to get them active is to give them lots of outdoor time . Take them to playgrounds to climb on the equipment as they offer so many opportunities for enriching gross motor skills. Take them for a walk and point out all the sights you see.

11. MUSIC, DANCE, AND RHYTHM

Children love rhythm and music so get them singing, dancing, and exploring their bodies with music. Put on music for them to dance to, sing along to their favorite songs with a microphone , or make their own music with  toy instruments like maracas, xylophone, tamborine, etc .

You can also make musical ‘instruments’ with so many household objects , like shaking pill bottles, banging wooden spoons, or filling plastic Easter eggs or water bottles with uncooked beans or rice.

Songs are also the best way for little ones to learn and memorize new concepts. Therefore, you can sing songs like the ABCs, head, shoulders, knees, and toes, or Old McDonald to learn letters, body parts, and farm animals, respectively.

12. POTTY TRAINING

Around 2 is the typical age that most parents decide to start potty training. Between 2 and 3, many children will be fully capable of using the toilet.

You can start gradually by introducing the potty and have them sit on it during different periods of the day when you know that they usually go.

Be sure to wait until they’re ready and don’t force it on them. You can start slow and steady with gently potty training to get them familiar or dive all in on a 3-day potty training binge.

Here are some great tips on potty training your toddler here.

13. SENSE OF TIME

This is something that may not come until closer to 3 and of course your two year old will not be able to tell time. However you can still teach them a basic sense of how much time is remaining or when time is over.

For example, when you say “5 more minutes left to play until dinner time” or “go brush your teeth in 1 minute,” They still won’t have a true sense of how long these increments of time are, but you can try to make them aware that 1 minute is quick, compared to 10 minutes or 20 minutes.

Before they fully have a sense of time, try setting an audio or visual timer when you need to show them when time is up. For example, when you say clean up in 5 more minutes, set a timer for 5 minutes to ring when it’s time.

We love the Time to Wake clocks for my toddlers. They let them know when it’s time to call for mom or get out of bed by simply turning a different color when it’s almost time to get up or when they should leave their room.

This is a great visual way for them to “see” and understand time.

Of course, safety is a crucial lesson to teach your child. This is the age where they will probably have no fear or understanding of dangerous situations. The following practices need to be taught and don’t just come naturally to your little one:

• not running away in public
• not running out into a parking lot
• stranger danger
• staying close to mom or dad
• being cautious when crossing streets
• holding hands when in public or outside
• sun safety: applying sunscreen, wearing hats

Speaking of safety for your little ones, the Whystle App is a great resource for all parents to have that tracks all safety information that’s important to your family. This includes product recalls for toys, food, and more that could promote dangers into your home. Download this app free on your phone and then there’s a free trial for the subscription so you never miss an important safety warning.

15. MANNERS AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS

Understanding how to properly treat others is a valuable trait to instill in your child. This goes for respecting both adults and other children. It’s important to teach your children how to use polite words and actions to show manners.

At this age, they are starting to test their boundaries and explore new ways of getting what they want. Instill rules for respecting others even through times of frustration.

• Saying  excuse me  when needing someone to move or get their attention
• Patiently waiting  for a parent to finish talking to another parent before chiming in
• Saying  please and thank you  shows consideration and appreciation
• Making  eye contact  when speaking to others
• Apologizing  when you do something wrong
• Share  their toys or items that belong to them
• No pushing, hitting, biting, or pulling hair to hurt others in any way

16. STAYING HEALTHY: GOOD HYGIENE AND EATING WELL

Teaching your child to practice good hygiene and healthy eating is great to start young . Build-in their hygiene routine throughout the day and they will become accustomed to this regimen. Eating healthy foods early on to set them off for a healthy diet for the rest of their life. These include:

• eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. Avoid: processed foods, unhealthy snacks, and sweets
• washing hands after meals and potty
• brushing teeth morning and night
• bathing daily
• keeping their clothes and body clean while they eat or play
• covering their mouth when they sneeze or cough
• blowing their nose into a tissue
• wiping their own privates after going potty

Complying with:

• brushing and combing hair
• cutting fingernails and toenails
• cleaning inside ears with a  child safety q-tip

Related Post:  How to Get Your Picky Toddler to Try New Foods

17. ACTING APPROPRIATELY IN PUBLIC AND UNDERSTANDING “NO”

Toddlers are very ego-centric (only care about themselves). It’s totally normal for them to only think about how things will affect them. This almost always leads to inappropriate behaviors as they learn what behaviors get them what they want.

Don’t always give in to every cry  and teach them that sometimes they can’t get everything that they want. Don’t always give them the cookie that they’re begging for or the new toy at the store. If they must get the object that they desire, make them earn it.

Teach your 2-year-old how to act appropriately to avoid tantrums in public. Try  putting rules in place  when you are out so they know what is expected of them. Always have a way to redirect or distract them when you see a tantrum starting (using something else they are interested in). Lastly, just avoid situations that could set them off.

This is a great article about  Tips for Cry-Free Shopping with Your Toddler

18. HAVING A ROUTINE

Your child probably already has some routine in place th roughout their day . However, you want to ensure that they are consistently doing what is asked of them so that they could even do it on their own if needed. The more structure that your child has in their day, the more they will start to understand time and a daily schedule.

I love using a  routine or responsibility chart (like the blue/green one on the right) so my toddler can have a visual cue of everything that is expected of her. Use  one with pictures  instead of just words, ( like this Mickey Mouse chart ), so your toddler actually understands what it’s for.

Here are some examples of day-to-day routines that you can create a specific pattern for:

• Bedtime: Brush teeth, go potty, wash hands, put pajamas on, read a story, go to sleep
• Morning: Go potty, wash hands, brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast
• Before naptime
• Pre-dinner wind-down time
• Cleaning time

Related Post:  Why Your Child Needs a Daily Routine and How to Make One

19. STAYING ON TASK

A toddler has a very limited attention span (unless of course, they’re watching their favorite television show). It’s only reasonable to ask them to focus on a task for around 4-6 minutes at this age. However, it is important for them to be aware that once they start a task they should finish it to completion.

My daughter loves to grab a puzzle and put in 3 pieces and walk away or sit down and read 2 pages and then walk away.

The goal of teaching your child to stay on task is to complete what they start.  Here are some tips:

• While playing with your child, make sure that they complete the entire activity, ie. puzzle or read through the whole book, before they get up and run around.
• If they’re coloring or building a tower, keep them engaged in that one activity for as long as possible before you let them move on to the next.
• During mealtimes make sure they remain seated and finish their meal before getting up and playing.
• Make sure they clean up one activity before moving on to the next

20. BEING A HELPER

Little kids LOVE to help grown-ups. They want to do everything that you’re doing because they’re starting to gain this growing confidence and independence. Invite them to perform tasks that they may not be able to do independently, but that they can help you with.

• Get the mail
• Take the trash out
• Refill the toilet paper roll dispenser
• Help with cooking: mixing, adding ingredients
• Carrying in bags or groceries
• Fill the dog bowl
• Entertain a younger sibling

21. TECHNOLOGY

Technology or screen time should be  limited  for toddlers to 1 hour a day, but it is important for your child to learn how to use these devices. The fine motor skill of swiping, clicking, and sliding to nagivate through tablets and smart phones are something that your 2 year old can easily learn.

