Top 5 Baby Sensory Books

There’s a great range of sensory books for babies, which engage sight, hearing, touch and even smell. Textured materials encourage them to feel. Some have flaps they can lift to find things. They might be made entirely of cloth or have three-dimensional pop-up characters. Some have sounds and there are even scratch and sniff books. This makes the books interactive and helps make language connections in the brain, increasing their vocabulary and broadening their experiences. If babies and toddlers learn that engaging with books is fun this can develop into a love of reading they can enjoy for life. Here are five of our favourite sensory books. 

Baby's Very First Cloth Book: Faces by Campbell Books, illustrated by Jo Lodge

Newborn babies can’t see in colour until they are around 4 months old so they love the high contrast of black and white. The stripes used in this book can actually support their eyesight to develop. It’s made of cloth, so it’s very safe for them to touch and grasp. You can use the crinkly pages to attract their attention and since they can already grasp it encourage them to explore sound. The mirror will fascinate them. This book is part of the Baby’s Very First series and suitable for newborns.

Jungly Tails by Hahaland 

This book rustles and squeaks and has 3D tails sticking out of every page to delight babies.  There are twenty different textures and a button to press to make a sound. Babies can learn to distinguish colours as they explore the Jungle learning the names of animals. Part of a series with Marine Life. Suitable for newborns.

That’s Not My Dinosaur by Fiona Wall and illustrated by Rachel Wells

This board book depicts five friendly dinosaurs with textured panels babies and toddlers will love to touch. They learn the words squashy, slippery, bumpy and fuzzy to go with what they feel. You can repeat the words while encouraging babies to touch. Part of the Usbourne That’s Not My series. Suitable for babies from 3 months.

Musical Rhymes Book by VTech

This book has buttons to push to hear nursery rhymes and a star that lights up. Each button has a different musical instrument featured in classic nursery rhymes like Hey Diddle Diddle and Old Macdonald. The pictures help the baby interpret the song and learn the name of the instrument they hear. Made of plastic, this book is durable and easy to clean and it is suitable from 6 months. 

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Children can trace the spider’s silky thread while listening to the simple rhythmic story. Feeling as well as hearing adds to the fascination of the delightful pictures. Suitable from 6 months.

All the books can inspire sensory activities. Make the animal sounds of Jungly Tails. Find other squishy, slippery and bumpy objects from around the house. Sing the nursery rhymes while travelling in the car or at bath and bedtime. Teach your baby all the sounds the farm animals in The Very Busy Spider make and recite the nursery rhyme Incy Wincy Spider with the hand movements.

Photo by nappy