Great Books to Read to Infants and Toddlers
Approaches to Learning Activities
Lakeshore Learning: Boxes of Fun
Play in a Puddle on a Rainy Day
Daniel Tiger: Keep Trying, You'll Get Better!
Sticky Wall: Create a collage...
SENSORY
Homemade Moonsand: Recipe from Children's Museum of South Dakota
Approaches to Learning Book Recommendations
Goal AL-1 and AL-2: curiosity, information-seeking, and eagerness
- My Hands by Catherine Hnatov
- Fly! by Mark Teague
- Saturday by Oge Mora
- Hey Water! By Antoinette Portis
- Seeds Move! By Robin Page
- Asking Questions and Finding Solutions by Riley Flynn
- Stellaluna by Janell Cannon Storyline Online read-aloud
- Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
Goal AL-3, AL-4, and AL-5: initiative, effort, engagement, and persistence
- Jump, Frog, Jump by Robert Kalan The Art of Frog Jumping (1:24) video
- Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
- Waiting, by Kevin Henkes
- The Odd One Out by Britta Teckentrup
- Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones
- Giant Steps to Change the World by Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee
- Ginny Goblin is Not Allowed to Open This Box by David Goodner
Goal AL-6 and AL-7: risk-taking, problem-solving, flexibility, and resiliency
- Make a Wish Henry Bear, by Liam Francis
- Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems YouTube read-aloud
- Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems YouTube read-aloud
- “I Have a Little Problem,” said the bear by Heinz Janisch Book Nook Activity
- Don’t Push the Button! by Bill Cotter Sourcebooks Jabberwocky Activity
- The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Storyline Online read-aloud
Goal AL-8 and AL-9: play and imagination
- When A Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore Storyline Online read-aloud
- ¡Los Zombis No Comen Verduras! by Megan y Jorge Lacera Storyline Online read-aloud
- Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies! by Megan and Jorge Lacera Storyline Online read-aloud
- The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt YouTube read-aloud
All goals of AL
- Baby’s Busy Day Being One is So Much fun! by Ann Harrell English version Spanish version
- Where is Bear? A Terrific Tale for 2-Year-Olds by Libby Martinez CDC Printable book and activities
- Amazing Me It’s Busy Being 3! by Julia Cook and Laura A. Jana CDC Printable book and activities
- Zoom, by Istvan Banyai Youtube (mini video with sound affects only)
Social and Emotional Activities
Daniel Tiger: Daniel is Jealous
Daniel Tiger Goes to School: Separation
Strengthen Your Emotional Muscles: Video from Children's Museum of South Dakota
Expressing Feelings with Yoga: Video from Children's Museum of South Dakota
Cookie Monster Learns to Wait: Learning to be patient
Sesame Street: Name That Emotion with Murray!
Teaching Your Child About Feelings: Birth to age 2
Social and Emotional Book Recommendations
Goal SED-1: developing a positive sense of self
- Bear’s Picture by Danial Pinkwater
- Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems
- Mice Twice by Joseph Low Storyline Online read-aloud
- Ella Sarah Gets Dressed by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
- Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie
- Hey, That’s My Monster by Amanda Noll Storyline Online read-aloud
- A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon Storyline Online read-aloud
- I Like Being Me: Poems about kindness, friendship, and making good choices by Judy Lalli
- I Am a Cat by Galia Bernstein
Goal SED-2: developing relationships~~familiar adults
- Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney Book Nook activity Advina cuanto te quiero
- Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney Book Nook activity
- No Matter What by Debi Gliori Book Nook activity
- Baby Cakes by Karma Wilson Book Nook activity
- Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller Storyline Online read-aloud
Goal SED-3: developing relationships~~other children
- My Tooth is LOST! A Monkey & Cake Book, by Drew Daywalt
- Big Al by Andrew Clements Book Nook activity
- The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen Barnes and Noble activity
- I Like Being Me: Poems about Kindness, Friendship, and Making Good Choices by Judy Lalli
- When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden Storyline Online read-aloud
- No More Noisy Nights by Holly L. Niner Storyline Online read-aloud
- Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes Storyline Online read-aloud (ASL)
- The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister Storyline Online read-aloud Book Nook activity
- Drawn Together by Minh Le
- Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry
Goal SED-4, SED-5, and SED-6: self-regulation and pro-social behaviors
- Eat Pete! by Michael Rex
- Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale Storyline Online read-aloud
- When I’m Feeling…books: Sad, Angry, Scared all by Trace Moroney
- ABC Look at Me by Roberta Grobel Intrater
- Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi Book Nook activity
- Sometimes I’m Bombaloo by Rachel Vail Book Nook activity
- Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban Book Nook activity
- Glad Monster Sad Monster by Ed Emberley & Anne Miranda Book Nook activity
- Feeling Happy by Ellen Weiss
- The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
- See How I Feel by Julie Aigner-Clark
- When I Feel…books: Frustrated, Jealous, Happy all by Marcia Leonard
- How I Feel…books: Sad, Frustrated, Angry, Scared all by Marcia Leonard
- Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses by Kimberly & James Dean YouTube read-aloud
- The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
- I Am Not Scared by Anna Kang YouTube read-aloud
- Waiting by Kevin Henkes
- We're All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
- You, Me and Empathy: Teaching children about empathy, feelings, kindness, compassion, tolerance and recognizing bullying behavior by Jayneen Sanders
- Harrison P. Spader, Personal Space Invader by Christianne C. Jones and Cale Atkinson
- The Very Fairy Princess by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton
- The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer
Communications, Language & Literacy Activities
Center for Early Literacy Learning: Infant practice guides for parents
Center for Early Literacy Learning: Toddler practice guides for parents
Center for Early Literacy Learning: Preschooler practice guides for parents
Center for Early Literacy Learning: Guías de práctica en español para usar con los padres
Center for Early Literacy Learning: Practice guides for EC Educators, child care providers, etc.
Talking & Listening (birth to 33 months)
Make Time to Talk: Language building tips for Center-Based and Home-Based Child Care Providers
30-day Reading Challenge: Fun Ways to Read All Month Long
Storyline Online: Streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children's books alongside creatively produced illustrations.
Howard B. Wigglebottom: Streams videos of Wigglebottom books and lessons.
Literacy in a Bottle: Make discovery bottles to go along with children's books.
Let's Dance ABC!: Dance and learn sounds and letters.
Mini Alphabet Sensory Bins: Letter recognition & sounds and vocabulary building
Lakeshore Learning: Letter Sounds
Preschool Word Games: Interactive literacy online games for preschool.
Lakeshore Learning: Reading and concepts of print
Lakeshore Learning: Story Sequencing
Lakeshore Learning: Writing Prompts: Yearly calendar of writing activities.
Communications, Language & Literacy Book Recommendations
Goal CLL-3: communicating and oral language development~~ever-expanding vocabulary
- Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae YouTube read-aloud
- Skunks! by David Greenberg
- Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day
Goal CLL-4 and CLL-5: foundations for reading~~interest in literacy-based materials and comprehending information from books
- Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn Spanish Version YouTube read-aloud
- I Will Not Read This Book by Cece Meng
- Where’s Spot? (all) by Eric Hill
- I Like Books by Anthony Browne
- Snappsy the Alligator by David Harbour Storyline Online read-aloud
- Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp
Goal CLL-6, CLL-7, and CLL-8: foundations for reading~~concepts of print, sounds and phonological awareness, and knowledge of letters and alphabetic principle
- Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Beeke
- Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
- Maybe a Bear Ate It! by Robbie H. Harris
- Time to Say Please! by Mo Willems
- Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein YouTube read-aloud
- Word Family Books by Usborne: Ted’s Shed, Hen’s Pens, Shark in the Park, Sam Sheep Can’t Sleep, Mouse Moves House, Ted in a Red Bed, Goose on the Loose, Big Pig on a Dig, Fox on a Box, Frog on a Log, Fat Cat on a Mat, Toad Makes a Road all books by Phil Roxbee Cox & Stephen Cartwright
- LMNO Peas by Keith Baker
- Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: An Alphabetic Adventure by Doreen Cronin
- Alphabeep: A Zipping, Zooming ABC by Debora Pearson
- The Hidden Alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
- Eating the Alphabet, by Lois Ehlert
- The Handmade Alphabet by Laura Rankin
- Alphabet…books: Rescue, Adventure, and Mystery by Audrey Wood
- From Acorn to Zoo and Everything in Between in Alphabetical Order by Satoshi Kitamura
- Nursery Rhymes and Bedtime Stories
Goal CLL-9 and CLL-10: foundations for writing
- When Pencil Met Eraser by Karen Kilpatrick and Lois O. Romus Jr. YouTube read-aloud
- Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills
- Do Not Open This Book! by Michaela Muntean
- Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
- Henry’s Map by David Elliot
- Wallace’s Lists by Barbara Bottner and Gerald Kruglik
- Oliver’s Must-Do List by Susan Taylor Brown
- Invisible Scribble by Diane Alber YouTube read-aloud
- My Map Book by Sara Fanelli
- Little Plane Learns to Write by Stephen Savage
- Dangerous! by Time Warnes
Cognitive Development Activities
Play Ideas & Games: Cognitive (ages 0-12)
Math for Babies (0-15 months) and Toddlers (12-33 months)
Preschool Online Games: Interactive math thinking games for preschoolers.
