A bedtime story is a special ritual in the life of every family with a little one. Your child may never remember how many books you read to them or how many songs you sang during sleepless nights, but these moments will forever remain in your memory.
For your convenience, we have compiled literature for toddlers into handy lists and provided tips on what to read, how to read, and which books to buy.
How to Read?
Turn reading into a pleasant ritual. For example, do it before bedtime—always at the same time.
If you start reading a fairy tale to your child and they fall asleep, you will need to start from the first page next time, as it is still difficult for a child to combine different episodes of one story in their mind.
If your child asks to read the same story repeatedly, do so. This activity will cultivate a love for memorizing poems and stories.
What to Read?
Short Fairy Tales
Fairy tales help children imagine themselves in different scenarios and worlds, developing their imagination and creativity.
Poems (4−12 lines)
Poems often contain vivid and colorful language, which helps expand a child’s vocabulary and develop a sense of rhythm, the sound of words, associations of thoughts, and logic.
Books with Toy Characters
Animals and toys are still at the peak of popularity. But now, make sure there is interaction between the characters.
What to Buy?
Books with large and straightforward illustrations
Editions with creative materials: stickers to stick or pictures to color
Give preference to sturdy and inexpensive editions
List of Literature
"The Hare’s Hut"
"The Boasting Hare"
"The Animals' Winter House"
"The Kids and the Wolf"
"The Gingerbread Man"
"The Cat, the Rooster, and the Fox" adapted by K. Ushinsky
"The Winged, Furry, and Buttered"
"The Little Hen Ryaba"
"The Fox and the Wolf"
"The Fox with a Rolling Pin"
"Masha and the Bear," adapted by M. Bulatov
"The Bear and the Peasant"
"The Turnip"
"The Mitten"
"The Little Tower" adapted by M. Bulatov
"The Fox Ran Through the Woods with a Basket"
"Bubble, Bubble, Bubble, Little Carps, We Wash in the Basin"
"Water, Water"
"Geese, Geese"
"Rain, Rain, Pour More"
"The Hare Has a Garden"
"Living with Grandma"
"Hare Yegorka"
"We Know, We Know, Yes-Yes-Yes! Where You Hide, Water!"
"From Beyond the Forest, From Beyond the Mountains"
"Kitty-Murry"
"Tap Open, Wash Your Nose!"
"Who is Good Here?"
"Pat-a-Cake"
"Our Little Masha"
"Our Ducks in the Morning"
"Little Cucumber"
"Oh, Do-Do, Do-Do, Do-Do! The Raven Sits on the Oak"
"Little Rooster"
"The Kitten Went to the Market"
"Rainbow-Arch"
"Sunshine-Pitcher"
"Magpie, Magpie"
"Shadow-Shadow"
"The Little Tower"
"Chicky, Chicky, Chickadee"
"Boo-boo, I’m Horned," lit., adapted by Yu. Grigoryeva;
"Kotausi and Mausi," English, adapted by K. Chukovsky;
"Oh, You Little Hare...";
"Ragovory," Chuvash, trans. by L. Yakhnina;
"The Shoemaker," Polish, adapted by B. Zakhoder;
"Snegirek," trans. from German by V. Viktorova;
"Three Merry Brothers," trans. from German by L. Yakhnina;
"You, Little Dog, Don’t Bark...," trans. from Moldovan by I. Tokmakova.
A. L. Barto: "Truck," "Bear," "Our Tanya," "Airplane," "It Happened in January," "Who Shouts How," "Kid," "Bear-Cub the Ignorant," "Bathing," "Helper," "Little Ship," "Ball," "Bull," "Hare," "Rubber Zina," "We Didn’t Eat, We Didn’t Drink - We Made a Snow Woman," "The Sun Looks in the Window," "Flag";
A. L. Barto and P. N. Barto: "Crying Girl," "Dirty Girl";
E. A. Blaginina: "To the Naked Baby," "Having Lunch," "New Clothes," "Fire-Flower";
L. F. Voronkova: "Masha the Scatterbrain";
O. I. Vysotskaya: "We Come to Kindergarten," "Dandelion," "Flag";
E. G. Karganova: "The Sun Has Friends," "Hooray!";
T. L. Koval: "Toys for Boys," "Toys for Girls";
S. Ya. Marshak: "My Cheerful Ringing Ball," "New Clothes," "Gloves," "Hen Ryaba and the Ducklings," "White Page," "December," "Where Did the Sparrow Have Lunch?", "The Table Has Four Legs," "Cat's House," "The Tale of the Silly Little Mouse," "Bus Number 26," "March," "Green Page";
S. V. Mikhalkov: "The Song of Friends";
V. G. Suteev: "Bag of Apples," "Who Said Meow," "How the Man Tricked the Bear," "Chick and Duckling";
A. N. Tolstoy: "The Fox and the Crane";
L. N. Tolstoy: "The Three Bears," "The Cat Slept on the Roof";
K. I. Chukovsky: "The Miracle Tree," "Chick," "Beautiful Hen," "Fedora's Grief," "Little Fir Tree," "Tangle," "Fedotka," "Moydodyr," "Aibolit."
Fairy Tales for Toddlers: The Gingerbread Man, The Turnip, The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats, The Little House, Masha and the Bear, The Golden Hen