Sometimes young children are just too full of energy to sit still and listen to a book. They’re like a basket full of puppies needing to wiggle, run and play. How will you ever instill a love of reading to your wiggly toddler or pre-schooler?

Here are some strategies that just might work for you and your little wiggler:

  • Choose naptime and bedtime as primary reading times. Your child is already sleepy and ready for a cuddly, quiet time.
  • Select short pieces to read– several short poems or nursery rhymes, or a book with few words.
  • Do interactive “reading” in which you spend a lot of time talking about the pictures and asking for your child’s responses. “What sound does that dog make? What color is that truck?” Just interacting with the pages of the book is a kind of reading.
  • Write a book about your own family. Make the reading time personal. Add your child’s favorite things– animals, toys, and be sure to add pictures and names of all family members.
  • Follow your child’s latest interest. Children love to read about the things they’re currently interested in. Maybe they have a favorite movie character or maybe they’re playing soccer and would enjoy reading a story about a soccer game.

Believe it or not, wiggly toddlers and pre-schoolers can listen to short pieces that reflect their interests. Short and sweet–that’s the key to reading with little wigglers.