Reading Loops are Normal and Developmentally Appropriate
Toddlers and young children thrive on the safety of routine and predictability. This unsurprisingly extends to every facet of their lives including the books they will want to read. This is one of the reason you will end up reading the same insipid book about the puppy who has lost it’s ball 572920139009 times in one week.
The Growing Brain:
Another element to this is the fundamental approach to acquiring skills and knowledge that is hardwired into babies and toddlers. They will take apart and repeat a skill over and over until they have mastered it. You might have noticed this in other tasks they get fixated on, such as opening and closing doors or squeezing all the toothpaste out of the tube whenever they get a chance. They are focused on mastering this. This applies to the books they have chosen. They are going to learn every detail backwards forwards and upside down.
Early readers should be reading each book at least 7 times..
Learning to Read:
When we get to preschoolers and primary school children, the need for repeated reading is still incredibly important! Studies have determined that early readers should be reading each book at least 7 times to really be able to comfortably read through and glean all of the lessons therein.
Should I Embrace the Loop?
Embrace the loop within reason. Reading books has many purposes and getting stuck on the same 3 books for four months limits the amount of new ideas, discussions, vocabulary and experiences your child is exposed to in reading.
Balancing is key.
How do I encourage balance?
Rotate books like you would toys. Every week, don’t keep them all out at once.
Keep different selections in different areas, the car, their bedroom, the diaper bag, the kitchen, etc.
“You choose I choose” I let my children choose two books each at night and I also choose 2 so that we have a variety.
What other ways do you encourage your children to indulge in a variety of books?
Read With River 