Read It! Play It! with Babies and Toddlers

Wouldn't it be nice if babies came with instruction manuals? Many of us have used Penelope Leach or Dr. Spock or others. Their advice is supplemented by the Oppenheim's very easy-to-follow approach to playtime with books. The book develops suggestions for a basic library of laptime reading fun - and each entry is followed up with games and songs to play with your child. I also recommend it as a gift for grandparents and non-parents (like friends who may not yet have kids) who may be looking for ways to interact with your new child, because the advice here is very practical, taking a common-sense approach. The book list also forms the basis of a great gift guide for infants and toddlers.

What better way to get your child reading, then by the Read IT Play it books. You can read the books with your children and then do the activities. I love these books. I have shared a couple of these books with the teachers at my daughters pre-school and they have now adopted them. They are reading the books appropriate for their lessons, and then doing the activities. Then the children go home and do the activity with parents. It gets everyone on the same page, and encourages the fund and excitement of reading. These books are inventive and a great stocking stuffer or basket stuffer. Give the gift of literacy. Oppenheim will never steer your wrong.

Often times with babies, you run out of ideas of what to do with them. Their books, however sweet, are generally very short. This book provides some great ideas for parents on how to supplement that reading time, both in ways directly related to the book being read and in other ways that further their babies' development. This is a great resource for both worthwhile books and fun activities!

Lots of innovative ideas for mixing learning with playing. My husband and I read and sing to our daughter constantly. But with help from this book, we have integrated interactive play while reading and singing, and she has responded with pure glee. It may all sound scientific but in fact the book takes a simple, hands-on approach to learning mixed of course with love from you. So grab this book, get down on the floor and get going because you will be shocked at how your child will respond and how you will then respond to her and so on and so on.

my grandchildren have many if not all of Joanne Oppenheim's childrens books, they love to read them to me as i had read to them, i also do not go toy shopping without their toy portfolio books since 1999,their safety and playtime suggestions is invaluable, one our many favorites is making play dough, last but not least, i will continue to use their books and suggestions as i have never bought a bad toy as yet