Lego Patterns: Use Legos to make patterns.
Marshmallow Geometry: Use marshmallows and pretzels for making shapes.
M & M Science: Do an experiment with M & M's.
Lakeshore Learning: Colors, shapes, and sizes
Clifford: Big & Small? We can Sort it All!
The Ounce: More and Less: Math for Toddlers (1-3 years)
Learning4kids: Sorting Number Stickers
Color Sort Activity for Toddlers
PBS: Up, Down, All Around: Spatial Awareness
Young Mathematicians: Fun math games to enhance mathematics learning and persistence
SCIENCE
Science for Babies (0-15 months) and Toddlers (12-33 months)
Peep and the Big Wide World Science: Games, videos and more for learning science.
PBS: Sesame Street Science (Paper Towel Tube): Properties of a Tube, Tube Ramp, Measuring with Tubes, Tubes Sink or Float, Blowing Air.
Absorbing Experiments: Water table activity
Frosty Fun: Experimenting with "melting" and "time"
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIESLakeshore Learning: Our Community
The Ounce: Stem-Learning for Toddlers
Alike & Different: Daniel Tiger
Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government: Learn about the U.S. Government (ages 4-8)
CREATIVE ARTS AND EXPRESSION
Music & Dance (birth to 33months)
Cognitive Development Book Recommendations
Goal CD-3: construction of knowledge: thinking and reasoning~~reasoning, taking perspectives, decision-making
- Crab Cake: Turning the Tide Together by Anread Tsurumi (Taking care of environment)
- Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni Learning4Kids Activity
- Red, Blue, Yellow Shoe by Tana Hoban Learning4Kids Activity
- Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano Storyline Online read-aloud
- Fiesta! by Ginger Foglesong Guy (bilingual text)
Goal CD-4: mathematical thinking and expression~~Counting, how many, describe order, and compare
- More, More, More Said the Baby, by Vera B. Williams
- One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
- Beep Beep, Vroom Vroom! by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- Two of Everything by Lily Toy Hong
- One…Two…Three…Sassafras! by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- The Three Bears…The Three Little Pigs…The Three Billy Goats Gruff…The Three Little Kittens…
- Quack and Count by Keith Baker
- Five Little Monkeys…Jumping on the Bed, …Swinging in a Tree, …
- My Arctic 1,2,3 by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak & Vladyana Langer Krykorka (bilingual text-Inkutitut)
- Every Buddy Counts by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
- Ten Flashing Fireflies by Philemon Sturges
- Uno, Dos, Tres by Pat Mora (bilingual text)
- Cha-Cha Chimps by Julie Durango
- Eight Animals on the Town by Susan Middleton Elya (bilingual text)
- Ten Tiny Babies Karen Katz
- Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews
- My Signing Book of Numbers by Patricia Bellan Gillen (1-20 and 30-100 by 10's)
- One Moose, Twenty Mice by Clare Beaton (1-20)
- One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab by April Pulley Sayre & Jeff Sayre (1-10 and 20-100 by 10's)
- Let's Count by Tana Hoban (1-100)
- Count! by Denise Fleming (1-10, 20, 30, 40, 50)
- Ten Little Hippos by Bobette McCarthy (counting down 10-1)
- Twenty is Too Many by Kate Duke (subtraction from 20-1)
Goal CD-5: mathematical thinking and expression~~identify and describe simple POSITIONS AND geometric shapes
- Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins (Spatial awareness)
- Up, Down, and Around by Nadine Bernard Westcott (Spatial awareness)
- Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch, by Mary Peterson and Jennifer Rofe (Spatial awareness)
- The Berenstain Bears Inside Outside Upside Down by Stan Berenstain (Spatial awareness)
- Ollie All Over by Denis Roche (spatial awareness)
- Where's Spot? by Eric Hill (spatial awareness)
- Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh What's My Shape?
