Reading to a 3 Year Old

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: February 17, 2009

Are you stuck on what books you should be reading to your 3 year old?

I have a 3 year old daughter. She is so much fun! Since her birthday I have really noticed her vocabulary increase and her imagination take off and soar to places where I only wish I could go. She definitely likes to be in charge — and at story time she can be, being in control of choosing which books to read is really satisfying for her. The only role I play, besides doing the actual reading, is providing a selection of books for her to pick from that contain just the right amount of make-believe and/or reality for this very literal stage of life that she is in. According to a recent Pampers article I read, by Suzanne Dixon, M.D., M.P.H., “It’s helpful to read slightly more complex books to your child at this age. Look for ones with short sentences composed of lots of action verbs, adjectives, and nouns, associated with appropriate pictures and a strong story.” Dixon also says, “Three-year-olds adopt rituals to keep a sense of sameness and control over their world.” So don’t be surprised if you end up reading the same book over-and-over-and-over!

In case you are wondering, these are the books that are perhaps giving my daughter that sense of sameness and control over her world, right now:

Sleepsong

by George Ella Lyon

Puff the Magic Dragon

by Peter Yarrow

Wish Upon a Star: Whimsical Rhymes to Read and Sing

by Beth Gordon

Dear Zoo

by Rod Campbell

Posy

by Linda Newbery

Pinkalicious

by Victoria & Elizabeth Kann

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