Ipad  educational games like  ABC Mouse are great to sharpen a lot of the educational skills listen above, as well as practice using a tablet or smart phone. My toddler loves  ABC Mouse because of the wide variety of games and fun. She’s learning how to trace letters, numbers, make new sounds and words, etc. They’re giving a  FREE 30-day trial now  so sign up while you can!

Leapfrog Laptop  is also a fun interactive computer that toddlers can easily use and learn on.

Most of these skills can be accomplished at some point while a child is two (24-35 months old), but every child develops at their own pace. This article is not intended to skew your mind into thinking that your child MUST know these concepts.

However, if you are looking for learning activities to do with your child, ways to engage their mind, or knowledge to teach them, these are some great tips. Your child is NOT behind if they can’t adequately do all of these things, but if you are concerned, please speak to your pediatrician.

Have fun teaching your two-year-old and enjoy watching them blossom this year. They’ll be growing and developing before your eyes so don’t blink! Here are some more great learning activity ideas to do with your 2 year old.

Related posts:

Mommy Maker Teacher

From Pregnancy To Toddlerhood

75+ Best Educational Toys and Gifts for 2-Year-Olds

As a certified K-12 teacher, I am all about educational toys! My core value as a teacher was to “sneak the learning in.” I wanted to make learning so much fun that my students didn’t realize they were learning in the process!  So, I wanted to do the same regarding my own kids.

Now that I’m a seasoned toddler (boy) mom, I have also picked up a few tips for choosing the best educational toys for two-year-olds, which I’ll share.

Feel free to browse the list visually–that’s how I find ideas for my own kids–or read the little blurbs with each toy to see how I use them for teaching. Stick around at the end for important developmental milestones to look for at this age and my recommendations to meet them! 

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through one of these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for the support!

⚠️ SAFETY WARNING: Always supervise your children when playing. Many of these toys contain small parts that could be choking hazards. Do not play with toys with small parts if your child still puts things in their mouth. Anything that fits through a toilet paper tube is considered a choking hazard. Many of these toys are rated for 3+ and while my child is developmentally ready for them, your child might not be. Always read the manufacturer warnings and labels to understand age requirements.

Tips For Choosing Educational Toys

Often, I go to friends’ houses and see their dolls and trucks scattered all over the house while the puzzles, flashcards, and books collect dust on the shelf. It’s so important to carefully choose your educational toys with these tips in mind so that they become the *most* used toys in the house!

• Toys you want to play with: You will spend the most time with these toys. If you think it’s awesome, your kid will too. 
• Multipurpose: Find toys that can be played with in many different ways (I’ll give examples). 
• Your child’s interests: My older son (4) has always loved blocks. Instead of changing his interests, we broadened his idea of what blocks are. We have Magnatiles, Duplo, Lego, Squigz, Tinkertoys, Melissa and Doug construction blocks and MegaBloks.
• Brand trustworthiness and durability: If you’ve got a toddler at home, I’m sure you’ve been burned by discount toys that have broken within a few uses. At this point in my career and parenting, I go with brands I trust (you’ll start to see a pattern with my recommendations!) and opt for the most durable option. Educational toys are an investment , so you want them to last. 
• Ignore gender stereotypes: Your little girl might love dolls, and your little boy might love trucks, or the opposite might be true. At this age, it’s all about creating a well-rounded human who feels confident as an independent problem-solver, leader, and caregiver as they age.
• Variety: You shouldn’t expect to hear Beatholven on a mini piano at two years old… But you should explore music , science, art, and literature with your little one to tap into their uncovered interests and talents. 

Pro Tip: Looking for toys and activities for babies and toddlers of other ages ??

Check Out My Other Toy and Activity Guides:

• Activities For A 4 Month-Old
• Toys And Gift Ideas For 9 To 12 Month Babies
• Activities For a 14-Month-Old Busy Toddler
• Educational Toys and Gifts for 2-Year-Olds
• Outdoor Toys for 2-Year-Olds
• Airplane Toys for Toddlers
• Music Players For Toddlers

Side Story: I recently got weird looks at my son’s birthday party when his gifts were about nurturing. I got him a baby carrier for his doll, a feeding set (you know, those “magic” bottles), some doll clothes, and diapers. Of course, his other presents included Hot Wheels, Spiderman, and a GIANT garbage truck. He barely looked at my toys while we were at the party. And everyone assumed that he would never play with dolls, even if I wanted him to… But guess what? As soon as everyone was gone, the *first* thing he did was find his baby, put him in the carrier, and feed him a bottle. These are the nurturing skills that I want to teach my children! Regardless of what everyone else thinks ?. 

Books 

You might think your two-year-old has no interest in books, probably because you haven’t found the right ones yet!

My two-year-old is obsessed with books … But it wasn’t until recently. He discovered one of my older son’s Pop-Up Peekaboo books, one of his favorite things to do since. Before that, he would try and tear the pages or chew on the spines!

These interactive books captivate little learners.

• Huge, detailed pop-up displays.
• Cute story lines.
• Themes for all interests (animals, vehicles, trucks, holidays, and more).

The pages are filled with pokable dots (they remind me of the push tabs on soda cups!).

At 2-years-old these books are great for engaging toddlers and developing hand-eye coordination.

As your child ages, Poke-a-Dot books have hidden games and challenges to do (like counting, Eye Spy, and more).

• Every page has a unique texture to feel.
• Children are eager to turn the pages.
• Teaches kids about their sense of touch.

I love these lift-a-flap books because your toddler can hold on to them themselves without worrying about ripping or tearing the page.

Each page has a hidden object to find that goes along with the storyline.

• Doubles as a search and find.
• Lets children learn authentic sounds of animals, automobiles, nature, and more.

Puzzle books are new to the scene and so much fun for little kids.

• Move the puzzle pieces to their slots throughout the book and become part of the story.
• Use the book as just as puzzle.

Pro Tip: Get your books from the library! Especially if you’re not sure what kind your child likes. Check out a few different types, see what they like, and invest in that series. 

Puzzles 

Recently, I’ve been loving puzzles that double as other things (like that Melissa & Doug puzzle book!).

Puzzles can teach pattern and shape recognition, fine motor skills, and problem-solving. Puzzles can also be a bit boring for toddlers . Look at these puzzles that teach your kid all the skills while maintaining an element of play. 

• Use the magnetic spoon to pick up scoops and toppings and place the scoops into the cones and bowls! The cone and bowl pieces have slots to stick ice cream.
• Give your child custom ice cream orders and watch them make it.
• In the end, solve the puzzle to clean up!

Note: I was disappointed that the entire puzzle isn't magnetic (that would make storing it so much easier!). Only the ice cream scoops and toppings are magnetic.

• Fish with the included magnetic fishing rod!
• Practice colors and name recognition with your toddler ("can you catch the blue one?" or "can you catch the turtle?").
• When you're ready to clean up, complete the puzzle to put it away.

