1. family and parenting
2. babies and toddlers

Read,
Play,
Grow!
How to Encourage Early
Literacy Through Play
with Babies and Toddlers
Read, Play, Grow! is a program for babies and toddlers
at your Library that encourages development and
literacy through reading and playing.
Playing with your child is not only fun, it’s one of the most
important ways you can encourage development. As your
child’s first teacher, you are helping him or her develop
key literacy, cognitive and social skills. And you don’t need
expensive toys, just imagination and your child’s favorite
playmate—YOU!
In this brochure, you’ll find great tips to use at home. And
be sure to ask your librarian about enriching programs at
the Library that you and your son or daughter can enjoy!
You can also visit our website for more information:
www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/first5years.
Read, Play, Grow!
Playing with Babies
(Birth – 18 months)
Through play, babies are building a foundation for future learning. As you talk with
them, they develop language skills. As they play with rattles and watch mobiles, they
begin to understand cause and effect. When they reach for your face or toys, they
develop hand-eye coordination. And they build self-esteem as they see how much you
love to play with them.
As your child’s first teacher, you will discover the best games, toys and play times as
your baby grows.
Getting Started
• Play right from the start! Even a newborn can imitate your simple facial movements.
• Choose play times when your baby is alert and interested; an active gaze indicates
interest, but yawning, crying or looking away signal a need for a break.
• Encourage your baby to play with other adult friends and family members. He or she
will learn to be comfortable with different people.
• In addition to store-bought toys, babies may enjoy exploring safe, everyday
objects, including wooden spoons, plastic measuring cups and
empty boxes.
• Comment on what your baby is doing to help him or her
learn language: “You are shaking that rattle!”
Fun Activities
Shadow Dancing
Shine a lamp to project your shadow on a wall and let your baby watch you and the
shadow as you dance or exercise. Add music if you like.
The Baby Box
If your baby can sit up independently, place him or her in a box with the lid open. Play
peek-a-boo over a side of the box. Or cut out holes and push some soft toys or balls
through. To encourage language, say things like, “Here comes the red ball!”
Board Book Blocks
Don’t have blocks at home? Check out some chunky board books from the library and
let your baby stack those. Or line them up like dominos and show him or her how to
knock them over. Don’t forget to read the books together!
Peek-a-Boo Toys
Hide a favorite toy behind your back. Let your baby see the side you have it on, but
bring it out on the other side. Soon he or she will guess the side the toy will appear.
For older babies, hide a toy under a blanket and say, “Where is the teddy bear?”
Show your baby how to pull up the blanket on his or her own.
Baby Tubes
Use an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll to blow gentle puffs on your baby. You
can also use the tube to play tug-of-war, to roll across the floor as your baby sits up or
to hide a sock for a peek-a-boo surprise. Older babies can pull out the sock with a little
help from you. Don’t let your baby chew the tube because it could cause choking.
Read, Play, Grow!
Playful Stories to Share with Babies
The Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O’Connell; illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
Hickory, Dickory, Dock and Other Favorite Nursery Rhymes illustrated by Sanja Rescek
I Like It When . . . by Mary Murphy
More More More Said the Baby: Three Love Stories by Vera B. Williams
Mrs. Mustard’s Baby Faces by Jane Wattenberg
Ten in the Bed by Jane Cabrera
Ten Little Fingers illustrated by Annie Kubler
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox; illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? by Karen Katz
Woof-Woof: Baby Flip-a-Face by SAMi
You and Me, Baby by Lynn Reiser; photographs by Penny Gentieu
Read, Play, Grow!
Read, Play, Grow!
Playing with Toddlers
(18 – 36 months)
For active toddlers, everything they do is a learning opportunity! They learn balance
and coordination when you dance with them to music. As they repeat words you
say, they develop listening skills and vocabulary. When they turn the page of a book,
their fine motor skills grow. And when you roll or throw balls to each other, they build
sharing and social skills.
