best books for preschoolers - importance of storytime

Every parent has been there. It's nearly bedtime, the house is finally quiet, and you crack open a picture book. Your little one shuffles closer, points at the pictures, and starts asking questions you weren't expecting. That moment small, ordinary, repeated night after night is doing something genuinely powerful for their developing brain.

Reading aloud to young children is one of the most well-supported practices in early childhood education. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends reading to children from birth, and the UK's National Literacy Trust has found that children who are read to regularly arrive at school with a measurable advantage in vocabulary and comprehension. Storytime is not just a wind-down routine. It builds language, sharpens listening, strengthens the parent-child relationship, and quietly lays the groundwork for reading readiness.

At Little Mowgli Nursery in Leyland, storytelling and language-rich play sit at the heart of the early years curriculum. This guide walks you through some of the best books to read at each preschool stage, and explains exactly what your child gets out of every shared story.

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Why Storytime Fosters Language Development in Early Years

Let's be direct about what the research says. Children learn words through repetition and exposure. The more varied and rich the language a child hears, the wider their vocabulary grows. Books, even simple board books, consistently expose children to words they would rarely encounter in everyday conversation.

A landmark study by researchers Betty Hart and Todd Risley tracked language development in children from age one to three and found that the number of words children heard directly predicted their vocabulary size and later academic outcomes. Books pack a lot of language into a short session. A single picture book read aloud introduces sentence structures, descriptive language, and rhythm that a typical conversation might not.

Beyond vocabulary, storytime also builds:

• Phonological awareness — the ability to hear and play with sounds in language, which directly prepares children for phonics and reading
• Narrative understanding — grasping that stories have a beginning, middle, and end, which supports comprehension later
• Attention and listening — sitting with a story, following a sequence, and waiting to find out what happens next
• Emotional vocabulary — picture books regularly name feelings, helping children understand and articulate their own emotions

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How Storytime Strengthens the Parent-Child Bond

Here is the part that often gets overlooked. Reading together is not just educational, it is deeply relational.

When a caregiver reads to a young child, they are physically close, making eye contact, sharing reactions, and responding to each other. Research published in Pediatrics found that shared book reading at age four was associated with greater parent-child closeness and reduced behavioural difficulties. The child feels seen and attended to. The adult gets a window into the child's curiosity and imagination.

At nursery, this dynamic plays out with key workers too. A practitioner who reads to a small group is building trust and connection as much as they are teaching language. That is why settings like Little Mowgli Nursery weave storytime throughout the day rather than treating it as an optional extra.

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Best Books for Babies and Young Toddlers (0–18 Months)

Babies are listening from day one. At this stage, you are looking for books with:

• High contrast or simple, bold illustrations
• Repetitive language and rhythm
• Soft textures or lift-the-flap elements
• Short, singable text

Top picks:

"Dear Zoo" by Rod Campbell — A classic lift-the-flap book with a simple, repetitive structure that babies love and toddlers quickly try to predict. Published by Macmillan, it has been a nursery staple since 1982.

"Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown — A quiet, rhythmic bedtime book that settles children through its gentle pacing. The familiar structure is genuinely calming.

"That's Not My…" series by Fiona Watt (Usborne) — Tactile pages with simple sentences. The sensory element keeps young babies engaged and supports early language pairing with physical sensation.

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Best Books for Toddlers (18 Months–3 Years)

Toddlers are starting to hold simple plots in mind, name things they recognise, and join in with repeated phrases. Books that mirror their world daily routines, big feelings, friendships work especially well at this age.

Top picks:

"The Gruffalo" by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler — Rhyme, repetition, and a satisfying circular story structure make this one of the most read-aloud-friendly books in the English language. Children can start joining in with the refrain after just a couple of reads.

"Each Peach Pear Plum" by Janet and Allan Ahlberg — A gentle I-spy game woven into rhyming couplets. It encourages looking closely at illustrations and introduces early nursery rhyme characters.

"Owl Babies" by Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson — A reassuring story about separation anxiety, told through three baby owls waiting for their mother to return. This one connects deeply with children who are settling into nursery school.

