[Oklahoma Mama]

My ds LOVES books and will even choose them over his toys. He will occasionally tear his books (usually not on purpose). His favorite book is covered with taped repairs. At what point do they usually attain the motor skills necessary to prevent ripping?

 

[puppytails]

Have you tried board books? Almost all of the classic favorites come in board versions (although you do have to watch out--a lot of them are shortened/dumbed down--one of my personal pet peeves). I keep a ton of board books at ds's level and keep the other books out of reach. From years of working at child-care--kids about 3 before ripping books (both accidental and intentional) stop happening--so any books that you don't want ripped have to be out of reach!

 

[mama_kass]

Mine also loves books over toys! Board books are essential at this stage of life. I really don't remember at what age ds#1 stopped wanting to rip paper.

 

[Parker'smommy]

My 19 month old ds is also an avid reader!! But- he has free access to board books only right now until he can be taught to respect paper books. He has a HUGE wicker laundry basket full of board books. We always find good deals at Costco where they will have a pack of books for $5!! I also have a weakness for books so I will buy them often. Most bookstores sell them. My ds faves right now are the Dr. Seuss books that have all the repetition in them. At 19 months he says the appropriate sounds to the correct pages of MR. Brown Can Moo!! ( sorry ...had to brag!!LOL) But I know other toddlers find these books amusing. He also loves the touch and feel books where he canpet teh kitten's fur,and whiskers, etc. Oh, and he loves flap books too, but I have to watch him with those sometimes!!

I'm not sure when he will be ready to read "paper" books on his own. We have a few from well meaning relatives and a few pop-ups that we reserve for special reading times. They are up on the shelf, and if he wants to read one of them, he knows that someone must read it with him. I just asked my mom and she said that we werent ready for paper books until 4 or so years old. Besides, the stories in regular books are usually too long for toddlers to keep interested in.

Good job in cultivating the love of reading early on!!!

 

[luckylady]

Hmmm - my DD is 18 mos and LOVES to read as well, but does not rip her paper books.

We have both board books and paper page books and she reads both fine and hasn't torn one - all of her books are in her bookcase for her to access any time. The only ones she does love to tear apart are popup books, so we don't buy those.

 

[ctdoula]

My 16mo old LOVES books too & has TONS. The only ones she rips are pop-up books

: waaayyyy too tempting :LOL Maybe you could let him have free access to inexpensive, not your favorite regular books, so just in case rips happen it's not a tragedy. Otherwise, I'd let him 'love' them (as the Usborne book lady called it)

Amy

 

[stafl]

My DD quit tearing her books when I quit repairing them.
I let her have free access to all of her books, but if she rips one apart, it stays ripped apart now instead of Mommy fixing it like I used to do.

 

[Pam_and_Abigail]

My dd has always loved books, and we keep both board and paper books on her bokkshelf, which she can access whenever she wants. She does rip paper sometimes, but our firm limit is if she rips it we take it away. A board book is usually put in place. I also buy books really cheap. I pick them up at the salvation army thrift store for 10 - 50 cents. She loves to flip through the pages of a big paperback novel. Even if she's no where near close to reading it, she still enjoys the feel of flipping.