mother and child having fun while reading a book together

6 Benefits to Reading Picture Books to Your Toddler

Time to read 2 min

6 Benefits to Reading Picture Books to Your Toddler

The toddler years are some of the most exciting for parents. Your child is constantly curious, active, and intensely engaged in exploring everything around them. 


This is therefore an opportune time to include picture books as a nursery item essential for your child! You can find them pretty easily in baby shops or even online baby stores!


Below, let’s take a look at the benefits of introducing picture books to your toddler.

mother and child having fun while reading a book together

Expands vocabulary


A picture book contains both pictures and words, helping your child associate words with images. This helps to expand your child’s vocabulary and enables them to associate words with everyday life -- especially when the story is read repeatedly. 


In addition, the rhythm and rhyme used in these books are simple and fun to read aloud, allowing your child to have fun while learning. Picture books come in different languages too, making it a great way to teach your child other languages from a young age!

toddler girl having fun while learning letters

Improves visual thinking skills


Picture books give your child visual clues to help them understand and discover concepts better. By connecting the images to the words, they’re able to visualise what a red car means, or what a green bush looks like. 


Also, by reading to your child, you can help them understand the narrative of the book, which increases your child’s comprehension, imagination, and creativity.

mother and child playing together

Introduces reading in a fun way 


Picture books are a great way to spark a love of reading in your toddler. 


For them, looking at colourful graphics are fun and exciting, especially when they’re just learning new words. Once reading becomes a fun and positive experience for them, they can easily progress to chaptered books. 


You’ll know kids enjoy reading time when they ask you to read the same story over and over again. So to entice them to love books, let them choose books they’re interested in and read them together as often as you can!

mother and child reading and coloring a picture book

Encourages conversation


Reading to your toddler is also a good opportunity to build on conversation skills by discussing the story with them -- what happened in the story, how it happened, and who was involved. 


It also builds on other skills such as counting or naming colours out loud. All these, in turn, will help them advance in school.

young girl playing and talking to her toys

Provides a great bonding opportunity


Reading not only shapes your child’s mind, it also offers a great way for the both of you to spend quality time. To children, a parent’s voice is familiar and comforting. 


You can also use this to establish a calming and consistent nighttime routine by reading to them right after they’re tucked into bed.

father and child bonding together while reading a book

Boosts social-emotional development


Some picture books may explore real-life issues we encounter in the real world such as the art of sharing, making new friends, even taking risks. Others may even highlight cultural differences and acceptance. 


These are difficult topics to discuss with young children, but picture books can help simplify them through simplified language and captivating drawings. 


Plus, you allow them to be exposed to kind, gentle, and encouraging behaviour at a young age, making them more open-minded to these topics as they get older.

two young girls playing together and having fun

Books to explore for your toddler


It’s true that reading together has multiple benefits for your toddler. While you will only see its benefits later on, it’s better to expose them to materials that will help them develop both emotionally and intellectually from as early as 3-6 months, or when they’re able to fully focus on items!  


If you’re looking for an online baby store that encourages your child’s mental development, check out our website. In our baby shop, we have a variety of books available that can help kickstart you and your baby’s reading journey, such as Jellycat’s soft book about fruits and animals! 


Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, drop by our ware studio, or visit our virtual showroom to find out more!

young boy reading a book alone