Best Books for 2 Year Olds

This article was first written when my eldest son was two years old. At the time we loved reading together and we still do now. At 2 years old, he was normally running about like a mad thing so it was always nice when we sat down together and read. Reading with a two year old has lots of benefits. It improves language and vocabulary. I really noticed this with my son. Reading together really helped his vocabulary and aged 2, he used to repeat words and phrases from the books. It is also nice to have quality time with a 2 year old without any distractions. Additionally, toddlers who have adults that read with them also tend to do better when they start school. So, start reading with your toddler. It's not just for Moms and Dad. Grandparents, carers, friends and siblings can read with young children too. Here are some great books I would recommend for reading to 2 year olds.

Update - I now have a second little boy who was 2 in June 2013 and we are exploring many of the books below together. I have updated the article for books that he likes too. My eldest is now 6 and his teachers have commented several times that he has a wide vocabulary. I really believe this is down to reading to him from an early age so it's well worth the effort.

You can't really go wrong if you choose a book that has stood the test of time as it has been recommended by generations of children. Some of the books below are read at the toddler groups we go to and it is amazing how the young children will sit down, listen intently and join in the stories. They are great books to get your child joining in at home too. Here are a few top choice classic books below.

Toddlers love learning about animals and are fascinated by stories with animals in them. Reading books is great because they get to be introduced to animals they aren't likely to see in the street everyday. Here are some great books featuring animals.

An author that writes good books with animals for 2 year olds is Sandra Boyton. I have featured a couple of her books in this article. Two more to check out are Barnyard Dance and Pajama Time

Are you looking for a bedtime story for your 2 year old?

The best bedtime stories soothe your child and don't excite them too much. I find it's best not to read books that are too interactive or have children joining in at bedtime. Instead look for books with soothing rhymes and illustrations.

If I do read interactive books at bedtime I always try to finish off with a soothing book to calm my son down.

There are lots of them but here are two of my favorites.

There are some great interactive books for 2 year old. Both my boys loved books where they can lift flaps, touch and feel different textures, press buttons to hear sounds, pop up books, peek-a-boo books and books with puppets and figure puppets.

As well as the two books below here are a couple more to check out:

Peek A Who by Nina Laden - colorful pictures and simple rhyming texts help children guess what's peeking through the die-cut windows

One of the most popular interactive books are lift the flap books. Both my boys loved them. They enjoy opening the flaps. A word of warning - don't leave these books with your children on their own. My youngest has just ripped several of the flaps on one of his books. But with some supervision, these kinds of books really engaged my children

My son and I love Julia Donaldson books. Her stories are beautifully illustrated. The rhyming is brilliant and I don't get tired of reading her books over and over. Our particular favorites are The Gruffalo and Room on a Broom. These books are guaranteed to be favorites in your collection for a long time. These books do have more text so are better for older 2 year olds or those who have a longer concentration span

The Snail and the Whale is featured below but also check out The Gruffalo and Room on a Broom.

It's always worth checking out the bestselling books for kids to give you ideas of some great books.

The New York Times Bestseller List for Picture books is a good place to start. This changes from week to week. It's also worth checking the bestselling books on amazon.com too.

Here is a current bestseller at the time of writing.

Obviously I don't have any girls but I do have a niece and this was one of her favorite books that her mom used to read to her.

Are you looking for books for 2 year old boys in particular?

My youngest son who's currently two is mad on all vehicles (cars, trucks and trains) so any books that feature anything that moves is a hit. Goodnight Train is another one of his favorites.

Other ideas for 2 year old boys include Chugga Chugga Choo Choo and My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis.

Here is an article with some links to the best books for 2 year old boys in the UK. There are recommendations to books featuring UK TV characters including Peppa Pig, Thomas, Roary the Racing Car and Bob the Builder as well as interactive books and classics.

Does your two year old have a book that they love? Or do you have feedback on any of the books featured? Please feel free to add suggestions and comments below.