[For 2-year-olds] Let's read together! Recommended picture books for March

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.

When children turn two, the full-fledged preparation for moving up to the preschool class begins in March.

They’ll have more opportunities to interact with friends within a group and to learn.

This time, we’re introducing picture books that are perfect for March.

With the pleasant, springlike weather, March makes you want to go out and explore.

It would be lovely if picture books could help children feel the season and enjoy the excitement of going on outings.

There are many books that work well as an introduction—for example, reading a picture book before outdoor activities.

Teachers, please join the children in feeling that excitement together.

[For 2-Year-Olds] Let’s Read Together! Featured Picture Books Recommended for March (1–10)

What did you eat?Text: Eriko Kishida / Illustrations: Hirokazu Nagano

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Here’s an introduction to the picture book What Have You Been Eating?, which has been loved by children ever since its release in 1978.

A pure white little pig is hurrying off somewhere.

Along the way, he finds an apple and eats it, turning his tummy a beautiful red.

Still hungry, the pig encounters all sorts of things as he goes.

How will it all end? It’s a very unique story, and the gentle illustrations and vivid colors make it a book that sparks children’s curiosity.

Please give it a read!

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Let’s go home.Kunihiko Aoyama

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When you say to a two-year-old, “Let’s tidy up,” do you ever get a firm “No!” in response? Of course they still want to keep playing… Repeating the reminder every time can be exhausting for both of you.

That’s when I recommend the picture book “Let’s Go Home.” It reframes putting toys away as “going home” and gently speaks to children with that wording.

It’s full of ideas for how to talk to kids, making it a wonderful book I hope you’ll read at daycare or at home.

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Before going outText by Yoriko Tsutsui / Illustrations by Akiko Hayashi

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Before heading out, Aya-chan, our main character, sets off a series of adorable, heartwarming moments.

For Mom, Dad, and even the teacher, some of these events might feel a bit troublesome.

But children’s hearts are pure, and so often they’re acting because they’re thinking, “Maybe this would be better,” or “Will this make someone happy?” If you ever find yourself a little overwhelmed or tired by a child’s free-spirited ideas, why not give this a read? Children will surely relate to how Aya-chan feels.

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[Age 2] Let’s Read Together! Recommended Picture Books for March (11–20)

If you take off your hattupera tupera

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“Boushi Tottara” (When You Take the Hat Off) is a pop-up picture book where, when the hat is removed within the pages, all sorts of unexpected things burst out.

A wealth of wonderfully unconventional surprises leap free from fixed ideas.

Children erupt in laughter at the twists they never saw coming, and storytime is sure to become something special.

You may even hear, “Read it again!” Adults reading it will also realize, with a start, that it’s okay to be this free.

It’s a picture book full of discoveries—why not bring it into your early childhood setting?

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Tintin’s hatIwamura Kazuo

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“Tantan’s Hat” is a delightful picture book in which fun, wonderful happenings unfold whenever the little monkey protagonist, Tantan, tosses his hat with a flick.

Children will surely be captivated, eagerly wondering, “What will happen next?” Even kids who don’t like hats and resist wearing them might become interested after reading this book.

The warm illustrations by Kazuo Iwamura—famous for the “14 Mice” series—are also memorable.

Enjoy it together with your children.

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Kuro-kun and the Mysterious FriendMiwa Nakaya

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The “Kureyon no Kurokun” series is well-known for having many devoted readers.

Among the series, this particular volume is a charming picture book featuring buses, ships, and the Shinkansen.

The kindness of the crayons shapes the story together with the vehicles.

It seems likely to inspire not only children who love vehicles but also those who enjoy drawing to want to express themselves more freely after reading it.

There are a few slightly suspenseful moments, but it ends happily.

It’s a book everyone can enjoy with a bit of excitement.

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Yadamon the Little GhostYukiko Hirano

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Commonly called the “no-no phase,” the age of two often comes with a lot of “No!” Behind that refusal, though, there are the child’s own struggles and feelings.

As adults, we want to accept that, but sometimes it can be a bit hard.

In Obake no Yadamon (The No-Ghost), all the characters are saying “No!” Yadamon is a pesky ghost that possesses kids who are in that phase.

What happens to children who get possessed by Yadamon? This is a book full of humor that will have you laughing as you read.

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