- Perfect Square by Michael Hall
- Round Is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes, by Roseanne Thong
- Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes, by Roseanne Thong
- Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban
- Skippyjon Jones Shape Up by Judy Schachner
- Circle Dogs by Kevin Henkes
- My Shapes/Mis Formas by Rebecca Emberley (bilingual text)
- The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds
- Shape Space by Cathryn Falwell
- Dots, Spots, Speckles and Stripes by Tana Hoban
Goal CD-6: mathematical thinking and expression~~compare, sort, group, organize, measure, and create simple patterns
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- 3 Little Firefighters by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle (patterns/sequence)
- A Pair of Socks by Stuart J. Murphy Mathstart activity
- You Are (Not) Small by Anna King (measurement/compare)
- Actual Size by Steve Jenkins (measurement)
- Big Bug by Henry Cole (measurement)
- Just a Little Bit by Ann Tompert (measurement)
- The Best Bug Parade by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- How Big is the Lion? My First Book of Measuring, by William Accorsi (measurement)
- Rabbit’s Pajama Party by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- Pattern Bugs by Trudy Harris (patterns)
- A-B-A-B-A—A Book of Pattern Play by Brian P. Cleary (patterns)
- The Napping House by Audrey Wood (sequence)
- Big and Little by Margaret Miller (measurement)
- Is It Larger? Is It Smaller? by Tana Hoban (measurement)
- The Button Box by Margarette S. Reid (patterns)
- A High, Low, Near, Far, Loud, Quiet Story by Nina Crews (compare)
- Missing Mittens by Stuart J. Murphy
- My Opposites/Mis Opuestos by Rebecca Emberley (bilingual text)
Goal CD-7: mathematical thinking and expression~~mathematical thinking and solving problems
- The Greatest Gymnast of All by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- Henry the Fourth by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- A House for Birdie by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- It’s About Time! by Stuart Murphy Mathstart activity
- The Rain Came Down by David Shannon Michigan State University activity
- Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan (mathematical problem solving)
- Give Me Half! by Stuart J. Murphy (mathematical problem solving)
- Peter's Pockets by Eve Rice (mathematical problem solving)
- The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins (mathematical problem solving)
- Now, Sooner, Later by Lisa Grunwald (time problem solving)
- 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story by Tara Lazar
Goal CD-8 and CD-9: scientific exploration, INVESTIGATIONS and knowledge
- I Spy series by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick (Observations and questions)
- Mix It Up by Herve Tullet (Predictions and questions)
- Freight Train by Donald Crews (Engineering) YouTube read-aloud
- Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (Living versus nonliving)
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Life cycles) YouTube read-aloud
YouTube read-aloud (ASL) (ASL)
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (Earth and sky) YouTube read-aloud
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats (Properties of matter)
- The Happy Egg by Ruth Krauss
- Rainbow by Marion Dane Bauer
- Rainbow Colors Peekaboo! by DK Mess-Free Color Mixing
- I Swapped My Dog by Harriet Ziefert (observations and investigations)
- The Marvelous Toy by Tom Paxton (observations and predictions)
- Tail, Toes, Eyes, Ears, Nose by Marilee Robin Burton (observations and predictions)
- Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee (observations and predictions)
- Asking Questions and Finding Solutions by Riley Flynn
Goal CD-10 and CD-11: social studies, family and community connections
- A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
- A Day with Dad by Bo R. Holmberg
- Con Mi Hermanol/With My Brother by Eileen Roe (bilingual text)
- And Tango Make Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
- Quackenstein Hatches a Family by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen Storyline Online read-aloud
- Annie Rose Is My Little Sister by Shirley Hughes
- Black Is Brown Is Tan by Arnold Adoff
- Please Please the Bees by Gerald Kelley Storyline Online read-aloud
- It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
- Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti by Anna Grossnickle Hines
