Things to consider while selecting your kids’ books

With lots of books for kindergartners available in the market, it is quite challenging for both teachers and parents to select the right books. Many parents and teachers believe that only colorful books are appropriate for kids, while some prefer opting for books with simple texts. However, it is not necessarily that only colorful books or books with simple texts are good for kids. So, what factors should one consider while buying books for their kids? Let us find out the answer.

1. 1. Check the language

At the elementary level, children start learning and recognizing letters and then new words. So, the language of kindergartners’ books should be simple and clear. While checking the language of children’s books, consider the following points.

1. 1. • Prefer the books written in short and clear sentences. It will help children read aloud.
      • Consider the books having one-, two- and three-syllable words, and simple punctuations. These books are considered more effective in building reading habits, as children can easily read such books on their own and learn new words very fast.
      • Opt for the books putting emphasis on rhyming words and alliteration. While rhyming words help in developing your kid’s phonological awareness, alliteration will enable him/her to read clearly. Especially, if he/she stammers at the time of reading, alliteration texts will help him/her get rid of this problem.
   2. Book design

Apart from the language, the design of kindergarten books is also a matter of consideration. It is true that children usually dislike the books with sombre designs and colors. Therefore, for kindergartners, you should consider the books having

1. 1. • Not more than three sentences in every page as children have limited attention spans
      • Colourful pictures and illustrations so that children easily get attracted to them
      • Not more than 50-60 pages in total so that a child can easily hold/carry the books.
   2. Theme-based books

Theme-based books are found to be more appealing to children. Some commonly used themes in kindergarten books are ‘Animals,’ ‘Children,’ ‘Holiday-based Stories,’ ‘Daily Activities,’ ‘Vocabulary primers equipped with images,’ and so on. A significant aspect of these books is that children can easily relate to things in their surroundings. For example, if a book is based on the ‘Children theme,’ kids can easily pick up the words related to their daily activities, such as ‘play,’ ‘bath,’ ‘cloth,’ ‘eat,’ ‘sleep,’ just to name a few.

1. Activity-based books

Last but not the least; consider activity-based books for kids. If children get involved in various activities at the time of reading, it results in an increase in their retention power.