Preschool Book Reviews

Reading together is magical, but have you ever asked your child what they actually think about a story? Creating simple book reviews with your preschooler turns reading into an interactive activity that celebrates their opinions and builds confidence in expressing themselves.

What You'll Need

• Picture books your child loves (or has recently finished)
• Paper or a small notebook
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
• Optional: a simple rating system (stars, thumbs up/down, or smiley faces)
• Optional: a camera or phone to capture your child's review

How to Do It

1. Pick a book together. Choose a story your child enjoyed recently—something they're excited to talk about rather than a book they struggled with.

2. Ask open-ended questions. Rather than yes/no questions, ask things like: "What was your favorite part?" "Who was your favorite character?" "What made you laugh?" and "Would you read it again?"

3. Record their thoughts. Write down their exact words as they talk. Don't worry about perfect sentences—their genuine voice is what makes this special.

4. Create a visual rating. Let your child draw stars, color in hearts, or add stickers to show how much they loved the book. Three stars means "I liked it" and five stars means "I LOVED it!"

5. Add illustrations. Ask your child to draw their favorite scene or character from the story. This gives them another way to express their thoughts beyond words.

6. Display or share. Post reviews on your fridge, in a special notebook, or even photograph them to share with grandparents and family.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

Critical Thinking — Reflecting on a story helps children analyze what they read and form opinions about characters and events.

Language Development — Expressing thoughts about books naturally expands vocabulary and sentence structure in a meaningful context.

Confidence in Self-Expression — When adults listen to and value a child's perspective, they learn that their ideas matter.

Memory and Sequencing — Recalling story details strengthens memory skills and helps children understand how stories flow from beginning to end.

Creative Connection — Drawing and writing about books deepen their emotional connection to stories and characters.

Tips & Variations

• Keep it short. Preschoolers don't need lengthy reviews—even two or three sentences capturing their main thought is perfect.
• Try different formats. Some kids prefer drawing their review, others like dictating it, and some enjoy rating books with stickers or stamps.
• Make it a tradition. Create a family book review corner where you celebrate every story your child reads, building a collection over time.

My Two Cents

There's something wonderful about genuinely listening to your preschooler's book opinions—you'll often hear hilarious, thoughtful, or surprisingly deep insights. This activity takes something you're already doing and makes it interactive, helping your child feel heard while naturally building literacy skills along the way.

Questions to Ask Your Child

Use these open-ended prompts to extend the learning during or after the activity:

• "What was the hardest part? What made it tricky?"
• "What would happen if we made the rules a little different?"
• "Can you teach me how to do your favorite part?"
• "What would you add to make this even more fun?"
• "What did you notice while we were doing this?"
• "How would this be different if we played it outside?"

There are no right or wrong answers to any of these questions. The goal is to keep the conversation going, model curious thinking, and give your child practice putting their experience into words.

Making It a Learning Moment

The best activities for preschoolers look like play but work like school. As children run, build, sort, and create, their brains are mapping space, practicing sequencing, building vocabulary, and learning to regulate emotion — all at the same time. Your role during the activity matters enormously: children whose caregivers narrate, question, and celebrate alongside them develop language skills 6–8 months ahead of those who play alone. You don't need to teach directly — just being present, curious, and enthusiastic is enough.

Adapting for Different Ages

Ages 2–3: Simplify the rules significantly — focus on one or two steps maximum. Short attention spans mean the activity should be flexible and forgiving. Follow the child's lead rather than directing the play.

Ages 4–5: Add challenge and structure. Introduce counting, sequencing ("first... then... finally"), or light competition (racing against a timer rather than against each other). Ask them to explain the rules to a younger sibling.

Mixed ages: Let older children be the "helpers" or "teachers." Explaining something to someone else is one of the most powerful ways to solidify a child's own understanding.

Your Turn

Every child brings something different to this activity — a wild color choice, an unexpected question, a method you'd never have thought of. That's the best part. If you try this with your preschooler and something surprising happens, I'd love to hear about it. PreschoolRocks.com exists because parents keep sharing what works in their homes, and every tip and idea helps another family down the road. Drop a note in the comments or share on social media with #PreschoolRocks.