Using books as your tool in teaching your 2-year-olds about the alphabet and numbers is a very effective way. There are many available books about these two so it is important to know your purpose when choosing the book for your child.
31 Books to teach 2-Year-Old Alphabets and Numbers
1. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
This is a rhyme book you can use when teaching your 2-year-olds about the alphabet. Although this book is an old one, it is still number one on the list. You can read this book at bedtime and you may even consider reading it over again every night to familiarize your child with the alphabet.
2. Montessori: Letter Work
This is a unique book that you can add to your collection especially if you are a goal-oriented parent! It does not teach about the alphabet but it also teaches sound and shape. Before introducing the letter, the sound of the letter is being taught first. For this reason, this book is appropriate for starters like 2-year-olds.
3. Curious George Learns the Alphabet
This is a classic book you can use when you want to introduce the alphabet to your 2-year-olds. The colors and illustrations in this book are child-friendly and funny. Additionally, it is a hard book and for this reason, it cannot be easily destroyed! In this book, there is a silly monkey that will journey with your child in learning the alphabet using animals as the noun.
4. Touch and Feel ABC
This is a perfect book for introducing the alphabet to your child. It is an interactive book that is great for 2-year-olds as it is full of flaps which they will truly enjoy! This book allows your child to touch and lift the flaps and surely, they will be surprised with bright and wonderful photos. Having this book will make you enjoy your time together!
5. Tiger Tales: A is for Apple
Of course, this classic ABC book will never be removed from our list. This is the first book I’ve introduced to my 2-year-old and there are times when I just notice my child picking up the book and reading it alone and I think that this is because this is a lift-the-flap book and my child finds it enjoyable and interesting.
6. The Three Bears ABC
This is another classic book you can use in teaching your 2-year-olds about the alphabet. This is a great choice especially for little girls as this book is inspired by fairy tale stories specifically the story of Goldilocks. This book speaks about a little girl’s tale from letter A to letter Z and each letter is connected with the other letters. In simple words, the story of Goldilocks is being presented through the alphabet.
7. G is for Goat
This is a wonderful rhyming alphabet book that you can use in teaching the alphabet. Personally, I used this book before because my 2-year-old loves animals since I believe that my child will be more interested and I was not disappointed because my child truly enjoyed it! It offers simple narrative stories of animals starting from letter A to letter Z and everything is minimal and that makes it neat and engaging.
8. Harold’s ABC
2-year-olds love adventure and with this, Harold’s ABC book is a great choice! This book is a classic, imaginative book that tells the story of a boy named Harold who is having a big adventure. His adventures are told through the use of the alphabet. In this book, Harold owns a purple crayon and he draws using this crayon to go from letter to letter. Indeed, this book has so much creativity inside it!
9. I Stink
I used to read this book to my child even before he turned 2 and this book is so great! My child is a fan of trucks and cars and because of this, he is more attracted to this story. This book offers 2-in-1 lessons: waste management and alphabet. So, you can teach your child not just about the alphabet but you can also teach them a very important lesson in life and that is about saving the environment. At a young age, it is important to teach your children proper waste disposal and this book is a great one! It may sound gross but it is indeed educational!
10. Bad Kitty’s Tasty Treats: A Slide and Find ABC
This one is a clever, interacting book about the alphabet and if you have an older daughter or son (age around 6), they can actually read this book for your 2-year-olds. Additionally, this is a lift and slide book that your children can engage with, and surely, they will be surprised with what they will see underneath the flaps! Adding this to your shelf is so much fun!
11. The Letters Are Lost!
This is a read-aloud book and the thing I like about it is that it is very straight-forward. This book can be used by small children, probably, the 2-year-olds, who are starting to understand and learn the alphabet. There is an adventurous storyline and starting at the first page, your 2-year-olds can already engage with it! Every print in this book is exciting and clear even though it is simply presented.
12. AlphaOops!: The Day Z Went First
It is normal for a child to be able to say, recite, or sing the alphabet in order and when your child has mastered this it is about time to level up by asking them the letters randomly. If you can relate to this, then, this book is perfect for you and your 2-year-old. In this book, the letter Z felt bad for being always placed at the last and so, it kept on cutting off letters and so does letter P and other letters too. Additionally, this is a great book you can choose if you want to teach letter sounds to your 2-year-olds.
13. Z is for Moose
This book is great for 2-year-olds who love funny and hilarious stories! Even though it is an ABC book, there is still a wonderful story being told. The illustrations are bold and wonderful which your 2-year-olds will surely enjoy!
14. Q is for Duck
This book is actually a guessing game kind of book. It is a book full of puzzles that you can use to question your 2-year-old. Although it is more complex compared to the usual and common alphabet books, the exploration of the alphabet using this book is exciting! This book is recommended for 2-year-olds who already master the alphabet.