You might not think of Velcro food as a puzzle, but it is! Recognizing the shapes and colors that go together and connecting the pieces is what puzzles are all about.

Teach your child fine motor skills associated with cutting and preparing food as well.

This is a quality set and another example of a hidden puzzle. The menu lets your child see pictures and recreate the cones. They can also see which pieces fit together and which don't.

Coding and STEM Toys 

Do you wish you knew Javascript and or HTML? Me too! (although I’ve had to learn a lot as a blogger over the years). Teach your child coding and immerse them in science and engineering with my favorite STEM toys .

• These little guys are the cutest (see their fox and lizard also!).
• Create paths using PUZZLE pieces.
• Coding Critter will follow your path.
• Teach engineering symbols like straight lines, loops, turns, and wavy lines.
• Open-ended play: Coding Critter will follow any black line. Grab your masking tape and create tracks all around your house!

• Things I love: It's super-simple (only goes forward and only turns left), never runs out of battery, and is virtually indestructible.
• Things I don't love: It's super simple (yes, this was also something I originally loved!). Once my son got a little older, he outgrew this toy. I prefer toys that last a little longer. The range is short. Stand too far away, and your car won't go.

Final Verdict: Although my son outgrew this in about a year, I would still purchase it again. The simplicity made it easy for him to learn the controls in one sitting. The speed was perfect, and it is heavy-duty but never scuffed my walls!

I have to admit, I might have a little too much fun with this toy as a 30 year old woman!

Take the car apart and build it back together with the functioning drill.

Teacher Take: This drill wins over some of the others on the market because it has a novice-level drill bit that makes it easy for even little hands to operate.

It also has a reverse function (for taking apart or fixing mistakes).

Finally, you can use the toy car for pretend and imaginative play.

The fun of tools, without the worry of small pieces for toddlers still putting things in their mouth.

Teach your child how to use different tools and the motions associated with them.

Each card has a theme with several learning modes and games.

• Teach your child about touch screens and buttons without screen time.
• Only offer one card at a time to make the toy seem new and exciting for each user.

Note: This is not a toy that I own or have used. I found it online while looking for another toy. I think it's really awesome and might become a birthday present in the near future!

Musical Instruments 

• Strum mode lets you strum the strings like an actual guitar.
• Turn off strum mode and "play" pre-made songs.
• The buttons on the guitar neck play musical notes.
• Select between acoustic, electric, and "barking" guitar sounds.

My kids have a blast with this guitar. They can make their own songs or play along to existing ones!

If you haven't yet bought this for your child, now is a great time!

Not only does this double as a musical instrument and pull toy, but you can also practice colors by having them hit the colors as you say them. Teach them songs this way!

My kids can't get enough of this music player ( one of many we own ).

They can sing pre-recorded Cocomelon classics or sing their songs through Bluetooth. It teaches kids about music and singing for joy.

All of the fun of a drumset without the noise!

• Play the drums by hitting the pads with the drumsticks.
• Several modes allow your child to play their own songs, stick to a beat, recall patterns, and more.

We have an actual piano at home that my two-year-old loves to play. We can play simple songs together.

I love this kid's piano: It has color-coded keys matching the included color-coded songbook. The color-coded notes are shown on a lined sheet of music and identified with a color and letter. Kids can learn music notes by color first, letter second, and finally on sheet music.

I can't say enough good things about the Tonie player. It's a top music player for children, and they've now introduced audiobooks!

We have a Toniebox and a Yoto player . I love them both, and so do my kids.

The Toniebox is great for younger children with shorter attention spans (shorter tracks) and who are more clumsy (it has soft sides that land with a soft bounce).

• Buy character song soundtracks and audiobooks.
• Listen through the speaker or connect headphones.
• Creating your own characters lets you upload custom playlists with infinite possibilities.
• Record your voice and "read" stories to your child.

I have the Yoto Mini , but I recommend the Original Yoto player for children under 3. It's bigger and can sit on a shelf, vs. the Mini, which could be easily dropped or lost. We also have a Toniebox player , which we love, but Yoto offers more variety and customizability for parents.

• Listen to endless free content (daily podcasts and radio stations are free!)
• Create your own Yoto Cards with up to 100 tracks.
• Control the Yoto player remotely from the parent app.
• Connect headphones with a wire or Bluetooth.
• Set daytime and evening parameters (including turning it off after bedtime).
• Use it as a white noise player.
• Built-in alarm clock.
• Built-in okay-to-wake clock (lets children know when it's time to be in bed and when to get up with different colored lights).

Arts and Crafts 

Arts and crafts can be messy, time-consuming (to prepare and to make), and elaborate. OR they can be simple to set up, mess-free, and require no parental help. We enjoy both types of arts and crafts in my house, so I’ll give you my favorites for each!

Practice colors, shapes, numbers, patterns, and stringing beads with this kit.

Teach sewing skills with this lacing toy.

The board is velcro-like (although dust and debris don't stick to it ?) and comes with colored cords of different sizes that stick to it.

Tracing cards come with it, or you can use the blank cards to create your own design.

I love that the cards and cords are stored within the board, making it easy to store.

Paint sticks are so much fun!

They go on buttery-smooth and have a paint-like feel, but they are half as messy as traditional paint.

Does your baby Hercules have a habit of snapping ordinary crayons in half?

Or wind up eating more than they are coloring?!

These twistables have hard plastic outer shells, so no more snapping!

Some two-year-olds aren't ready to hold pencils and crayons. These eggs fit right in their hands and make for a traditional coloring experience.

Designed just for toddlers, these easy-grip markers teach proper finger placement.

Are all kids in love with markers? Or is it just mine!?

If your little one has mastered holding markers and you're ready for the real deal, these are my top recommendations because they don't dry out!

• Chunkier than standard dot markers (perfect for tiny hands).
• Washable (from a trusted brand!).
• 30 activity pages included to practice numbers, letters, shapes, and pattern recognition.

Pro Tip: Stock your craft supply kit with foam shapes, stickers, tempura paint, paint brushes, glue, construction paper, and more from Dollar Tree. They have a great selection of kid-friendly supplies for $1.25 each!

I could go on and on about how much we love Water WOW products from Melissa & Doug!

• Fill pen with water.
• Color pages.
• Watch the picture appear.
• Watch it dry and fade back to white.

If you're tired of your toddler dumping over paint pots or your paints always drying out, switch to Pop & Paint. It has a self-moistening paintbrush, eight paint colors, a palette, and a cleaning disk.

It's not the same as traditional paint, but we love this set for quick craft sessions!

Parent-to-Parent: I love the Crayola Mess-Free system much more than my kids. There is a 1-2 second delay between using the colorless ink, and it appearing on the special paper. For my oldest, this was a deal-breaker. He never created with these. For my second, he’s more receptive to it but prefers traditional coloring and painting. They make great travel activities that you don’t have to worry about making a mess.

• Color, paint, stamp, and doodle with water
• Colors appear when wet and disappear when dry

Teacher Take: This mat stands out to me from others because of all of the extras that are included: pens, rollers, stamps, foam shapes, etc. It's also from a brand that I know and trust. 

Sorting and Stacking 

Teach hand-eye coordination, building, balance, and more with blocks galore.

