Making the Most of Book Time with Your Toddler

As a toddler parent, you’ve probably been bombarded with messaging about the benefits of reading. It promotes bonding, boosts language and literacy skills, supports social-emotional development, increases future success... the list goes on. And yes, it’s all true. The benefits of reading are vast and well-supported by research. But sometimes all that good news can feel like a lot of pressure. And just like toddlers under pressure, overwhelmed parents can end up avoiding book time, feeling guilty about it, and enjoying it even less.

Let’s change that. Here are five simple tips to help you get the most out of reading with your toddler and hopefully even enjoy it.

1. Say Less 

You don’t need to read every word on the page. In fact, reading it all can sometimes turn toddlers off because their attention span is often that of a distracted squirrel. And that’s totally okay.

Instead, try:

• Responding to what your toddler notices: “Yes! A truck! Big truck!”
• Labeling pictures: “Yellow duck!” “Quack quack!”
• Describing what’s happening: “The bear is walking!”
• Using sound effects like a dramatic narrator: “Beep beep beep!”

And don’t be afraid to ad-lib. You’re not skipping, you’re modelling language.

2. Point and Pause

Toddlers need time to process. Give them space to respond, even if their answer is just a grunt, a squeal or a serious stare.

Try pointing to a picture and pausing. If you’re met with silence, that’s okay! You can simply fill it in: “A banana. Yummy banana!”

The more you do this, the more likely your toddler is to start jumping in.

3. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

Yes, your toddler wants that book again. For the sixth time today. It’s not a glitch, it’s how they learn. Repetition helps toddlers soak up vocabulary, sentence structures and meaning. Try pausing for them to fill-in-the-blank. “Where is the green…?”

4. Follow Their Lead 

Your toddler may want to:

• Turn the pages out of order
• Hold the book upside down
• Lift every flap before the story starts
• Read one page 12 times and then walk away

Let them! Follow their interests and talk about what they want to look at. That’s how engagement (and learning) happens. Even if you never make it to the end of the story, don’t worry. Language grows through connection, not linear plot development.

5. Have Fun 

If you dread book time, your toddler will pick up on it. But if you’re relaxed and playful they’ll learn that reading is something fun to do with you.

And if all else fails? Narrate the chaos:

“BANG! The book hit the floor!”
“Oh no, another flap is torn!”
“Should we try again, or are we all done for now?”

Either way, you’re modelling language, tuning in to your child, and making books part of everyday life. 

In summary, reading with your toddler doesn’t need to look ‘perfect’. What matters most is connection, communication, and shared joy (even if it’s the chaotic kind). So go ahead. Say less, get silly, follow their lead, and enjoy the moment. You’re not just reading, you’re building a future reader who knows books are a way to connect, play, and learn with someone they love.