Ever since our son turned three his curiosity started to peak and new, sometimes deep questions started to come up regularly. At first, I was simply picking up learning books for preschoolers that I felt should cover topics he should know at his age. But slowly as he began to express more verbally his interests came to the forefront. Now I shifted focus towards buying books on subjects he wants to know more about.
In the last post, I covered some of our favorite books at age 3. In today’s post, I will share details about some of the learning books we use and why we love these. Each of the books included on this list is my preschooler’s favorite. We have long discussions on the topics covered in these books and many of them have contributed immensely to his understanding of certain topics.
I divided these learning books for preschoolers in categories so that its easier for you to browse through the list.
THE BEST LEARNING BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOLERS
WHAT BOOKS SHOULD PRESCHOOLERS READ?
Alphabet books
A perfect book for toddlers and even preschoolers learning the alphabet. The beautiful illustrations grab the child’s attention. A great addition to any preschoolers library.
Montessori letter work – Bobby George and June George
A unique board book that provides an interactive learning experience for preschoolers. We bought this book on a whim when our son turned three, and it was an instant hit. The combination of traceable letters along with their sounds encourages little children learning to write.
Dr. Seuss’s Amazing Alphabet Book
A funny alphabet book for toddlers and preschoolers. From Aunt Annie’s Alligator to a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, it is fun to learn the alphabet with Dr. Seuss. The rhyming words and silly illustrations bring a big smile to my son’s face.
Number & Counting books
I love this preschool book by Usborne. It makes number counting, addition, and subtraction fun. Each page is filled with cute illustrations and a storyline that makes lifting the flap and counting a game.
This book can be used from ages 2-5.
Ten wriggly wiggly caterpillars – Debbie Tarbett
The 3-D caterpillars going on a journey through each page, make counting fun for preschoolers. There is lots to explore in this book and a wonderful surprise on the last page.
Books that encourage reading
Bob books Set 1 – Beginning readers
If your preschooler has just started learning phonics and blending words this book is the best to start with. The stories use simple three-letter word sentences for your early reader.
Each set covers a few letter sounds, gradually adding more and more sounds and increasing the complexity.
A must-buy book for preschoolers learning to read.
Even though our son cannot read yet, he enjoys these short stories and spots a few sight words here and there.
This series has been created by Usborne in consultation with reading experts and each book includes notes for parents on how to make phonics-based reading engaging for kids.
Books on shapes
First Shapes: Shape Search (Bob the Builder Concept Books)
If your child loves construction vehicles like mine, this is the book to get.
Bob the builder goes about building a house and you learn about the different shapes hidden in the house he builds. Each page comes with flaps for your child to lift and explore.
Usborne lift the flap shapes
Another one of my favorites and one of the best learning books for preschoolers. Usborne’s lift the flap book is a delightful and interactive book for preschoolers on shapes. Includes many spotting, naming and counting activities too. A wonderful book that can be used from age 2-5.
Books on Nature and Life science
We have this book for some time now and it’s my go-to read when my son has questions about plants and trees.
The story takes you on a journey with a tiny seed, as it travels a long distance through different seasons to finally grow into a beautiful plant.
This book is age-appropriate from ages 2 – 7. It gives the child a good understanding of the lifecycle of plants.
Usborne Peep inside animal homes
A delightful book for preschoolers showcasing different animal habitats and homes. One of our current favorite reads, our son loves flipping through the pages and talking about each animal home.
This year during the monsoon, we started observing all types of bugs on our walks. Our conversations seemed to revolve around what they eat? can they see us? etc these conversations encouraged me to buy a book on bugs.
Mad about bugs is the perfect book that introduces children to different types of bugs and simple facts about them. It helped our son identify some of these creepy crawlies on our next walk. He now has a newfound interest in all tiny living beings around him.
Appletree little hands series – Birds
Our son’s favorite book on birds. The pictures on each page are in a large size making it easy for the preschooler to identify different birds.
Discovery kids Moo on the farm 10 farmyard sounds
An interactive sound book that introduces children to the different animals found on the farm. Easy press buttons to hear the animal sounds make this book an engaging read for little ones.
RHS The Magic And Mystery Of Trees
An informative book on trees that pulls the child in with beautiful illustrations. A beginner’s guide of sorts about forests and natural ecosystems for little readers.
Books about the world
Ladybird I am ready to explore my world
We recently bought this book, after our son started asking questions about India and the countries around us.
I thought it was a good time to introduce him to a map of the world, different countries around us, how their flags look, and little snippets of information about each country.
This book includes all of this information for a 3-year-old to grasp in an easy format. He loves this book and learned a lot of new information through the book, things that I would have otherwise missed talking about.
Books about the body and body safety
Though some concepts like internal organs are difficult for our son to grasp at this stage, he found this book fascinating and had many questions about what he read. A great starter book to introduce the human body parts to children.
Health & Safety Rules – My Very First Preschool Book
This is an easy to grasp book for preschoolers on the subject of health and safety. Each page has a concept explained in short sentences accompanied by a large picture. This helps preschoolers understand the safety concept better. Covers topics on personal hygiene and safety around electrical sockets, swimming pools, etc.
Books on emotions
Duck and goose how are you feeling
In this book, Duck and goose help toddlers and preschoolers figure out how they are feeling and learn how to name emotions.
Trumpet the elephant – Jane Clarke
This book tells us the story of Trumpet the elephant. He cannot stop feeling angry and frustrated about the littlest reasons. His mother helps him figure out how to manage these big emotions in this fun read for preschoolers.
Books with morals
I referenced a few storybooks for kids that end with a good moral for little children in my previous post on books for 3-year-olds.
Age 3 is a good time to introduce Aesop’s fables. These are stories we all grew up hearing. This collection of value building stories makes for enjoyable bedtime reads.
The Golden Rule – Ilene Cooper
This book takes children through the meaning of the classic quote, ” Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. A beautiful story about a grandfather passing on his knowledge to his grandson.
You, Me And Empathy – Jayneen Sanders
The story takes us along with Quinn the central character who models empathy in different situations he encounters. A great book for children to understand about qualities like kindness and gives them phrases/sentences to use inorder to comfort others when in need.
Nursery rhymes books
My rhyme time: Five little ducks and other nursery rhymes
A collection of popular children’s nursery rhymes in a book form. The eye-catching illustrations are a bonus. I, personally like having a few nursery rhyme books on hand, as an alternative to playing the rhymes on repeat all day.
Activity books for preschoolers
We recently started using activity books for 3-4 year-olds. Here are some of our favorites so far.
Dreamland kids 1stactivity book
Wonder house books: My first super pack of pencil control and pattern
I will keep adding more books to this list as we move through the preschool years, so make sure to bookmark this page for a quick reference.
Leave me a comment below with some of your recommendations for learning books for preschoolers.