I love this toy so much.

• Stack the cars on top of each other
• Recognize colors
• Count how high the cars go
• Lift the exit gate and pull the cars out by the little pegs
• Match the car colors to the levels
• Play with the cars all on their own

Sort, count, and stack all in one.

• Learn shape placement and recognition
• Fine motor skills to put the pieces in the peg
• Teach body parts

• Practice stacking

Play with the animals in their barns to encourage pretend and imaginative play.

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Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit Review

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Blocks 

Are they creative toys? Engineering? Fine motor? Gross motor? Blocks are everything ! We have so many blocks that I think my head might explode. If you’ve never branched out beyond traditional blocks, you’re in for a treat!

WARNING: Many of these block sets have small pieces that are choking hazards. Remove any pieces that fit through a toilet paper tube. They could be choked on.

I am a huge Lego Duplo advocate and was even featured in Parent's Magazine with tons of ideas for ways to play and teach your child with Duplo.

Everything you need (including a storage case) to start building with Duplo. Dozens of designs that are ready to make or create your own! Encourage pretend play and imagination with all of the characters included.

Are they expensive? Yes.

Are they worth it? Yes.

The name brand is worth it here. Knock-off brands don't have the magnetic power for building. If you stack too many together, the creation will collapse from the weight.

I love our particular set because you get the car base, some road pieces, functional cranes, and spinning bases. These can be used as pictured or re-configured into your designs.

Pro Tip: When looking for Magnatiles for 2-year-olds, look for sets with mostly square shapes . Triangles are tricky to build, while even young toddlers can grasp building with squares.

Full Disclosure: We don't own them, and I've never played with them, but I see them all the time and think they are so cool as a block-alternative for children who aren't interested in traditional blocks. 

Trains are blocks, too!

They encourage problem-solving, building, connecting, engineering, and more.

We have all BRIO trains and tracks. Just like Magnatiles, I feel the brand is important here. We experimented with several other train sets that crack, splinter, or don't fit well together.

Nurturing Toys 

Let’s normalize teaching our children to nurture. Some might be naturally nurturing souls, while others think that baby dolls should be used to squirt imaginary explosive poop all over everyone–not that I’m talking from experience ?.

I don't know why this is rated 5+ (let me know in the comments if you know why!) . The bottle doesn't seem like a choking hazard to me. The leash is longer than 6", so it could be a strangulation hazard and should be monitored closely. But you could certainly remove the leash.

We LOVE this lamb. It reacts to being petted, asks for attention when lonely, and drinks its bottle. My boys love feeding her (her name is Toot ?) and listening to her burp!

This is rated for ages 6+, and I would use extreme supervision with a toddler doing this activity. You don't want them to eat the dirt or seeds. This would have to be an activity done largely by the parent.

Why I like this set:

• Teaches patience
• Nurturing (watering)
• You can see the plants growing (so it helps our impatient growers!)
• Teaches life cycles
• Teaches about cultivating food for eating

Care for sick animals and nurse them back to health.

Pretend Play

Your fondest memories of playing as a child likely involved pretend play. It’s a chance for children to let their imagination take over and be whoever they want to be. This type of imaginative play should start in children around two years old, but it may take longer for some. 

This also falls under nurturing: preparing food for people.

• Have your child prepare pretend meals
• Pretend to clean dishes
• Take orders from friends and family

Pro Tip: I'll use uncooked pasta or rice (if I'm in the mood to vacuum ?) and let them "cook" with it.

Let their imagination (and carpentry skills) soar with this fun workbench!

The power tools actually work and make sounds.

Toddlers love creating their own little spaces. Use it as a barn, a reading nook, or a place to be silly!

Melissa & Doug have dress-up costumes for whatever your child could imagine. Their costumes are well-designed and sturdy and come with fun accessories to let their imagination run wild.

There are Little People sets for every interest your child could have. It's great to teach them about new interests, careers, skills, and vocabulary related to the different sets. I love that these sets are open-ended with infinite possibilities to play.

This barn playset also sparked some early independent and creative play with my toddler. We also enjoy singing farm-related songs and making animal noises. I teach him to nurture the animals by feeding them and petting them ?.

Independence Tasks 

I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that your two-year-old loves to do everything you do. This behavior is adorable and can be great for teaching your child to become independent and self-reliable. Use these toys and everyday objects to teach young children to care for themselves, their surroundings, and others.

This sink has running water but you don't have to fill the reservoir if you don't want to. The accessories that come with it are too cute. Give your toddler some dishes of their own to clean.

You'll be happy to know that these toys aren't just for show! The toys actually function so your little one can help with household tasks.

Yes, this vacuum will suck up dirt and debris but don't count on it for doing any major cleaning.

Disclaimer: Ours was a different color, and the motor eventually burned out after two years of extensive daily use. We then bought the actual "Dyson" toy vacuum, and that broke after only a few weeks of use, so this is still my recommendation.

We have smaller bathrooms, so I love these folding step stools. They can be tucked away when not in use and easily moved from the toilet to the sink.

We've tried a few potty training seats, and this one seems to have the snuggest fit for our toilets. It's a trial-and-error thing!

We use these command hooks to hang a hand towel and their bath towels at toddler height.

Make brushing their teeth a fun experience with their favorite characters and a spinning toothbrush!

Pro Tip: Kids think washing themselves is a blast, and it’s life-changing when they can dress themselves and brush their teeth! You don’t need anything fancy. A few bathroom additions will set them up for success.

Get your little ones involved in real food preparation. I love this set because it has two wooden knife options to teach kids to cut soft foods (think banana, avocado, etc.). This set has everything they need to cook alongside you in the kitchen and will grow with them as they get older.

Mamas, idk if it's just me, but I LOATHE high chairs. When my little one was in a high chair, I felt like I was constantly cleaning clunky trays that got water all over my kitchen. We decided to replace our high chair with this booster seat, and we never looked back. I am actually in love with this seat for all of these reasons:

• It's plastic: no mystery crust and goop in the cushion crevices.
• It grows with your child: there are three height positions.
• It fits at the dining table: you can slide this seat under most tables so it is out of sight.
• Convertible: start your little pushed up to the table with a tray (like a high chair) and eventually remove the tray.
• Additional trays: the additional trays are $6 each and are dishwasher safe. We bought 3 extras (one for each meal of the day plus a backup), which was life-changing!
• Portable: easily take this on and off of any chair. The backrest folds down to save space. The feet are retractable to save space. It even comes with a tray lid to use your tray as a storage container.

Make your tiny tot feel like everyone else in the family with utensils that look like grown-up ones.

Just like with plates, our toddlers drink from glasses at mealtime. It's important to find glasses that are their size. A shot glass makes a perfect training glass when you're just starting with open cups!

Pro Tip: A wise mom once told me, never fill your toddler's glass more than you're willing to clean up. It's the best advice I've gotten for baby-led drinking .

You might be surprised to learn that my two-year-old sits at the table with us and eats from a glass plate and drinks from a glass cup at mealtime!

