Top 40 books every child should read before age 4 revealed – as handy tool puts together perfect reading list

WITH MILLIONS of great stories already out there, it can be difficult to narrow it down to a select few but, by inputting a few details, this clever will do the hard work for you.

It comes as the top 40 books every child should read before they’re four was revealed – including The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr, and the Michael Rosen classic – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

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Busy Bees has created the tool to support parents as it marks the launch of its new curriculum, Bee Curious, which is scientifically designed to ignite a lifelong love of learning through play and storytelling.

The study of 2,000 parents with preschool aged children found The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell and Elmer by David McKee are also among the stories children should read by the time they start school.

Gill Jones MBE, group chief quality officer at Busy Bees, said: “Storytelling is crucial for children’s development, helping them to learn about the world around them and build important communication skills.

“Our expertly developed curriculum is based on the latest scientific research, with a key element being learning from stories and vocabulary, as well as other increasingly important subjects such as mathematics to help prepare young minds for school and give them the best start possible.

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“We hope the tool offers those looking for inspiration some ideas for different books to read with their little ones, outside of the classics.”

Reading is clearly a part of the routine for many parents, with six in 10 reading to their child at least once a day and bedtime the most popular time for stories (46 per cent).

Four in 10 (39 per cent) parents typically read both during the day and before bed.

On average, parents spend 21 minutes reading to their child each day with nearly all of them saying they enjoy this time (97 per cent).

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As many as 98 per cent think reading is important to do before children start school to support their development.

More than half (52 per cent) agreed reading to their child from a young age helps expand their vocabulary.

A further three in 10 believe it improves concentration and 25 per cent said it helps build a strong bond between parents and child.

Repetition is important for language development and almost three quarters (72 per cent) say their son or daughter has a favourite book they want to read on repeat.

While 27 per cent see the funny side of this strong preference, nearly half (49 per cent) have owned up to missing words or even skipping pages to speed up the bedtime routine.

The OnePoll.com study also found that 58 per cent of parents have a list of books they want their little one to enjoy, but 36 per cent will let their child choose which story to read.

But 35 per cent admitted they lack inspiration when it comes to choosing new books for their child, with parents’ book choices strongly influenced by the tales they read themselves when they were young (62 per cent).

While 45 per cent will go to their local library to find something new, almost a third (31 per cent) rely on their child’s nursery or childminder for advice.

Gill Jones MBE, for the childcare provider, which is searching for the nation’s best bedtime storyteller to win £1,000 and a donation of the top 40 books to a local library of their choice, added: “The results from this research show just how important storytelling is during children’s early years and beyond, with parents understanding the vital role it plays in early development.

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“The new curriculum brings together 40 years of experience, global best practice and the latest scientific research on areas that lead to better life outcomes to give children a head start for school.

“All of our early years educators have been expertly trained to support children’s individual development, allowing them to provide quality, playful teaching.”