When this parenting gig slows down, you know, never, I'm making plans for my next career as a gift concierge. I could dream up gift lists for others for days. I take great joy in the mindful practice of finding just the right gift for someone. 

But until this new career really takes off, I'm going to bring my skills to the screen, like every other blogger out there at Christmas time. 

Up first, my most favorite way of gifting for children, the book and toy pairing. I love books, no secret there. I could gift books all day. And sometimes I do just that. Merry Bookmas family!

But for kids, I sometimes choose the book as a compliment to the toy. The pairing of a great story and the imaginative nature of a toy is the perfect recipe for development. One can encourage the other. When I want to explain something to my children, I pull out a book. And then as they sit down and play, I can hear them talking through lines of the story while lost in make believe. This is the kind of thing that someone like me geeks out about. "They're learning, by golly!!"

Here are some of my favorite book and toy pairings. Some I have gifted before. Others I may be gifting this year. Many take gifts from my Essential Toy Pantry, which is still relevant if you need a good place to begin for rounding out a child's playroom. 

Train

A simple book that I have read a hundred times over is the perfect match to any train lover. The colorful train stands out against the simple background. It makes you want to ride on a rainbow train too. This Brio was our first train in this house followed by many others. Another favorite are the CTA replicas, fondly referred to as "Choo Choo Bus" in this house which I think is such a great description, a train that acts like a bus. 

For another book recommendation, see also Steam Train, Dream Train for lullaby language or the classic Little Engine that Could. 

Blocks

You can never go wrong with blocks as a gift for a child. Every kid needs blocks, any and all kinds. If young, a classic wood set is perfect. You can never have too many. For older children, ask if they have a preferred set. Sometimes it works best to add to an existing favorite set rather than add in a new type of building set. But there are many cool ones out there so you can not go wrong if you want to be trendy. Our favorite still remains the magnatiles. 

These books are not necessarily about blocks but they are shaped like a big block. I love how each page interacts with the next. They are easy to hold and invite you to keep turning the pages. Have a dino friend in the house? The Dinoblock is both fun and educational. 

Chalk Box

Such a brilliant book that tells the many stories a box can become. The book depicts precisely the amazing imagination of a child, and the sometimes obliviousness of the onlooker (i.e. parent). Give this book inside of a GIANT box. Paint it with chalkboard paint and throw in some chalk. Let the child turn their box into whatever they can dream up. Kids like to play with the box anyway, right? Also, chalk is great for the parent fearful of drawing on walls. Just wipe away and its done. 

Animals

This is a new book to me but one I am hoping to add to our collection, especially with the 100 anniversary of the National Parks this year! We have these  extra large animals and I think they would make a great match to this book. For the restless reader (I have one) adding animals to the reading makes it fun and interactive (this tip could really be useful with all these book/toy pairings for the younger reader.)

Finger Puppets

I think I might hint to Santa that this needs to make its way under the Christmas tree. Pretty much the only animal sound Elliott likes to repeat is the Owl. And he uses it for every animal. This book is an award winner and the simple four words on each page sounds like the perfect before bed read. And how adorable is that finger puppet! There are so many more of these sweet little animals so if you have a different favorite book with a different animal, I bet you could find a finger puppet to read along too. 

Flashlight

Flashlights are one of those simple fun pleasures a child may never think to ask for but they can bring hours of fun, even if you aren't a camper. I really like this cute firefly but the flashlight doesn't need to be cute to be functional. We found this book this summer and I loved it, maybe more than the kids. The illustrations are captivating.

In addition, these series of books would be super fun paired with a flashlight. You shine the flashlight through the pages and it shines on the wall. Snuggled up together in bed, that sounds so cozy!

Glow Stars

Ever since sleeping under her Uncle's old high school bedroom ceiling still covered in the glow in the dark stars of his youth, Caroline has been asking for her own stars that glow. They made it on the Santa List. She means business. I'm hoping Santa reads her letter, and also pairs it with this great book by Oliver Jeffers. Anything by this author is fantastic. This is a great combo for the space loving fan. 

Balls

I have mentioned this book before, but it was probably one of the first books my difficult to read to child fell in love with. "Ball! Ball! Ball!" the only word in the whole book is repeated over and over in various ways telling the delightful story of a dog and his two loves, a girl and a ball. Every young reader should have this book and every young learner needs a ball, or six. These sensory balls are my favorite. But any ball of any size is fun paired with this book. 

Play Kitchen

We love pancakes around here. When I saw this book I thought it looked like so much fun. it will surely inspire some delicious cooking in the kitchen with some of my favorite children's toys. And you can pretend to enjoy it like I taught you in this post. 

Truck

Finally, every child needs a truck in their life. And I don't believe you can ever have too many. Any trucks by Green Toys are some of my favorites. And for the truck loving fans in your life, this book is the perfect addition. They can snuggle up with the new favorite truck and read of their love with their love. What a way to end the day, huh?

My list could go on and on. But I hope this gives you inspiration of your own when gifting. Or perhaps, just to look around the house at what toys you can pair with the next reading time. There are no rules. Happy gifting, playing, and reading!