15. ABC T-Rex
I used to read this book for my nephew and now, I impart it to my child! This is a fun alphabet book that your child will appreciate especially if your child is a lover of dinosaurs! It is a charismatic book that lets your child explore the alphabet with a hungry T-Rex. Additionally, this book is full of rhythm using adjectives and verbs. In this book, there is a hungry T-Rex and it wants to eat the alphabet. For these reasons, this is a great tool for you to teach your 2-year-olds about the alphabet and the sounds of every letter. Give it a try and you will see the amazing result on your child!
16. ABC on the Farm
If your 2-year-old loves animals on the farm, then you can add this to your options. The alphabet letters are being introduced using the family farm animals. It is a simple yet interesting and educational book as it also speaks about facts regarding farm animals. Additionally, you can read this together with your first graders as there are short sentences on every page which can be read by the latter.
17. Eric Carle’s ABC
This is actually an amazing book to introduce the alphabet to your 2-year-olds. I find this book fun and educational because it does not just simply show the ABC but it uses different animals for each letter.
18. Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3
This is a rhyming book similar to the book “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” but this time, it is all about numbers. This is an energetic book that features numbers up to 100. The good thing about it is that if your child is below 2 years old, you can keep this book and teach numbers increasingly day by day. You cannot force your little one to study the numbers up to 100 so you can just start with 10 and then 20, and so on.
19. Countablock
This book is a very interactive, guessing game that is great for teaching your 2-year-olds about numbers and how to count them! On every page, there is a number and it starts with number one. On page two, quantities are being shown. This way, you can ask your child to count with or after you! My-24-month old baby has learned a lot of numbers aside from 1, 2, and 3 and I usually see my child counting fingers and when I introduced this book, my child actually had fun!
20. Montessori: Number Work
This is a great board book that can aid your child in studying numbers! It is one of the books I recommend if you want to teach your 2-year-olds how to count numbers. In this workbook, there are objects on the right part of the book, and the number corresponding to those objects is printed on the left. Another amazing thing about it is that it is a touch and feel book and for this reason, your child can engage with it fully!
21. Touch and Feel: 123
This book is definitely perfect for 2-year-olds and below as the numbers printed on this book are only from numbers 1 to 5. If it is your first time teaching your child about numbers, I fully recommend this book! Additionally, it does not just teach about numbers but it also introduces different words to your child!
22. Ten Black Dots
I find this book very simple but useful. In this book, even your 2-year-old can learn counting by only using dots. These dots are incorporated in a picture. For example, if the drawing is a face, there are three dots: 2 dots for the eyes and 1 dot for the mouth. Indeed, this book is a very impressive one and it can even enhance your child’s imagination!
23. Simple First Words Let’s Say Our Numbers
This is a very interactive toy for every 2-year-old! My in-law bought one like this for my child when he was 12 months old and up until now, my child is still enjoying this toy especially now that he knows about numbers! This is an audiobook wherein your child can choose and press a number from 1 to 10 and afterward, a clear, loud sound saying that number is being played! This is the best repetition-friendly book and you should not think twice before buying it!
24. Ten Little Lady Bugs
This book is a very innovative book for me as it comes in 3D! In this book, counting starts from ten. There are ten ladybugs and on every page, one ladybug is being subtracted. Additionally, it introduces the life of animals. So, if your 2-year-old is a fan of the animal kingdom, this one is should be on your shelf!
25. Goodnight Numbers
If you intend to change your way from reading storybooks to educational ones, then, this bedtime book is a must for you! This is an excellent counting book that you can use every night for repetition purposes. The best thing about it is that both the number and the word are printed on every page and for this reason, your child will surely be familiar with numbers!
26. Fish Eyes
Lois Ehlert’s works are always remarkable and as a parent, I always look for them. This book is one of the great choices when teaching your 2-year-olds about the alphabet and numbers. Because the eyes of the fishes are cut, my 2 years old do is that he puts his fingers inside those holes and count.
27. How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?
This is a board book with smooth rhymes that can teach your child how to count numbers one to ten.
28. Daddy Hugs 123
This book is great for fathers who tend their 2-year-olds! This is actually the first father book that I’ve encountered and it is best shared at bedtime!
29. Count the Monkeys
Are there really monkeys in this book? Better find out with your 2-year-olds! Your 2-year-olds will surely appreciate this book because of its hilarious content!
30. Feast for 10
This is a very simple counting book that also speaks of family. In this book, a mother did some grocery shopping with her children and together with their grandparents, they all had a sumptuous dinner! If your family is big and your children are very close to their grandparents, this is definitely fit for them!
31. Mimi’s Book of Counting
There are times when grandmas are the ones taking care of your 2-year-olds and if that happens, do not forget to give this book to the grandma! In this book, a grandma is counting together with her grandchild and for this reason, your child can experience this in real life!
To Sum Up
All the books listed above are great books for me. However, whether it is your first time or not teaching the alphabet and numbers, it is important to understand that every 2-year-old has their own pace. Start with the smooth and easy books and do not let your child be exhausted from learning.