How books can help toddlers to develop vital life skills

Published on: 09 August 2018 Author: Catriona Wightman

Recent research has shown that young children are often lacking basic life skills when they start school - but books could help both toddlers and parents.

From tying shoelaces to going to the toilet, brushing your teeth to speaking correctly, some children are struggling to develop basic life skills before they start school.

Recent research has shown that some children are beginning their school journey without having mastered a number of key tasks and abilities - but help is at hand.

BookTrust wants to help time-poor families and has suggested several books worth sharing with youngsters now to prepare them for starting school in September.

Covering everything from toilet training to wearing new shoes and going to the doctor, the booklist aims to encourage parents and carers to start conversations with their little ones.

Among the titles included are Tony Ross's I Want My Potty!, Can I Eat That? by Joshua David Stein and Zeki Gets a Checkup by Anna McQuinn.

'We know there are an increasing number of demands placed on parents and that they're busy all of the time but using books and stories as an opportunity to start discussions with young ones to prepare them for school can go a long way to help get them ready to start in the new term,' said BookTrust CEO Diana Gerald.

'If cost is a concern, then why not visit your local library or hold a book swap? There are so many great books out there to help get the conversation started so why not add these to your summer reading list.'

See the full life skills booklist

Download the full press release