Home Library Builder For 3-5: Great Job!

Dec 15, 2012

Ages

3-5

Preschooler girl with books

Dec 15, 2012

Great job! You're right on target for building the best home library for your 3- to 5-year old child. Here's why you're doing a great job, as well as some recommended resources for book titles and more.

1. How many books do you have for your preschooler?
Best answer:  Between 26 and 30 books is just right for kids aged 3-5. Children need opportunities to choose among their favorite books.  Your child will benefit by being able to select a book to be read to. Tony Baloney, the relatable Macaroni Penguin, will become a favorite with your child as you read about his first-day-of-school adventures! Here are some of our most beloved titles that are sure to please your little one.

2. What percentage of rhyming books does your child have?
Best answer: 30%. Rhyming books are especially important for children in the preschool years.  They help children hear the distinctions between sounds, and are wonderfully lyrical in nature. Help your child hear the distinctions between sounds with the dance-and-rhyme favorite, Giraffes Can’t DanceWe recommend these favorites for your child.

3. How many poetry books do you have in your library?
Best answer: 1-2.  Poetry is a natural language for young children, and special collections like Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends or Jack Prelutsky’s Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young combine children’s love for language and laughter.  You’ll want to read these other favorites with your child again and again.

4. What percentage of predictable books is in your child’s library?
Best answer: 50%. Predictable books, with their simple rhythm and rhyme patterns, let children anticipate what words come next.  Your child will continue to love these types of books since the lines and refrains are easily memorable. This board book version of the familiar preschool song “Rain, Rain Go Away!” will have your child singing along as they flip through illustrations of toddlers and stuffed animals in colorful rain gear! Check out some of our many favorite books of rhythm and rhyme.

5. How many wordless picture books do you have in your library?
Best answer: 1-2 wordless picture books make a great addition to your child’s library.  These books tell a story through illustrations alone, and can help your child “read” a story from pictures.

6. What percentage of concept books do you have for your preschooler?
Best answer: 30-50% is right on target. Concept books are especially important for preschoolers, since they help them develop basic understandings of categories like colors, shapes, and everyday signs. Teach your child about colors, shapes, and things that go with Away We Go! 

7. How many ABC and counting books are in your library?
Best answer: 2-3. Children will need to recognize letters and numbers, and there is no better way to instruct and delight them than these books. We especially love these lists that are chock full of titles your child will love: All About the Alphabet, 7 Great ABC Books, and Books as Fun as 1-2-3.

8. How many classics or folklore books do you have in your library?
Best answer: 5 or more is right on target.  Folklore, the wonderful body of literature handed down by word of mouth from generations past, continues to enchant young children.  Stories like The Three Little Pigs, Henny Penny, and Rumpelstiltskin should be a part of every preschooler's library. Check out our list of favorite fairy tales that are sure to please your child.

 

 

 

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