Christmas present for a 2-year-old: a personalised children's book

A two-year-old says ‘I do it’ and means it. In this book, your child gets to do things for themselves, one page at a time: pull on their boots, pour their water and say goodnight to the digger. There are one or two short sentences per page, with repetitions your child will soon join in with. The hero has your child's face, taken from your photo.

Make a book for a 2-year-old

Hardback in time for Christmas: order by 8 December

How a two-year-old thinks and talks

At two, a child's vocabulary is growing fast. They put two or three words together – ‘Daddy come’, ‘more porridge’ – and copy what grown-ups say with great seriousness. Play starts to look like everyday life: the doll needs feeding, the car needs petrol and teddy needs a plaster on his knee. Feelings are big and arrive quickly, from delight to frustration when a sock won't sit right. A two-year-old might want the same book every night and notice straight away if you skip a page. That's why books for this age have short, repeated sentences, a clear pattern and one familiar thing to focus on at a time. Let your child fill in the last word, and reading becomes a game you play together.

Would you like to see a finished book before you decide? Browse our example books.

Two themes for a two-year-old

Diggers, bin lorries and cranes are often big favourites at this age. In construction vehicles, your child gets to sit in the cab and take the controls. For days when everything seems to go wrong, there's tantrums: a gentle story in which your child gets angry, has a cuddle and feels better again. A quiet evening, well away from the storm, can be an easier time to read a story like this than to talk in the middle of it.

Choose a theme

What your two-year-old's book could be about

Start with whatever your child is learning right now. Are they using the potty, giving up their dummy or sleeping in their own bed? Tell us, and the story can explore it without telling them what to do. Mention the little things they say, a favourite word or a song you sing together, and these can be woven in too. A sibling, a nursery friend with their parents' permission, or the family rabbit can join the adventure. You could choose courage or perseverance as a message, perhaps by having your child build a tower again after it falls down. In the foreword, write what makes your child who they are now that they're two.

Reading the book together

A two-year-old reads with their whole body. They may want to hold the book, turn the pages themselves and point to every digger. Read slowly, let them make the sounds and linger over the picture of the cat if that's what catches their eye. The book may become part of your evening, somewhere between brushing teeth and switching on the nightlight. The printed book is a hardback with paper pages, so it's best enjoyed together. It makes a lovely second birthday present from an aunt, a godfather or a grandparent. You can also change the font: a rounded, clear typeface can make the page easier on little eyes.