Book Time

© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.

Books are great for reading. But to babies, books are a special kind of toy––one that’s good for mouthing, banging, and for making grownups talk!

Engage babies in reading right from the start. Young babies will explore pages with their eyes, mouths, and fingers. Older babies may do those things, too, but they are also interested in learning how books work. Here are a few things to think about as you choose books.

• For young babies: Look for books that are easy for them to hold and manipulate on their own.
• For older babies: Choose books that give them things to do as you read (look in the mirror, clap hooray).
• For babies beginning to use words: Choose books with pictures of things they can name or actions they can act out.
• For all babies: Look for sturdy and washable books that have clear, close-up pictures of babies, animals, or familiar objects; few words on each page; words written in the baby’s home language; words with rhythm and rhyme; page textures to feel, holes to peek through, or shapes to explore.

When choosing books, be sure to include in your library favorite books from children’s homes. Ask family members to:

• Point out pages their baby especially likes. Have family members show you how they read, play with, and talk about those pages together.
• Read or record a favorite story in their home language. Have them teach you some key words if you don’t know the language.