Reading with My Boys: How we are fostering a love for books
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When I found out I was pregnant with twins, one of the first things I thought about—besides the logistics of everything—was how I wanted to foster a love for books and reading. I wasn’t sure what that would look like, but I started by adding a few childhood classics to our registry—books I remembered fondly from my own early years.
Whatever we’ve been doing seems to be working. Both of our boys have grown into little book lovers, and we’ve developed some beautiful rhythms around reading together. Our little guy M has had a particular affinity for books from the start—there are pictures and videos of him flipping through board books on his own, "reading" out loud in his tiny voice. E loves reading, too, especially when it's part of our routine.
Why they are reading in front of the stove? I couldn’t tell you!
I don’t think it’s just personality—although that definitely plays a role. I believe our consistent use of books in everyday life has helped foster their connection to stories and language. Here’s what we’ve been doing to make books a part of our family culture:
What We’re Doing to Raise Little Readers:
We started early
We read to them from the very beginning—honestly before they even knew what a book was. It became part of our routine, and now it’s just what we do.
✨Books are part of our nap and bedtime routine
We read 2–3 books before nap and again before bed every day. The two of them will sit with me or dad in the rocker, and it has truly become a special part of the day.
✨We keep books accessible throughout the day
Books live in nearly every room of our house—baskets, shelves, nooks—so the boys can reach for them anytime. And they do!
✨We follow their interests
Right now, they’re both very into trucks, cars, and construction. Our book collection definitely reflects that, and I don’t mind at all—it’s part of what keeps them engaged.
✨We interact beyond the words
We don’t just read the books—we point out little animals hiding in the illustrations, make up voices, ask questions, and pause to look at their favorite details. It makes reading more dynamic and memorable.
As I write this, I’m realizing just how many books we actually have—and we really do read them all! (Okay, maybe not all at once, but regularly.) We definitely gravitate toward series, and certain authors have become fast favorites.
One author we absolutely love in our house is Eric Carle. Of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar (aka “the little caterpillar book”) is still a top request, but we’ve enjoyed adding several more of his books to our rotation. His bright, bold illustrations and simple stories are just so captivating for little ones.
Stay tuned—I'll be sharing our full list of favorites in an upcoming post!
✨And because we love The Very Hungry Caterpillar so much, I had to share these adorable Bombas socks. I already love Bombas for their comfort and quality, but when I saw their Very Hungry Caterpillar collection, I was obsessed. They don’t offer toddler sizes yet, but I grabbed the smallest size so my boys can grow into them. Seriously—so cute.
Shop the new Eric Carle collection and save 20% on your first purchase! Offer good through 9/20/2025!