- Every Year on Your Birthday by Rose A. Lewis
- Me and My Cat by Satoshi Kitamura Storyline Online read-aloud
- Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers
- The Family Book by Todd Parr YouTube read-aloud (ASL)
- Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
- Fred Stays with Me! By Nancy Coffelt
- Has Anyone Seen My Emily Greene? By Norma Fox Mazer
- Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion Storyline Online read-aloud
- Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
- Jamaica Tag-Along by Juanita Havill
- Taking a Walk: Caminando by Rebecca Emberley (bilingual text)
- In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall, African Americans Celebrating Fathers by Javaka Steptoe
- Lots of Grandparents by Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly
- My Hippie Grandmother by Reeve Lindbergh
- You Are Not Small by Anna Kang YouTube read-aloud
- On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott
- Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen Storyline Online read-aloud
- Quinto, Day, and Night by Ina Cumpiano YouTube read-aloud
- Trio: The Tale of a Three-Legged Cat by Andrea Wisnews
- The Ugly Five by Julia Donaldson
- I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll Storyline Online read-aloud
- We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
- Only One You by Lind Kranz Only One You activities
- Hello World! by Manya Stojic (hello in 42 languages)
Health & Physical Development Activities
HEALTH
Healthy Eating for Children: Veggies and Fruits of the month and healthy tips and articles.
PBS Snack Hacks: Fun healthy recipe videos while building science, reading, and math skills.
Lakeshore Learning: Healthy Choices
Teaching Handwashing: Tips and activities
Kids RECIPES
Caterpillars, Butterflies and Snails
LARGE MUSCLE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
Get Moving Today Activity Calendar: Monthly calendar of physical activities.
A Moverse Hoy! Calendario De Actividades
SD Department of Health: physical activity printable publications by age
Activities for babies and toddlers: Early start in motor skills for babies and toddlers.
Activities for kids: Motor skills for toddlers and preschoolers.
Sesame Street Healthy Habits for Life--We Have the Moves!: Fun movement activities, healthy habits at home, and learning connected to domains.
Play Ideas & Games: Physical (ages 0-12)
SMALL MUSCLE/EYE-HAND DEVELOPMENT
Fine motor activities using Pool NoodlesHealth & Physical Development Book Recommendations
Goal HPD-1, HPD-2, and HPD-3: physical health and growth
- Now You Know What You Eat by Valorie Fisher
- I Like and I Don't Like by Joshy's Storytime Productions YouTube read-aloud
- Good Enough to Eat: A Kid’s Guide to Food and Nutrition by Lizzy Rockwell
- Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
- Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies! by Megan Lecara Storyline Online read-aloud
- The Boy Who Loved Broccoli by Sarah A. Creighton
- N is for Nutrition by Todd Skene
- Me and My Amazing Body by Joan Sweeney
- My Amazing Body: A First Look at Health and Fitness by Pat Thomas
- The Busy Body Book: A Kid’s Guide to Fitness by Lizzy Rockwell
- The Things I Love About Bedtime by Trace Moroney
- Sleep Is For Everyone Reading is Fundamental Activities
- Good Night Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Bedtime Story by Mariam Gates Yoga Poses to relax
- The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
- A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na YouTube read-aloud
Goal HPD-4 and HPD-5: motor development
- From Head to Toe by Eric Carle YouTube read-aloud Reading is Fundamental Activities
- Clap Your Hands by Lorinda Bryan Cauley
- Move! By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
- Wiggle by Doreen Cronin
Goal HPD-6 and HPD-7: self-care, safety, and well-being
- Gorgonzola: A Very Stinkysaurus by Margie Palatini
- The Pigeon Needs a Bath! By Mo Willems
- A Duck Goes Potty by Michael Dahl YouTube read-aloud
- Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup
- Brush Your Teeth Please by Leslie Mcguire Reading is Fundamental Activities
- Open Wide by Laurie Keller
- I Don’t Want to Wash My Hands by Tony Ross
- The Ten Potato Scrub by Marjorie T. Cooke Scrub Club
- Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick
- Noses Are Not for Picking by Elizabeth Verdick
- Fight the Germs by Divya Mohan
- Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
- Fearless by Colin Thompson
- One by Kathryn Otoshi Book Activity