From the very beginning, Caroline was a bibliophile. She would sit content for hours listening to story after story. Long or short she loved them all. Offering to read a book is nearly a never fail way to pull her out of a funk. She is the child who I find when it is too quiet among a pile of books lost in imagination. We would NEVER brag about our parenting skills or take credit for any of the darling and genius ways of our children. Accept for maybe sometimes in secret behind closed doors we might do a high five when no one is looking. Look what we are doing, we think. We are raising a genius, the next noble/pulitzer/grammy winning artist right there, all thanks to our stellar skills in fostering a love of reading. This parenting gig is really so easy.

And then second kid. 

It took me quite a while before I noticed something was different. I was, after all, still spending much of my day reading books to Caroline. In fact, book reading was my go to activity when stuck on the couch nursing. We read a book together every night, a quick read for Elliott, before Caroline would get her own private Big Girl book time, usually with Dad. If we were reading, Elliott was right there, so surely he was into it like Caroline always was. 

But then sometime around the time he became mobile, I noticed a lack of cozy lap book reading. In fact, I had to remind myself to read a book before putting him down for a nap because it was easy to skip over that part. He wouldn't go to the book shelf and pull down books. He wasn't bringing me a favorite book or flipping the pages. Bed time story time was actually more reading aloud to Caroline while Elliott crawled circles around or on top of us. I didn't make a big deal about it. 

But it did make me sad. 

A child who doesn't like books? What do I do with that? But he must! Or he will never get into college! He will fail in school and thus life and it will be all my fault!

Here is another example of a minor over reactive set back. Like the eating thing, I had to take off my mom hat for a minute and put on the therapist one. I had to stop and think, what would I tell my client in this situation, use my Intuitive Parenting. Because this was a VERY common theme with many of the children I saw. An active child with little to no interest in books leading to a stressed out and sweaty parent who JUST WANTS TO GET TO THE END OF THE BOOK for once. DOES THE BUNNY ACTUALLY GO TO SLEEP OR DOES HE KEEP SAYING GOOD NIGHT TO EVERY SINGLE THING HE SETS HIS EYES ON! SOMEONE TELL ME PLEASE!

Parenting is not one dimensional. Strategies that were easy with one must shift for the characteristics of another. So I relaxed a bit and started to look for the methods that worked. Here are a few lessons I have learned from my Book Avoiding Child (I wanted to say Book Hating Child but that seemed harsh.)

1. Read aloud while they are moving around the room.

This was my main style of reading to Elliott for nearly a year of his life. I read while he nursed. I read while he cooed. I read while he rolled, crawled, climbed and cruised around us. This passive reading at first seems like just that, a passive non engaging activity. What could they be learning? But even the process of listening is important for speech and language development. Have you heard of the Thirty Million Word Gap? Studies are showing that even the amount of words children hear throughout the day can make a big impact on their learning development. So he is too squirmy to sit with me? Let him roam. Read at the park while

they are swinging. Take turns between pages to tickle and jump. Movement is part of learning too and some children always need more. Meanwhile, I'll keep reading and building that vocabulary.

2. Read books that have BIG EXCITING sounds.

I first noticed a shift in Elliott's interest when I would pick up books that involved really dramatic reading. If I could make him laugh, he was hooked. The more contrasting and silly my voice went, the more he paid attention. He would anticipate each sound and rhythym of the story which would send him into greater giggles. I probably could have just read any book that way and it would have worked. But these books by Leslie Patricelli were some of our favorites: 

Being really really quiet and then really really loud worked every time. Every single page repeated the same inflection and this loud loving kid would get so excited for the loud sounds. Others by the same author use this style of contrasting elements, great for readers but also for learning concepts.

Also there is not a parent out there that doesn't have a favorite Sandra Boynton book. They are all very fun and silly and easy to use dramatic reading. Elliott is loving this one now because he thinks all my facial expressions are hilarious. 

3. Read about what they love.

I taught my child to read with this book. True story. Ball was one of his first words. He can spot one anywhere. I paired this book with a great set of balls for Christmas and he has loved both ever since. This book has one word throughout: ball. It is fun and sweet and although he certainly doesn't get the story, he will point to the pages in the book and repeat "Ball? Ball. Ball!" just the way we read it. Genius.

Finding a book that has your child's favorite thing of the week is a perfect way to catch their attention. Even if it is something SUPER annoying like a Paw Patrol character or something like that. Swallow your pride and pick up the book. I'm a snob for pretty and artistic books. But if he is interested, the book is doing its job. 

While way too gender specific for my liking, Elliott is also into the classic things that go. This book Go Go Go Stop is going on my wish list. I think it will capture his attention with the trucks while also being fun and dramatic to read. See #2.

And finally, one last pep talk, more for myself than anyone. These little ones have a mind and body of their own. Give yourself some grace. And trust, what seems like a forever stage will change before you even notice. For me, while I imagine for awhile book reading will not be the sweet and cuddly imaginary world escape that it is for his sister and I, my hope is with adjusting my method, and my expectations, Elliott will learn to appreciate what a story can bring. 

At the end of a long week, sometimes a simple snapshot is enough to remind me of what I am thankful for in this very moment

Thank you, God, for...

Spring flowers, like the ones popping up outside my door as a surprise visit during my first spring in this home. You have wooed me into a lover of spring and I shall never look back. 

Libraries, where one can get lost in the world of learning and imagination and insight, simply by stumbling out with an armful of FREE books.

Grandparents, (not pictured) who arrive at just the right time to allow for rare breaks in my day to visit said library CHILDLESS AND FREE.