"Where's Spot?" by Eric Hill — Simple language, lift-the-flap suspense, and a relatable premise. Great for building vocabulary around prepositions like under, behind, and inside.

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Best Books for Preschoolers During Nursery Transitions (3–5 Years)

By age three and four, children can follow longer stories, predict what might happen next, and start connecting books to their own experiences. This is also the age when many families are navigating changes to childcare arrangements whether that means increasing hours, changing sessions, or working through a nursery notice period withdrawal. During periods of transition, familiar books and consistent storytime routines provide real comfort.

Top picks:

"The Tiger Who Came to Tea" by Judith Kerr — A wonderfully absurd story with a calm, matter-of-fact tone. Children at this age love the logic-defying premise and the illustrations reward repeated reading.

"Elmer" by David McKee — A story about a patchwork elephant who does not look like the others. It opens natural conversations about being different and belonging, particularly useful during transitions like starting or changing nursery.

"You Choose" by Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt — Not a story with a plot, but a magical book full of choices. Children spend ages pointing, debating, and imagining. It builds descriptive language and decision-making in one go.

"Mog the Forgetful Cat" by Judith Kerr — Older preschoolers love Mog's mishaps. The humour lands well at this age, and the illustrations are rich with detail to return to again and again.

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle — Still rewarding at four and five. It introduces sequencing, days of the week, numbers, and food vocabulary wrapped in a story that satisfies every read.

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How to Make Storytime Count: Practical Tips for Parents and Carers

Reading together is the goal but a few habits make it even more effective.

Read at a pace that invites questions. Pause when something surprising happens. Let your child notice things in the pictures before you turn the page.

Revisit the same books. Children ask to hear the same story twenty times because repetition deepens understanding. Each re-read, they pick up something new.

Follow your child's lead. If they want to stop and talk about a single illustration for five minutes, that is genuinely good use of time. The conversation is as important as the text.

Match books to moods and moments. Quieter books before bed, sillier books when they have energy to burn. Storytime does not have to be a formal sit-down event.

Ask open questions. "What do you think will happen next?" or "How do you think she feels?" builds comprehension and emotional awareness at the same time.

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Nursery Notice Period Withdrawal: Keeping Reading Routines Stable Through Change

If you are currently managing a change in nursery arrangements whether you are reducing sessions, switching settings, or working through a nursery notice period withdrawal, maintaining your home storytime routine gives children something consistent to hold onto. Research consistently shows that predictable, loving rituals help children manage uncertainty. A familiar book at the same time each day is a simple but genuinely grounding anchor during change.

The team at Little Mowgli Nursery understands that transitions can unsettle both children and families. Whether a child is starting nursery, leaving, or changing their schedule, continuity in language-rich activities at home makes a meaningful difference to how children adapt and settle.

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FAQs: Best Books for Preschoolers and Storytime

Q1: How many books should I read to my preschooler each day? 

Even one book a day consistently makes a meaningful difference to vocabulary and language development. Most early years specialists recommend aiming for at least one shared reading session daily fifteen to twenty minutes is enough to have a real impact when it happens regularly over time.

Q2: Is it better to read the same book repeatedly or introduce new ones? 

Both have value. Repetition builds confidence, deepens comprehension, and helps children internalise language patterns. New books expand vocabulary and maintain excitement. A good balance is mixing well-loved favourites with occasional new titles introduced each week.

Q3: At what age should a child start recognising words in books? 

Most children begin recognising some words like their own name or very common sight words between ages three and five. The goal of preschool storytime is not decoding though. It is language exposure, comprehension, and building a positive association with books and reading.

Q4: Can storytime help with separation anxiety when starting nursery? Yes, it can. Familiar books give children a reference point for their feelings. Stories like Owl Babies name the experience of being apart from a parent, which helps children feel understood. Many early years settings use books as part of the settling-in process for exactly this reason, particularly during periods of transition.

Q5: What does a nursery notice period withdrawal mean for my child's routine? 

A nursery notice period withdrawal means formally giving notice to change or end your child's place at a nursery. During this period, keeping consistent home routines including a regular storytime helps children feel secure through the change. If you are unsure about the process at your setting, contact the nursery directly to understand the required notice period and the steps involved.

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