As your child’s first teacher, you will discover the best games, toys and play times as
your toddler grows.
Getting Started
• Playing is a great distraction when your toddler is upset; direct his or her attention
toward safe activities and toys.
• Make reading playful by picking fun books with flaps to lift, holes to peek through
and other interactive features. Perform actions or make sounds from the story. Let
your toddler set the pace; if you notice that he or she is distracted or irritated, it may
be time for a break.
• Sharing is a concept that takes time for children to learn. Playing games that involve
taking turns can help.
• Your toddler wants to do things independently; be patient and help when you see he
or she is frustrated.
Fun Activities
Time to Eat!
Give your toddler a small pot or bowl and a spoon so he or she can prepare dinner
alongside you. Talk about what you are making and encourage him or her to do
the same.
Sock It to Me
Roll socks into balls and show your toddler how to toss them into an empty basket;
soon he or she will follow your lead. Or sit on the floor and toss or roll them to each
other. You can also set up empty plastic bottles to knock down with the balls.
Walk the Line
Use masking tape, string or chalk to mark a path for you and your toddler to follow.
Add a curving path or music for more fun! Once he or she understands how to follow
the line, you can make it more interesting by jumping, hopping or crawling.
Rubbing Art
Place small flat items—leaves, flat toys, yarn or shapes cut out of cardboard—on a flat
surface. Tape a piece of paper on top of these items and rub a crayon over it, showing
how the image of what’s underneath appears. Write your toddler’s name on the paper,
saying each letter aloud. Do not use small items that could pose a choking hazard.
Cereal Box Blocks
Use empty cardboard cereal boxes or other boxes as blocks by taping the flaps closed.
Line them up like dominoes to knock down, build a tower or make a train of boxes. You
can also talk about the pictures, colors or letters on the boxes.
Read, Play, Grow!
Playful Stories to Share with Toddlers
Busy Fingers by C.W. Bowie; illustrated by Fred Willingham
Clip-Clop! by Nicola Smee
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed retold and illustrated by Eileen Christelow
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
The Noisy Counting Book by Susan Schade & Jon Buller
Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee; illustrated by Kadir Nelson
When I Miss You by Cornelia Maude Spelman; illustrated by Kathy Parkinson
Where’s My Sweetie Pie? by Ed Emberley
Who Am I? illustrated by Liz Murphy
Read, Play, Grow!
Read, Play, Grow!
For further reading about playing with your baby or
toddler, check out one of these titles from your Library.
Baby Minds: Brain-Building Games Your Baby Will Love
by Linda Acredolo & Susan Goodwyn
Baby’s First Skills: Help Your Baby Learn Through Creative Play
by Miriam Stoppard
Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children Really Learn—
and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less
by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, with Diane Eyer
First Art: Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos
by MaryAnn F. Kohl
Games to Play with Babies
by Jackie Silberg
The Power of Play: Learning What Comes Naturally
by David Elkind
Read It! Play It! with Babies and Toddlers: Building Literacy Through
Reading and Play!
by Joanne Oppenheim & Stephanie Oppenheim
Reading with Babies, Toddlers and Twos: A Guide to Choosing,
Reading and Loving Books Together
by Susan Straub & KJ Dell’Antonia
Toddler Play: 100 Fun-Filled Activities to Maximize Your Toddler’s Potential
edited by Wendy S. Masi
Your Baby & Child: From Birth to Age Five
by Penelope Leach
Read, Play, Grow!
Illustrations © 2004
by Kathy Parkinson from When I Miss You by Cornelia Maude Spelman,
reproduced by permission of Albert Whitman & Company
Many thanks to our program partners:
Center for Children’s Initiatives
Building Bright Futures for Children
This brochure was made possible with funds from the New York State Library’s
Family Literacy Library Services grant program. Read, Play, Grow!
is a program of BPL’s First Five Years initiative, which is supported in part
by a generous grant from the Altman Foundation.
4067.BR_(9.17.10)
The Committee for
Hispanic Children
and Families, Inc.