Reading with Little Ones
The “Little Ones” years include:
- Babies (birth to 9 months)
- Toddlers (able to stand and crawling, 9 months to 3 years)
- Preschoolers (able to walk, 2 to 4 years old)
- Children in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten (4 to 6 years old)
During the Little Ones years children are building the skills that prepare them for when they begin to actively read on their own. Skills like recognizing the words they hear, simply counting, colors, shapes, letters, and some sight words. Each book in the Little Ones category is categorized into one or more of these subcategories listed above.
Children experience rapid development during the Little Ones years, which is the reason we break the book recommendations down into these multiple categories. The subcategories overlap – each child develops at their own pace.
Tip for parents: While children are in the Little Ones years, they will develop rapidly from one category of books to another. When this happens the best thing to do is to hang on to the books from the previous categories. It is enjoyable and beneficial for children to revisit books that are easier for them to read. Hold onto the books in the broad Little Ones categories until children become Independent Readers. At that point they will be willing helpers in removing Little Ones books they no longer want.
