You may have heard it said before that you can start reading to your child while he is still inside your womb. All the more should you continue reading when he’s born! He may not comprehend it yet but hearing your voice repeatedly through constant reading creates a special bond between the two of you.
Rhyming words have a certain rhythm to it that can pacify and capture your baby’s attention. Your animated reading is more than enough to keep your child engaged!
I started reading to my son on his first month. His first toys were books, too! We wanted him to have fun with it even if it meant playing, eating, and sometimes destroying them. Haha!
We didn’t want him to get intimidated with books or find it boring so we allowed him to do anything with it. Don’t worry, there are certain book formats that can lessen the damage to your books because of the way they’re built.
Since your babies cannot read yet, here is a list of the best of books for babies that can both work as a reading material and toy for your little ones!
1. Foam books
These are books with foam pages. Some of them come with removable pieces which can be a good introduction to puzzles. My son used to mistake it for a teether! Check if they’re non-toxic and that the pieces are big enough not to be swallowed. And please do make sure that they’re always clean before using them.
2. Cloth books
Cloth books can also serve as a pillow, bib, and blankie. We had a “Go Dog Go” cloth book back then that my son really loved. They are lightweight, and so make great travel books. Most of them come with different textures which is great for sensory exercise.
3. Board books
Board books are a baby’s best friend! Our son loves board books even up to now that he’s four years old. They’re very durable and last for years, making them good investment. A lot of paperback storybooks come with board book counterparts like the Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle ones.
4. Bath books
Make bath time more fun with these waterproof books! They are light, squishy, and oftentimes squeaky too. Best of all, they’re stain-proof! So even if your baby hurls you-know-what, you can just wipe it off and it looks good again.
5. Sound books
Sound books are great hearing stimulators. These also help your child’s fine motor skills because of the pressing needed to generate sound. You just need to be selective on the quality of the sound produced by the books – some are just plain noise. Choose the ones with music or very distinct sounds. We still buy them up to now! 🙂
6. Books with Toys
My son’s all-time favorite in this category is the “Barnyard Boogie.” It has a big mouth that works like a puppet. I’m not sure if we gave it away or just stored it somewhere but we really had a lot of fun with this book. Some books have rattles on them, while others are textured like the touch-and-feel ones which are great for sensory stimulation.
There you have it – books that your baby will enjoy exploring without letting out the control freak in you!
Set aside 20 minutes a day (can be spread out) for your reading time. I recommend reading longer and taking advantage of this stage when they offer minimal or no resistance at all. Show your excitement while reading to them! This will encourage them to listen, touch, explore, and eventually, read on their own.
