What Age For Non-Board Books?

[deliberateliterate]

At what age do you expect toddlers to stop wrecking paper books? I have one that will either rip the pages up, tear the pages, or scrunch the pages in her palm.

I've moved them to the top shelf but she can now reach that too. I don't want to remove them completely because the other kids use them properly, but she's wrecked so many books, I've lost count.

Each time she takes one out, I remind her to be gentle and show her how to turn the pages, but as soon as my attention is diverted she wrecks it. I still want her to learn how to treat them, but geez...

[hope]

I have seen 5 year Olds rip books. By 18 months I expect them to know the difference between destruction and playing when it comes to books bc we read so much. Books aren't a surprise toy they have never seen before and not sure if they can squeeze and rip up. They use them enough by 18 months that they know they should treat it with respect. When I have children that break sensitive items I keep those items in another room or a container with a top on it and only kids that are good with these are allowed to play.

[starz0123]

I have a couple of old books that I've strengthened pages using book contact that I 'encourage' little wreckers to read you have to be patient covering pages the first few have lots of wrinkles from air bubbles that I had to flatten and I figured out easier to cover each side separate & cut before doing the other side rather than try to fold contact over.

[mamamanda]

How old is she? I have some who were gentle at 18 months & some who still ripped them at 4. I think it depends on how they are taught to use them at home. When my book ripper was going crazy I put out mostly board books & 2 or 3 paper ones. "Special" books were kept in a separate room & I pulled them out during "story" time when I had time to sit & model how to use them. I treated it like any other negative behavior. You rip it, you sit in TO & lose book privileges for the day. If the same child repeatedly destroys books beyond what I can tape I ask their parents to replace them. All of mine have eventually gotten the hang of it.

[Blackcat31]

I definitely think it depends on the maturity level of the child and whether or not the child was taught how to properly care for books.

I would not allow her to have any paper books and allow her board books only.

I would not put them up as I have books out and available at all times but the younger kids (under age 2) do not touch them unless they are invited to do so. IMHO, it's easier to teach them not to touch than to just put everything up or out of reach.

We have a free area at our local library that has TONS of books free for the taking (mostly older and out of date books) but I get some of those and use them as "teaching" or "learning" books so the kids don't rip my good books.

Perhaps this child's mom is willing to donate a few paper books so her child can learn to treat them nicely.

If she continues to have trouble, I would just not allow her to have any paper books until she's matured a bit more.

[daycare]

I definitely think it depends on the maturity level of the child and whether or not the child was taught how to properly care for books.

I would not allow her to have any paper books and allow her board books only.

I would not put them up as I have books out and available at all times but the younger kids (under age 2) do not touch them unless they are invited to do so. IMHO, it's easier to teach them not to touch than to just put everything up or out of reach.

We have a free area at our local library that has TONS of books free for the taking (mostly older and out of date books) but I get some of those and use them as "teaching" or "learning" books so the kids don't rip my good books.

Perhaps this child's mom is willing to donate a few paper books so her child can learn to treat them nicely.

If she continues to have trouble, I would just not allow her to have any paper books until she's matured a bit more.

I second this... I don't go by age on anything. I go on the ability and maturity of the child. I have some 3 year olds that will tear or rip books but a few 2 years olds that I can let read paper book alone.

I have all of my paper book high on a shelf they can't reach and the board books are on the lowest level shelf where everyone can reach. I try to get all of my paperbacks in a hard book too if I can.

[deliberateliterate]

I definitely think it depends on the maturity level of the child and whether or not the child was taught how to properly care for books.

I would not allow her to have any paper books and allow her board books only.

I would not put them up as I have books out and available at all times but the younger kids (under age 2) do not touch them unless they are invited to do so. IMHO, it's easier to teach them not to touch than to just put everything up or out of reach.

We have a free area at our local library that has TONS of books free for the taking (mostly older and out of date books) but I get some of those and use them as "teaching" or "learning" books so the kids don't rip my good books.

Perhaps this child's mom is willing to donate a few paper books so her child can learn to treat them nicely.

If she continues to have trouble, I would just not allow her to have any paper books until she's matured a bit more.

I also put them up because her favourite game is to take them all out one by one then walk away, and she doesn't understand yet when I tell/ her to put them away. She's almost two, but a very young almost two. I'm going to try putting just a few books down low, and the rest up high where everyone else but her can get them.

[Blackcat31]

I also put them up because her favourite game is to take them all out one by one then walk away, and she doesn't understand yet when I tell/ her to put them away. She's almost two, but a very young almost two. I'm going to try putting just a few books down low, and the rest up high where everyone else but her can get them.

good plan. I guess I was thinking she was an older 2.

I have two rain gutter shelves and a basket on the floor.

The paper books go highest and the board books go on the lower shelf while the basket contains "learner" books. "Learner" books are the books I mentioned above that I don't care if they get ripped and although I "pretend" to care, they are the ones I want kids that are just figuring out proper book care to have access too.

I would start each day out with allowing her to have the books (the ones you are ok with her having) and the minute she ruins, rips or tears a book tell her "Oh, no! You ripped the book. No more books today." and put them up.

Eventually she WILL get it. It's definitely a process.

[KiddieCahoots]

I definitely think it depends on the maturity level of the child and whether or not the child was taught how to properly care for books.

I would not allow her to have any paper books and allow her board books only.

I would not put them up as I have books out and available at all times but the younger kids (under age 2) do not touch them unless they are invited to do so. IMHO, it's easier to teach them not to touch than to just put everything up or out of reach.

We have a free area at our local library that has TONS of books free for the taking (mostly older and out of date books) but I get some of those and use them as "teaching" or "learning" books so the kids don't rip my good books.

Perhaps this child's mom is willing to donate a few paper books so her child can learn to treat them nicely.

If she continues to have trouble, I would just not allow her to have any paper books until she's matured a bit more.

I had a 2.5 who was, according to mom, "super careful with books at home".
At daycare she would rip them, every. time. she got one.
Ignored mom with what she said about how much dcg loved her books, was careful with them, blah, blah, blah, and only gave her board books.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I have a new 2 just like this. I have never had a child just rip page after page out, try to shred covers of board books, etc. It is insane.

We call books TREASURES here. There is a big uproar if a TREASURE gets ripped. I give her books that have been tapes a million times over now and everyone still makes a fuss or I give her the books made by the Indestructibles company (you can get them for a few dollars on Amazon). http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ctibles+books+ They aren't her favorite by any means but she also won't stop being a paper shredder here and I am not paid enough by her Mom to be replacing my hundreds of books. I used to have an abundance of books available but now I have them up high (minus one room that I don't let her go in alone since she also mouths every toy and the big kids want to play with "big kid toys" like tiny Legos) since this girl arrived. In a month or so I am sure we can go back to having a ton of books accessible.

[Chellieleanne]

My 3yo was good with books once he got the skills to turn the pages, 1.5yo maybe?. He loves looking at his books and is so careful, I love it

My 2yo is getting better but has accidents, he doesn't rip pages on purpose though.

My 3yo DCB... I will not allow him near the paperback books because he rips them on purpose and it irritates me to no end.

I grew up an avid reader and I know my older son will most likely follow that as well. So I have a deep respect for books and try to instill it in my kids but if they choose to be destructive then they don't have access to anything that can be easily destroyed.

So it really just depends on the child and their maturity. Some are better than others.