Lovely childcare

[For 1-year-olds] Perfect for March! A special selection of picture books recommended for 1-year-olds

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

March is the grand wrap-up of the school year.

For children in the 1-year-old class, preparations to move up to the 2-year-old class start in earnest.

It’s also the time when they gradually begin tackling things like changing clothes and using the toilet on their own.

For such a March, why not choose picture books that 1-year-olds can thoroughly enjoy?

We’ll introduce picture books packed with children’s feelings—like happy, fun, and “What’s that?”

The children might show interest and express themselves by pointing or chatting.

I’m excited to see how they’ll react.

[For 1-year-olds] Perfect for March! Recommended Picture Books for 1-Year-Olds (11–20)

bento (boxed lunch)Text: Kei Kinoshita / Illustrations: moko

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There are lots of picture books about bento, aren’t there? As part of food education, many people probably read them aloud to children.

This picture book, “Obentō,” is an interactive pop-up style that lets you feel like you’re cooking.

It’s full of fun onomatopoeia and is perfect for one-year-olds.

In spring, there are often field trips, and kids look forward to their bento.

After reading this book, it might be fun to imitate what you see—like shaping rice balls wrapped in plastic wrap or stacking slices of bread to make a sandwich.

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Kutsu Kutsu ArukeAkiko Hayashi

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A picture book I recommend for babies who can now sit up, pull themselves to standing, and are gradually getting ready to walk is Kutsu Kutsu Aruke.

The main character is a single pair of shoes.

The book shows the shoes happily walking, jumping, and sometimes even falling over as they roam about freely.

Many children initially dislike wearing shoes, so how about helping them feel more familiar with shoes through this book? The lively, energetic shoes will likely make them feel that wearing shoes seems fun!

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hug; holding a child in one’s arms (to pick up and carry a child)Mamoru Suzuki

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As the title suggests, this is a picture book all about “dakko” (being held or cuddled).

On the left pages you’ll see animals holding their young, and on the right pages you’ll see mothers, fathers, and children imitating those animal cuddles.

Some are gentle, enveloping embraces, while others are dynamic—like perching a child on your head—showing a variety of cuddles inspired by different animals.

After reading this book, kids will surely beg to be picked up.

Enjoy some special bonding time with your child by trying out all the different animal-style cuddles together.

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Show me inside your diaper! Show me, show me!Hido van Heneghen

[The First Step in Toilet Training] 'Show Me What's in Your Diaper!' Full Picture Book Read-Aloud

Show me inside your diaper! Show me, show me! Hido van Henegouwen

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A helpful book for potty training: “Peek Inside the Diaper!” The main character is a little mouse who’s curious about everything.

He asks his friends to show him what’s inside their diapers, and they let him take a look.

The flaps lift so you can see what’s inside each animal’s diaper.

Finally, it’s the little mouse’s turn—but his diaper is empty! That’s because he’s been going to the toilet properly.

This picture book is a great way to spark children’s interest in the toilet as they get ready to say goodbye to diapers.

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Blooming Flowers Picture BookKoji Ishikawa

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Hana no Saku Ehon (The Blooming Flowers Picture Book) is a picture book recommended for March, when you get more chances to see many kinds of flowers.

It’s a lift-the-flap book: when you lift the page upward, you can enjoy watching a small sprout grow and bloom.

On the facing page, seeds are illustrated, so it’s fun to learn which seeds grow into which flowers.

In addition to plants, various insects also appear on different pages.

For children, spotting them might become one of the fun highlights!

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early-rising ghostText: Kaoru Kuroda / Keiko Sena

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A ghost that’s bad at night? The picture book “Hayauki Obake” features a ghost who loves getting up early and gets sleepy as soon as night falls.

While the other ghosts go out groaning “Urameshiyā~,” this one sleeps soundly in bed.

Instead, it wakes up early in the morning and goes to rouse children with a cheerful “Mezamashiyā~!” It’s a very unique and adorable picture book.

Even kids who aren’t good at getting up early might want to imitate going to bed early and waking up early so they can try being a “mezamashiyā~,” too!

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[For 1-year-olds] Great picture books to read in March! Recommended picks for 1-year-olds (21–30)

Various busestupera tupera

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Kids who love vehicles—especially buses, since they’re so familiar—are everywhere.

For those children, we highly recommend the picture book “Iroiro Bus” (“All Kinds of Buses”).

A red bus pulls up, and off steps a bright red tomato.

And who gets on next? An octopus! With lots of passengers on board, the bus finally arrives at the last stop.

The ending is sure to be a hit.

The artwork is incredibly striking, making it a book that kids won’t be able to look away from.

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