• Glass plates teach responsibility
• Grab plates that are 6-8" for two-year-olds
• These triple-layer plates are shatter-resistant

As the mom of a toddler who threw his plastic plates and high chair trays, I was hesitant to introduce glass plates as a part of baby-led weaning ... But we've never had an issue with him trying to throw a glass plate. They understand that glass plates are a privilege, making them more responsible at the dinner table.

Tips for Teaching Success

If you aim to teach your child skills and concepts with educational toys, here are my recommendations to get the best results.

Avoid Screens, Plastic, and Noise as Much as Possible 

You’ve probably noticed that most of these toys don’t make noise, don’t have screens (in fact, none of them do), don’t have buttons that light up, and are wood as much as possible. 

Don’t get me wrong, if you go digging in our toy closet, you’ll find all those things! You’ll even see my 2-year-old watching his favorite TV shows after nap while he wakes up and has a snack. It’s not that I’m against these things in general; it’s just when it comes to educational toys. 

Open-Ended 

Educational toys are most beneficial when they are open-ended. I was famous in my school for giving my students problems to solve that I wasn’t even sure there was an answer to! You’d be AMAZED at the things that children come up with when they aren’t given specific instructions, directions, corrections, or looking for a particular outcome. 

Today, your broomstick is a rocket ship; tomorrow, your books are building blocks; and on the weekend, it’s all hands on deck in the “ER” as your child performs surgery with their hard and screwdriver. 

Developmental Milestones For 2-Year-Olds

Remember that 75% of kids can achieve these developmental milestones for two-year-olds  by a certain age . Don’t be discouraged if your little one takes longer to master these skills. 

• Social/Emotional Looks at your face to see how you react. | Notices when others are hurt or upset. | Recognizes familiar people. | Happy to see other children. | Wants to be independent. | Shows defiance. | Has episodes of separation anxiety.
• Language/Communication Points to objects you name. | Says at least two words together. | Knows at least two body parts. | Uses gestures beyond waving and pointing (like nodding, shaking, etc.). | Follows instructions.
• Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving) Can use both hands at once. | Tries to use switches, knobs, or buttons. | Plays with multiple toys at once. | Begins to stack and sort. | Make-believe play.
• Physical ( outdoor toys are perfect for this) Kicks a ball. | Runs. | Walks (not climbs) up a few stairs without help. | Eats with a spoon. | Climbs up and down furniture.

My best advice? Let your child play without rules . It can be hard sometimes, but they will learn more by experiencing their toys and learning what doesn’t work independently.

My four-year-old would now tell you that brooms are for sweeping, books are for reading, and tools are for building. He figured this out all independently from learning and exploring the world on his terms.

Don’t damper their imagination by only allowing certain toys to be played with the “right” way. 

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The 25 greatest kids books of all time.

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American actor Alan Ladd reading to his daughter Alana circa 1948.

Children’s books are bodies of work that thrive on specificity. With just the right use of humor, wit, and alliteration, authors like Theodor Seuss Geisel, Lewis Carroll, and Margaret Atwood, among others, have created some of the best books for young readers of all time. The authors featured in this list have become successful because they understand that children need stories that provide comfort, teach valuable lessons, and capture their imagination. These authors recognize that children are drawn to characters they can relate to, adventures that excite them, and narratives that offer a sense of wonder and possibility. Here are some of the top children’s books of 2024 .

Top Kids Books

Many older readers who are now parents will agree that when it comes to well-known children’s books, most families have a soft spot for the classics . Books like The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, Green Eggs and Ham by Theodor Seuss Geisel, and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White represent different eras in time as they pertain to children’s literature. Regardless, they have remained childhood relics, passed on from one generation to the next.

The rankings for this list are based on reader reviews, legacy and critical acclaim. Authors like J.K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss, and Roald Dahl have consistently topped these types of lists because of their directional and compelling approach to the art form.

25. Where The Wild Things Are By Maurice Bernard Sendak

Some of the best children’s authors are good at what they do because they weave their craft into a real problem that their target audience faces. In Where The Wild Things Are , writer and illustrator Maurice Bernard Sendak tells the illustrative story of Max, a rambunctious young child who puts on a wolf costume and causes a mess in the home. His parents send him to bed without supper, and then the story unfolds. In this book, Sendak’s use of illustration captures the imagination of the readers, but he also sends a message about the big feelings young children face and how those big feelings can be normal and healthy responses to the world around them, as long as they are expressed appropriately. The book is available at HarperCollinsPublishers .

Which type of kid would like this book: Children who are 2 years old and older and enjoy being active and expressive would find this book validating.

Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel conducts Olive Knussen's "Where the Wild Things ... [+] Are" at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012.

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Wwe smackdown results winners and grades with stratton vs belair, biden trump debates what to know as trump pushes for 2 more faceoffs, 24. the giving tree by shel silverstein.

Shel Silverstein’s 1964 children’s picture book, The Giving Tree , became popular globally because of its polarizing storyline. In the book, Silverstein tells the story of a young boy who develops a close friendship with a tree, the giving tree. Over the years, the boy repeatedly returns to the tree when he needs a favor. Regardless, the tree continues to give until it is depleted. Several critics have viewed the relationship between the boy and the tree in Silverstein’s story as manipulative and even abusive, but it has remained one of the most recognized children’s stories of all time. The book is available at HarperCollinsPublishers.

Which type of kid would like this book: Kids between the ages of 6 and 8 who love being in nature will find this book fascinating.

23. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! By Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss makes his first entry on this list with 1957’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, a classic book about an ill-mannered and sour-tempered grinch who lives in the mountains alone, overlooking a merry town called Whoville. In fact, the Grinch is so unhappy with the merry residents of Whoville, the Whos, that he sets out to put an end to Christmas once and for all. What he will find, instead, is redemption from his gruff ways. The most important lesson in this book is that it teaches kids that often times, people who seem ill-tempered and angry just need to feel a sense of inclusion and belonging. The book is available at Penguin Random House.

Which type of kid would like this book: Kids between the ages of 3 and 8 who love Christmas-themed stories.

22. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom By Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is another children’s classic that uses creativity and engagement to make alphabet-learning interesting for children. The plot of the book revolves around the letters of the alphabet, which are personified as lowercase letters, climbing up a coconut tree. The rhythm and repetition throughout the book add an extra appeal that most young learners cannot help but enjoy. The book creates a fun and engaging read-aloud experience for parents, caretakers and their young ones. The story concludes with the capital letters coming to the rescue, helping their lowercase colleagues recover from their fall. Martin and Archambault teach an important lesson with this book: that learning does not have to be a bore. This book is available on Simon & Schuster and was published in 1989.

Which type of kid would like this book: Kids between the ages of 2 and 6 will love this fun and engaging book.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama read "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" to children ... [+] during the White House Easter Egg Roll on April 25, 2011 in Washington, DC.

21. Winnie-the-Pooh By A.A. Milne

One of the most endearing bears in fictional history is Winnie-the-Pooh. This classic story, published in 1926, introduces readers to the whimsical world of the Hundred Acre Wood and its charming inhabitants, including Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Tigger. The story revolves around Pooh’s simple yet memorable adventures, including his attempts to get honey and his playful encounters with his friends and the challenges that they face. Ernest H. Shepard’s iconic illustrations further captures the beauty and innocence of this story. Milne shows the purest form of friendship through this story. This book has since grown into a book series and is available at Penguin Random House .

