Review of the First Look and Find Book Series for Toddlers

When my daughter received Disney Best Friends: My First Look and Find for Christmas two years ago, I wondered what a toddler could really gain from a look and find book. Could these character themed picture books really serve any purpose, other than introducing my child to popular characters from Disney movies or Sesame Street? I have been pleasantly surprised to find over the past two years, however, that First Look and Find books are a wonderful addition to our book collection. They have helped my toddler's verbal and visual discrimination skills, and provided hours of entertainment for my children and I. Every toddler should own at least one of the First Look and Find series!

What are First Look and Find books?
First Look and Find is a series published by Publications International. These large and sturdy board books contain a large photo, usually featuring popular characters, spread across two pages. Then there are one or two short sentences describing the scene and a white box filled with 5-10 pictures that you should search for on the page. The books are similar to the Where's Waldo? series, but the pictures are bigger and the items aren't hidden on the pages.

What skills can my child learn through the First Look and Find series?
I've been so pleased with what my toddler daughters have learned through the interactions we've had while searching for pictures in the First Look and Find books. To begin with, the books allow children to hone their visual discrimination skills. Children have to look at an item and then find a similar item on the page. In addition, they are working on their hand eye coordination as they point to items on the page. Finally, toddlers can practice their verbal skills through the interactions you'll have together while looking at these books. My youngest toddler has learned at least a dozen words from pointing and searching through First Look and Find books. These books are also wonderful for my two daughters to do together while I am cooking or cleaning. They don't need my help to look for the pictures, and my oldest daughter loves to help her little sister find the pictures.

Are there any drawbacks to the First Look and Find books?
The only thing I am disappointed in with this series of books is that they each tie in with a popular television show or movie. If you try to limit the television watching your toddler does, these books might not be the best match for you and your family. While this may be a drawback for some families, we also see this as an opportunity to do things with Dora and Diego other than sitting on the couch and watching them.

Conclusion
Overall, I highly recommend the First Look and Find series of books for your toddler's collection. The books are provide an excellent opportunity to interact with your child while still focusing on skills that will help them to learn and grow.