Family Living


Our Top 15 Story Time Favorites for Your Preschooler

Family Living | March 26, 2020
story time favorites

Reading with your child is a wonderful opportunity for learning and bonding. You can use a good book to introduce new adventures, worlds, and concepts to your little one—without ever leaving your home! As you explore developmentally-appropriate books and online resources to share with your preschooler, here are a few of our favorites. 

10 Books to Read to Your Preschooler

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

Full of vibrant colors and silly descriptions, your child will love learning why dragons love tacos but shouldn’t—especially if the tacos include spicy salsa! This book is perfect for a good laugh and is sure to find a spot in your daily reading rotation.

The Way I Feel by Janan Cain

“Feelings are neither good nor bad; they simply are.” When you’re explaining emotions, this book is a great way to help your child to identify their feelings and give them a name. Preschoolers will no doubt gravitate toward the book’s expressive imagery and imaginative illustrations.

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

A soothing addition to your child’s bedtime routine, this sweet story about winding down for bed will lull you both to sleep. Its calming rhythm and colorful illustrations are sure to make Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site a bedtime favorite.

Counting With – Contando Con Frida by Patty Rodriguez

This book takes Spanish-language enrichment home, allowing your child to learn all about the iconic Mexican painter Frida Khalo, while absorbing Spanish basics. Your preschooler can learn vocabulary and numbers one through ten as they strengthen their language skills.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

This classic children’s story is an imaginative journey for you and your little one. Full of expressive language, Where the Wild Things Are is the adventure of a lifetime that you can take from the comfort of your bed or favorite reading chair. Join Max and friends as they follow their imaginations to new heights.

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Another bedtime favorite, Llama Llama Red Pajama is a great story to help children cope with the separation anxiety that sometimes comes with sleeping in their own beds. The book’s repetition makes it easy for preschoolers to learn the words, allowing them to recite the lines when they’re scared.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

With a sing-song rhythm and descriptive language, this book is sure to be a fast favorite. The colors, rhymes, and animals are easy for preschoolers to grasp the concepts and learn new vocabulary.

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon

“All the world is wide and deep.” This beautiful story explores the world, from the tiniest shell to the biggest ocean, showing the importance that each part has to play. All the World follows a family and their friends for a day, telling a story of love and compassion.

Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes by James Dean

Everyone’s favorite cat, Pete, brings a dose of fun to our storytime. This adventure follows Pete as he solves the mystery of who stole his cupcakes. With bold, colorful imagery, this book will engage your child as they learn about the importance of being kind.

Press Here by Herve Tullet

This interactive story guides children through a series of fun activities that help them explore the world around them. An experience of imagination, Press Here is an enthralling read-aloud book for preschoolers.

These ten books will take you and your child on a journey to laugh, play, and learn new skills. You can also use digital resources for story time. Here are five of our digital favorites:

5 Digital Story Time Resources for Your Preschooler

Storyline Online

An award-winning children’s literacy website, Storyline Online is the SAG-AFTRA Foundation commitment to education. The site features celebrated actors reading children’s books with creative illustrations.

ABCYA

For learning games geared toward reading and math, ABCYA is a fantastic resource that will support your child’s development from Pre-K through sixth grade.

Eric Carle

The official website of Eric Carle, author of the beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is an excellent library of resources for storytime learning.

Scholastic

Scholastic offers free daily curriculums through its website, teaching preschool through sixth-grade concepts.

Project Gutenberg

This online library holds more than 60,000 free eBooks for all ages. 

For more resources on childhood development, check out The Gardner School’s blog library, follow our tips through #TGSatHome on Facebook and Instagram, and follow us on Pinterest.