Which type of kid would like this book: Winnie-the-Pooh is the kind of book that children who enjoy themes of friendship will love. This book is perfect for children who are between the ages of 3 and 8.

20. The Tale of Peter Rabbit By Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter ’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit is a classic children’s story that has fascinated readers since its publication in 1901. The story follows the story of a mischievous young rabbit named Peter, who lives with his mother and three siblings—Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail—in a cozy burrow. Readers will find Peter Rabbit’s escapades in Mr. McGregor’s vegetable garden compelling. Despite Pater Rabbit’s mother’s warnings to stay away from the garden, Peter’s curiosity leads him into trouble as he sneaks in to feast on the delicious vegetables. Potter teaches a valuable lesson with this book: it is always better to obey. The book is available at Penguin Random House .

Which type of kid would like this book: The Tale of Peter Rabbit is a good book for children who like adventure and are open to learning to be good listeners.

An assistant holds a first edition of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter at Dreweatts and ... [+] Bloomsbury Auctions on July 27, 2016 in London.

19. The Runaway Bunny By Margaret Wise Brown

Margaret Wise Brown’s The Runaway Bunny is a fan-favorite that Brown published in 1942, with illustrations by Clement Hurd. The story follows the love that exists between a mother and her child through the story of a bunny that decides to run away from home. In the story, the bunny tells his mother that he plans to run away, and his mother, responds by reassuring him that if he were to ever run away, she would follow him. This conversation inspires a series of imaginative scenarios where the bunny transforms into various creatures and objects to escape, but each time, his mother counters with how she will find and care for him in each situation. The story underscores the need for young children to feel loved and cared for, and through the story, Brown shows what a healthy bond looks like between a child and a caregiver. The book is available at HarperCollinsPublisher .

Which type of kid would like this book: This is a good fit for kids between the ages of 2 and 7 who appreciate knowing that their parents love them unconditionally.

18. Oh, the Places You'll Go! By Dr. Seuss

Leave it up to Dr. Seuss to inspire children to tap into their vast imaginations. Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a rhyming monologue that follows the story of a young protagonist who is embarking on an exciting journey. The story begins with the protagonist setting off on an adventure of optimism about the boundless opportunities and experiences that lie ahead. As usual, Dr. Seuss uses vivid, imaginative landscapes to show readers the different aspects of travel, from soaring high in times of success to navigating the tougher aspects of life. Dr. Seuss teaches a valuable lesson in this book: there is no limit to what kids can accomplish and even when life gets hard, the opportunities are still endless. The book is available at Penguin Random House .

Which type of kid would like this book: This is a good fit for kids between the ages of 3 and 7 who are inspired by their boundless imagination and the endless possibilities.

Tournament of Roses Association President Sally Bixby opens the 124th annual Tournament of Roses ... [+] Parade themed "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" on January 1, 2013 in Pasadena, California.

17. The Real Mother Goose By Blanche Fisher Wright

The Real Mother Goose series is a staple in Children’s literature that has been passed down from one generation to the next. The book contains an anthology of nursery rhymes and catchy songs for children of all ages that was first published in 1916, but has since become one of the most well-loved children’s books of rhymes of all time. Although the real identity of Mother Goose is not certain, the brand has had a generational influence on children's literature. Whether inspired by a historical figure or solely folklore, Mother Goose represents the timeless tradition of storytelling that continues to appeal to young readers worldwide.

Which type of kid would like this book: This is a good fit for kids who are newborn up to 6 years old and enjoy music and nursery rhymes. The book is available at Scholastic .

16. The Snowy Day By Ezra Jack Keats

Ezra Jack Keats captures the imagination of young readers through his book, The Snowy Day . The beloved children’s classic was first published in 1962 but has remained timeless because of its simple yet relatable storyline. In the book, Keats tells the story of Peter, who wakes up to find that there is a snow day. As Peter steps out into the snow, he delights in making tracks with his feet, creating snow angels, and building a snowman. He experiences the thrill of sliding down a snowy hill and the joy of seeing the world through new eyes. In this book, Keats leans into the perspective of his target audience, the young reader, and inspires them to keep living in child-like wonder. This is a perfect book for children between the ages of 3 and 8.

Which type of kid would like this book: This is a good fit for kids who love snow and are excited about playing outside. The book is available at Penguin Random House .

15. Three Little Pigs By Steven Kellogg

First published in 1997, Steven Kellogg’s version of the well-known folktale gives a hilarious twist to the adventures of the three little pigs and their encounters with the big bad wolf, Tempesto. Kellogg’s version of this story shows the three little pigs as business owners who are thriving at what they do—that is, until the wolf shows up. Tempesto is determined to ruin the lives of the three wolves, but they are even more determined to stick together in spite of the tough times, and that is ultimately what saves them. This engaging version of the classic tale teaches the importance of having a community, working hard and staying resilient.

Which type of kid would like this book: This is a good fit for kids who like engaging books with elements of thrill and excitement. The book is available at HarperCollinsPublisher .

American film producer Walt Disney holds a Mickey Mouse Club edition of the "Three Little Pigs" ... [+] story, circa 1955.

14. Madeline By Ludwig Bemelmans

Ludwig Bemelmans ’ 1939 book Madeline is a fan-favorite children’s book that follows the adventures of a spunky and spirited young lady called Madeline. The plot of the story unfolds in Madeline’s Paris-based boarding school. Madeline is part of a group of 12 girls whose story the book follows as they navigate life in boarding school. Madeline, the most petite in size and also the most daring of the group, navigates life with boldness, confidence and poise. This book is known for its coming-of-age themes and its emphasis on the importance of confidence and grit even in the face of challenges.

Which type of kid would like this book: Kids who are drawn to coming-of-age stories and are between the ages of 3 and 7 will enjoy this book. This book is available at Penguin Random House .

13. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone By J.K. Rowling,

First published in 1997, J.K. Rowling invites readers to the enchanting beginning of the globally renowned Harry Potter series. The book introduces readers to Harry Potter, an 11-year-old orphan living with his neglectful aunt, uncle and cousin, the Dursleys. His life changes dramatically when he receives a letter informing him that he is a wizard and has been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Harry enters the magical world, he discovers his true heritage and learns that his parents were powerful wizards who were murdered by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort. This piece of information forever alters the trajectory of his life.

Which type of kid would like this book: Kids who are drawn to coming-of-age stories and are fascinated by character-building will find this book engaging. It is appropriate for older kids between the ages of 8 and older. This book is available at Scholastic .

Christies auction house showcasing Harry Potter's magician's wand as used in "Harry Potter & the ... [+] Sorcerers Stone" on November 23, 2012 in London.

12. A Wrinkle in Time By Madeleine L’Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, published in 1962, is a science fiction novel that has all of the makings of a perfect book for older kids, including an imaginative plot and complex characters. The story follows the journey of Meg Murry, a strong-willed young girl, her younger brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe as they embark on a cosmic adventure to rescue Meg’s father from evil forces. The book has all of the heartwarming themes of unconditional love, selflessness and teamwork. This book is appropriate for readers between the ages of 8 and 12.

