One of my favorite things to gift my kids is books.
If you're like me, your house is overflowing with toys that rarely see much action. Once in a while, a few make their way to the living room floor, but we definitely have our go-to toys that always seem to be out.
In our home, the number one toy is magnet tiles. We use the Picasso Tiles brand because that’s what we started with, and I’m a loyalist who won’t mix and match brands. Ha! My boys turn these squares and triangles into spaceships, parking garages, skyscrapers, and zoos. What I love most about magnet tiles is how they always incorporate other toys. They add little Lego minifigures to the spaceships, park Hot Wheels in the garages, knock down skyscrapers in Nerf battles, and create zoos for their animal figures. If you haven’t yet, don’t skip out on magnet tiles for your kids!
The other non-negotiable in our home is Legos. I have a serious love-hate relationship with them. They’re amazing—the structures, vehicles, and scenes my oldest creates are mind-boggling! (Like, how does he come up with these ideas?!) But…Legos are everywhere. There’s always a tiny gray piece on the windowsill, a red brick under the coffee table, and way too many headless minifigure bodies on the stairs. I know one day, though, I’ll miss stepping on these tiny treasures.
I love watching my kids dive into these open-ended toys, but what I love even more is seeing them love a good book. If you didn’t know, I was a Kindergarten and 1st-grade teacher before I became a mom, and I’m passionate about surrounding my kids with books to fuel their imagination and curiosity. (And yes, it’s true—you can never have too many books!)
Here are some of my favorite books, organized by age group. If you pick one for your kiddo, be sure to write a sweet note inside the cover. It’s one of my favorite ways to leave meaningful messages for my boys that I hope they’ll cherish for years to come!
Babies
Any "Indestructibles" books
Babies can pull these, gnaw on these, ball them up in their hands, and THEY DON'T RIP. Literally, indestructible, and babies are being exposed to pictures and words and pages!
That's Not My... Series
These books from Usborne are great for allowing Baby to explore their sense of touch and curiosity for animals.
Poke-a-Dot Books
I love the "pop" sound that babies can hear as they poke the dots to count the animals in this book. There are many different themes, so you can choose the best one for your interests. This book definitely grows with your child as they get older, too!
Contrast Books
As you probably know, contrast books are great for eye-development for babies. I loved reading this one with my boys because it incorporates the sounds of the bugs, and each page adds the excitement of a metallic color in the illustration!
Toddlers
Sandra Boynton books
Any book by author Sandra Boynton will be loved by your kiddo, but one of our most read ones is Belly Button Book.
Little Blue Truck
Farm animals, a truck, a dump truck, a story of helping friends... what more could you want? I think we own all of the Little Blue Truck books, and they are all adorable and well-loved (especially the seasonal ones)!
Peek-a-who
Toddlers will love this peek-a-boo game as they can see animals peeking through the cut-outs in the page!
Training Young Hearts series
This is part of a board book series by Abbey Wedgeworth that shows young children how to use our hands, feet, eyes, mouth, and ears for God's glory through the use of interactive flaps.
Ages 3-5
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
What little boy doesn't love diggers? The rhyming stanzas in this one are catchy, even for moms and dads!
THE GRUFFALO
Rhyming words and repetition allow toddlers to predict what is going to happen next. Also, check out more books from Julia Donaldson like Room on the Broom and The Snail and the Whale.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
As a former teacher, I can't leave out this classic alphabet book. Kids will laugh as the letter struggle with funny injuries after falling out of the tree. It's a great way to casually introduce your child to letters during the preschool age.
5 Minute Stories
There are so many varieties of this, so it's easy to adapt to the interests of your child. My oldest started to love reading these with us before bed at this age. No promises that you won't be asked for a second story, though! Ha!
Ages 6-8
Who Would Win? series
Great for the kid who is interested in animals and competitions!
Magic Tree House series
I love to introduce reading aloud chapter books at this age. This is a great series to introduce some historical fiction to your child. The characters go on journeys to different time periods and events that have happened. It has sparked a lot of curiosity in my oldest.
Rosie Revere, Engineer
This is an empowering book that encourages creativity, teaches perseverance through challenges, and celebrating the journey toward accomplishing goals.
The Dot
Another book that inspires creativity at an age where many kids are capable of using their imagination to create wonderful, unique works of art. This is a great book to encourage this gift of creativity in your child!
Ages 9 & Up
Harry Potter series
Okay, full transparency - I have never read the Harry Potter series! But, my husband read them growing up and has reread the series several times during our marriage. We plan on reading this series as a family with our boys, and hopefully they can enjoy rereading them on their own at this age.
Holes
I remember loving this book at this age. A story of hard-work and building of character in this redemptive story of a boy who has unjustly been sent to a detention center.
Who Was? series
I love these introductory biographies for kids. They range from historical figures to pop culture figures, so choose according to your child's interests. There is also a What Was? series, too. I'm all about adding non-fiction books for kiddos.
Little House on the Prairie
Loved for many generations, this heartwarming series gives a look into the history of the America frontier.
I hope this list gives you some ideas on how to incorporate books into your gift-giving this year. I'm always looking to add some new ones to our shelves. What other books would you add to this list?
