Lift, Touch, and Read: Active Books for Little Hands

"He won't sit to read!" is something I hear from parents of active kids who would rather be running around the yard than sitting down to read. I believe them; some kids (mine included) go through a stage when they just won't sit to read. Young children learn through their senses, and running, jumping, and grabbing at things offers some more opportunities to explore than sitting, looking, and listening does.

One piece of advice that has worked for me -- both as a parent of "that" kid and as a teacher of many toddlers -- is to find a calm time and offer an active book. Give your child a book he can fiddle with, explore textures, and move while he listens. Fidgeting and fiddling is seen as a lack of concentration for adults, but for many kids it will help them listen.

Here are some great books for your active reader:

Lift-the-Flap Format:


Peek-a-Moo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti


Where Is Maisy's Panda? by Lucy Cousins


Busy Airport (great for mixed ages!) by Gaby Goldsack


Where Is Baby's Belly Button? by Karen Katz

Touch-and-Feel Books:


My First Batman Book by David Katz


Diggers by Fiona Boon


That's Not My Puppy by Fiona Watt


Tails by Matthew Van Fleet

Does your family have a favorite active book? Share the title with me on Twitter @noflashcards or on the Scholastic Parents Facebook page.