Which type of kid would like this book: Young readers who appreciate books with themes of science fiction will enjoy this book, which is available at Macmillan Publishers .

11. The Chronicles of Narnia Series By C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis created something special with The Chronicles of Narnia. The franchise, which includes seven fantasy novels, has captured the hearts of readers of all ages since the first book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe , was published in 1950. It is rare to see a body of work that manages to interest people of various age groups, yet, somehow, Lewis’ magical Narnia does just that by relying on universally appealing themes of adventure, friendship and the eternal struggle between good and evil.

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers with a palette for stories with universally compelling themes will enjoy this literal masterpiece. This body of work is available at HarperCollinsPublishers .

10. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory By Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl’s 1964 book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is arguably his literary crowning glory. The incredible world of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, filled with brow-raising inventions and quirky characters, has managed to leave an unforgettable impression on the imagination of readers who have passed it on to their children (and grandchildren). In this book, Dahl combined an acute ability to tell stories with humor and fantasy, creating a timeless classic that continues to impress both children and adults alike.

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers who like out-of-the-box storytelling will find what they are looking for in the world of Willy Wonka. This book is available at Penguin Random House .

9. Anne of Green Gables By L.M. Montgomery

L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables tells the story of Anne Shirley, an outspoken orphan with a wild imagination and a troubled childhood. Following the death of her parents, Anne is forced to move from one orphanage to another. L.M. Montgomery’s portrayal of Anne’s vibrant personality, her struggles to fit in, and her growth into a confident young woman gives the book a well-rounded perspective. The book’s strong character development makes it a well-loved read that many readers resonated with. Anne of Green Gables was published in 1908 and is available at Simon & Schuster .

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers between the ages of 8 and 12 who like to get a glimpse into the past, including the customs, lifestyles, and social norms, will like Anne of Green Gables .

8. The Cat in the Hat By Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat is one of the most well-respected works of children’s literature of all time. Dr. Seuss’ signature use of playful rhymes and storytelling skill sees the protagonist, the mischievous cat, turn a rainy day into an adventure for two children. The book underscores the importance of turning a negative experience into a positive one and acknowledges the importance of fun and creativity. The use of alliteration and rhythm, coupled with the vibrant illustrations, make it an engaging read-aloud experience for young children. Although the book was published in 1957, it remains a classic.

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers between the ages of 2 and 6 will enjoy all of the energy contained in this book, which is available at Penguin Random House .

American author and illustrator Dr. Seuss sits at his drafting table in his home office with a copy ... [+] of his book, "The Cat in the Hat" in La Jolla, California, on April 25, 1957.

7. Sulwe By Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o’s 2019 book Sulwe is a self-affirming picture book that addresses issues of self-love, acceptance and the importance of diversity. Through the story of a young girl named Sulwe, Nyong’o encourages children to embrace their unique sense of self and to feel worthy of love, acceptance and belonging. In a world where diversity and inclusion are controversial topics, it is important for children who are underrepresented to feel that they belong, and Nyong’o offers that.

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers between the ages of 3 and 8 who care about representation will enjoy the message in Sulwe. The book is available at Simon & Schuster .

6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle

Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar follows the journey of a caterpillar who transforms into a butterfly after consuming everything within his site in increments. The book’s vibrant collage-style illustrations and layout introduce young readers to the concepts of math, counting, days of the week and the life cycle of a caterpillar. Its interactive design also makes it a fun and engaging reading experience for young readers who are curious learners.

Which type of kid would like this book: Adaptive young readers between the ages of 1 and 5 who appreciate vibrant designs will enjoy reading this book. The book is available now at Penguin Random House .

5. Goodnight Moon By Margaret Wise Brown

Margaret Wise Brown’s calming Goodnight Moon has traditionally been a bedtime must-have for families for several decades. The book’s repetitive structure offers young readers an opportunity to calm down for the day. In this book, published in 1947, Brown offers children the calming, softer side of life and lulls them to a peaceful sleep.

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers three and older who enjoy soothing bedtime stories that appeal to their sensory system will enjoy this book. The book is available at HarperCollinsPublishers .

A diorama with Peeps based on the children's book "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown created by ... [+] MaryLea Harris of Fairfax, Virginia.

4. Matilda By Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl’s Matilda is the story of a brilliant, misunderstood young girl with neglectful parents and a power-hungry headmistress. Matilda’s intelligence and resilience seem impressive, but after getting attacked by a Trunchbull, she discovers that she has something even more impressive: telekinetic powers. Soon after she finds this out, her life—and the plot of the story— takes a drastic turn. Dahl’s dark humor, coupled with Quentin Blake’s memorable illustrations, creatively collide to create a book that addresses serious themes such as child neglect and the moral angle of good triumphing over evil. The book is available at Penguin Random House .

Which type of kid would like this book: Young readers between the ages of 9 and 12 who have a strong sense of justice from an early age will find this book compelling.

3. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll

Since its publication in 1865, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a timeless story of a young girl named Alice who tumbles down a rabbit hole into a fantastical world and discovers a vast world of zany absurdity. This book has become a cornerstone of children’s literature and has an undeniable and enduring legacy. Carroll’s whimsical imagination, strange characters and playful use of language have appealed to readers of all ages from one generation to the next, making it a classic. The book is available at HarperCollinsPublishers .

Which type of kid would like this book: Curious young readers between the ages of 4 and 12 who enjoy nonsense and creative freedom will find Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland appealing.

Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" as illustrated by John Tenniel.

2. Stuart Little By E.B. White

Who knew that a tiny mouse named Stuart would make such a big impression on so many children and their families? In this book, published in 1945, White blends everyday realism with fantastical elements, creating a fictional world where a mouse named Stuart can drive a tiny car and interact with humans on equal terms. This imaginative approach adds depth and charm to the story. Although he is born to a family of humans, lives in New York City, and has experienced lots of adventure, his biggest task comes when his friend Margalo the bird goes missing and he has to find her. In this book, White focuses on some of his favorite themes: friendship, love and loyalty. Stuart Little is available at HarperCollinsPublishers .

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers between the ages of 5 and 9 who enjoy stories that humanize animals will enjoy this book.

1. L ittle House on the Prairie By Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie is a cherished piece of American children’s literature that gives readers a vivid portrayal of the simplicity and straight-forwardness of frontier life. As part of the Little House series, this book recounts the experiences of the Ingalls family as they travel westward and settle on the prairie. Young Laura Ingalls is the protagonist and she does acts as a literary tour guide for readers, introducing them to the challenges, triumphs and simplicity of growing up in the late 19th century. Wilder teaches themes of family unity, friendship and hard work in this book. Although the book was published in 1935, it remains one of the most well-respected pieces of classic literature to this day. This book is available at HarperCollinsPublisher .

Which type of kid would like this book: Readers between the ages of 6 and 11 who are curious about what life was like over a century ago will love reading this book.

