What sort of books do/did you read to your 2 yr old?

[Tokyotwist]

DD turned 2 a couple of months ago. At the moment she likes books that have about 1-2 sentences on each page like the Peppa pig books or sometimes books with a rhythmic pattern but not that many words.

Is this about average for her age or should I be trying some more challenging books.

TBH this is as much for me as for her. She always chooses the same books and I'm really bored of reading them now but don't want to push her if she's not ready.

Sounds OK for her. You could try other books and just discuss the pictures and generally follow the story, rather than read the text.

I remember DD liked nursery rhymes at that age whereas DS always wanted us to read a book about diggers and tractors. Just a few phrases on each page though and they both loved looking at the pictures.

My DS is 21 months and is obsessed with In the Night Garden Books which have to be read at every available moment! But he also enjoys books with different textures to touch, flaps to lift or buttons to press. He also likes anything that we can sing along to.

Mine likes Meg and Mog...basically the same as yours...mine is exposed to longer tales as I red to he r6 year old sister but she often loses interest...one she DOES love is called THe Last Noo Noo about a monster who hs to gie up it's dummy...that has longer sentences and more of them...I think the trick is finding illutrations and subjects which appeal.

Mine loved Hairy McLary for ages - I think it was the very repetitive nature of the words which helped them remember and chant along with me.

Owl Babies was also a real favourite.

ds2 (2.8) likes Alfie and Annie Rose stories by Shirley Hughes (he has one that has a CD with it and loves listening to that at bedtime)
Tiger who came to tea
Hairy Maclary
Tickle Monster
Room on the Broom,Gruffalo,Snail and The Whale etc
The Best Nest
Each Peach Pear Plum

My DD currently likes:

Tiddler
What the ladybird heard
The Gruffalo
Hairy Maclary
Peppa Pig

Why not try some more interesting books and if she looses interest then you know you need to wait a few months then try again. My daughter loves to be read to and I get very bored with some books so try to rotate them as much as poss. Glad we have such a large collection from charity shops/xmas gifts and there is always the library.

The Gruffelo, the snail and the whale, Room on the broom etc are always sure winners though for my 2.2 year old old. Mog stories, Blue Kangaroo and Elmer the Elephant books are also nice. My fave is You Choose by Nick Sharratt - few words but lots of discussion involved.

All the Gruffalo etc books

HairyMcLary

A book called Dig Dig Digging which all my 3 loved at a certain age....

Pants is very funny.

You Choose is a fab fab book for any age.

Oh didn't see that last poster had said You Choose!

Seriously, I always recommend it and it's still on our bookshelf. (youngest DC is 7)

DS2 (2.4) still loves simple books with just one or two lines per page, but is also starting to move on to Topsy and Tim and ladybird books like the Big Pancake. He also really enjoys DS1's ORT kipper books

DD adored the Blue Kangaroo books when she was 2-3. these

lovely suggestions, I had You choose for dd but she's grown out of it now but have just ordered it for ds2 who will love it!

Some great ideas here - certainly second the Julia Donaldson and Hairy McClary ones. Also the Shirley Hughes Alfie and Annie Rose. These are so beautifully illustrated that I always found tham a pleasure to read.

Also the 'Where's my Teddy' stuff - in fact anything by Jez Alborough. here. Like Hairy McClary, the rhymes are great. 'Eddy's Teddy's name is....FREDDY' (bellowed everytime by DD!)

You can read books with far more words. A couple of phrases will not help her vocabulary. Go for the Shirley Hughes books.

i love how Shirley Hughes finds so much interest in such tiny almost mundane things in everyday life. I could read her books all day, whether a child is present or not

Yep, the Shirley Hughes ones are just fab. She captures small children wonderfully. The first time I read Dogger to dd and he finds him I nearly cried - DD was over the moon. 'THERE'S DOGGER MUMMY - LOOOOOOKKK!'

Mog books very popular here (possibly because our cat looks a bit like Mog).

Charlie & Lola - they have quite a few words but she has seen them on tv so knows where the plot's going so doesn't get bored.

Meg & Mog

Flap books

Miffy

Sharing a Shell, Room on A Broom

another thought - DS2 loves Richard Scarry books. I thought they would be too sophisticated for him (bought them for DS1), but he really likes talking about all the details in the pictures

oh yes Richard Scarry is a firm favourite here too. Just so much detail in them.

Apple Tree Farm books are good too. My Mother bought them in a Church sale 20 books for £2 - bargain and my daughter loves them! There is a tiny duck to find on each page. Amazon do them in one book for £3.99!

DD went through a phase of always wanting the same books read although now at 4 enjoys the longer books and although still asks for them to be repeated she is willing to accept a greater variety - if that makes sense! I would say let DD carry on choosing her books - I know it is a bit boring for you! Maybe every so often introduce a longer book but it she gets bored quickly bring it to an end. I think all the above suggestions are great my DD enjoys/has enjoyed most of them. She also liked Spot the Dog.

The Zoo
The Very Hungy Caterpillar