Bottom Line

The books on this list offer more than just entertainment; they provide young readers with the opportunity to read classics from different eras, face challenges alongside relatable characters and learn important life lessons in engaging and memorable ways. Whether they’re following Harry Potter into the magical halls of Hogwarts, cheering on the resilient Matilda, or furrowing their brows at Alice’s quirky experiences in Wonderland, these books create excitement, humor, and wonder, ensuring that young readers are not only captivated but also inspired to think, dream, and grow.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are good books for 3-year-olds.

The best things to look for in books for 3-year-olds are straightforward storylines and vibrant and engaging illustrations. Here are some good examples:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle (1967): This classic book uses rhythmic repetition and colorful illustrations to captivate young minds while teaching them about different animals and colors.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1947): This is the perfect bedtime story. The calming storyline, accompanied by beautiful illustrations, helps ease children into a peaceful slumber.

What Are Good Books For 4-Year-Olds?

The best things to look for in books for 4-year-olds are stories with predictable patterns as well as familiar daily routines and situations that they can relate to. Here are some good examples:

The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson (1999): This engaging story about a clever mouse outwitting predators with tales of a mythical creature is perfect for 4-year-olds because of its witty rhymes and eye-catching illustrations.

We're All Wonders by R.J. Palacio (2017): This beautifully illustrated picture book introduces the themes of kindness, empathy and acceptance.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963): This made an earlier appearance in this article, but this classic tale of imagination, this story follows Max's adventures in a land of wild creatures, celebrating the power of creativity and the comfort of home.

What Are Good Books For 5-Year-Olds?

The best things to look for in books for 5-year-olds are stories that are designed for early readers with simple sentences and familiar words that can build confidence. Some good examples are:

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (1985): Numeroff's delightful, circular tale follows the consequences of giving a mouse a cookie, which encourages older children coming out of their toddler years to think about the concept of cause and effect.

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin (2012): This is a fun story about dragons who adore tacos (but can’t handle spicy salsa) and offers plenty of laughs and much-needed food-related humor.

What Are Good Books For 6-Year-Olds?

The best things to look for in books for 6-year-olds are books that have a bit more text and illustrations which can be a good transition from picture books. Some examples are:

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (1952): This is a heartwarming story about the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte. It introduces children to themes of loyalty and sacrifice.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (1902): This book also made the list in this article. It follows the adventures and misadventures of a mischievous rabbit, featuring beautiful illustrations and gentle life lessons.

What Are Good Books For 7-Year-Olds?

The best things to look for in books for 7-year-olds are books that have longer chapters as well as engaging and complex plots. Some examples are:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (1964): This imaginative story of a boy's visit to Willy Wonka's magical chocolate factory is full of creativity and delightful characters.

Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park (1992-): These humorous and relatable stories about spirited kindergartener Junie B. Jones provides early chapter-book readers with unforgettable laugh-out-loud moments and doses of reality.

What Are Good Books For 8-Year-Olds?

The best things to look for in books for 8-year-olds are books with more complex language and sophisticated plots. Some great examples in this category are:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997): J.K. Rowling uses this book as a way to usher readers into the beloved and magical world of Harry Potter; a world full of adventure, friendship and bravery.

Matilda by Roald Dahl (1988):  In Matilda , Roald Dahl tells the inspiring story of a brilliant girl with telekinetic powers who overcomes the cruelty in her life by leaning on her superpower and tapping into intelligence and kindness.

What Are Good Books For 10-Year-Olds?

The best things to look for in books for 10-year-olds are books with detailed plots and well-developed characters. Some examples are:

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (2005): Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy with dyslexia and ADHD, discovers he is a demigod, the son of Poseidon. He sets out on a mission to prevent a war among the gods.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997): Harry Potter, an orphan living with his cruel aunt and uncle, learns on his 11th birthday that he is a wizard. He is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he discovers his true heritage, which changes his life forever.

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• black history

70 years after Brown v. Board of Education: 'No kid should ever be left behind'

HOUSTON, Texas -- Friday marked the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sparked the end of racial segregation in public schools throughout the country. While it changed the landscape of education in our country, historians and educators believe there's more work to be done.

Pearline Perkins just celebrated her 90th birthday last week, but her mind is still sharp. Born in 1934 and raised in Slocum, Texas, she remembers what it was like being a student at all-Black schools in East Texas during the 1930s and 1940s.

"Everyone was kept separate. We used separate bathrooms. We sat separately from white kids in the classroom. We weren't allowed to use the same books," Perkins said. "It wasn't until high school that many of the Black kids began to question things. These are institutions that wanted to teach us suppression and make us believe that we were less than."

SEE ALSO: 13 people who made a big impact on Black history in the U.S. and Houston

To understand why this was happening, we have to go back to the end of the Civil War in 1865. Resistance to the abolishment of slavery during the Reconstruction Era resulted in Jim Crow laws. In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that these racial segregation laws did not violate the Constitution as long as public facilities were "separate, but equal."

But Dr. Matthew Washington, who teaches history at Prairie View A &M University, explained that public schools were everything but equal for Black students during that time.

"Separate was never equal. Separate was usually a second class, if not third-class status for African Americans and then a first-class status for whites," Washington said. "African Americans had underfunded facilities, lack of transportation, less school supplies, and not as much money allocated in comparison to white students."

This was something Perkins says she saw first-hand, not just when she was a student, but also as an educator. After graduating from high school, Perkins moved to the Greater Houston area to attend college and begin teaching in the 1950s for North Forest and Houston independent school districts.

"White parents didn't want, for the most part, their kids to go to school with Black kids. I think some of them welcomed Black educators, but many did not," Perkins said. "When our Black students excelled academically, Black teachers were accused of cheating on test scores. The district constantly tested and retested."

Around the same time, the NAACP filed several lawsuits to challenge these segregation laws in public schools, which culminated in Brown v. Board of Education. Linda Brown 's father took legal action after she was denied from going to an all-white school in Topeka, Kansas, that was just four blocks from her home. Instead, she was forced to take a dangerous walk across railroad tracks and a bus ride to an all-Black school.

RELATED: Linda Brown, woman at center of Brown v. Board of Education, dies at 76

"These are just some examples to demonstrate further the ubiquity or how pervasive this racial prejudice system was," Washington said. "An important point many argued at the time was about this concept of gradualism, where integration would gradually happen over time. We saw many civil rights activists who said it's been almost 100 years since the end of slavery, and they've waited long enough. No more gradualism. They need immediate integration. It starts now."

In a rare move on May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, undoing decades of existing precedent. However, just like after the Civil War, there was still a lot of resistance and slow compliance to integrating schools, especially in the South. In fact, it took Houston Independent School District 30 years to officially desegregate.

"Historians use a framework known as massive resistance to integration that was seen throughout the south, especially the deep south. We saw resistance and efforts to stall integration from politicians to local organizations like the White Citizens Council," Washington said.

READ MORE: As HISD heads back to school, ABC13 anchor Melanie Lawson goes down memory lane in the 60s

As Perkins reflects on the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, she's grateful for the progress made to ensure equality and equity for students of all backgrounds. However, she believes there's still more work to do.

"No kid should ever be left behind. We cannot do it if we're fighting each other. But together, we can make it better and that's what I'm totally looking for. A better America for everybody," Perkins said.

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