What Types of Books Are Best for Babies? Tips for Infant Teachers
We have all heard that reading to babies is important, but it can also feel really awkward reading to a baby when they don’t understand what you are saying. Not to mention they are grabbing at the pages, trying to eat the corner, or wiggling out of your lap. You may wonder, is this really doing anything?
As a pediatric speech-language pathologist and early intervention specialist who spends a lot of time in childcare classrooms every week, I have seen firsthand how choosing the best books for babies in your infant classroom can totally change your read-a-loud time.
This blog is for infant teachers and child care providers who want to know why story time matters, what are the best books for babies, and how to build a classroom library that supports development.
In a Hurry? Here's What to Know:
Start reading to babies from day one — there is no minimum age
The best infant classroom books are sensory, interactive, and simple
Story time does not need to be long — 1 minute or 5 minutes- it counts
You do not need to finish the book — positive interactions with books matter more than actually finishing the book
Re-reading the same book is ok — it is how babies learn
Book recommendations are also below!
Does Reading to Babies in Your Infant Classroom Actually Do Anything?
Short answer- Yes.
Long answer- not only does it do something in the moment, it has long lasting positive impacts. First, the more books a child hears, the more words they hear. The more words they hear, the larger their vocabulary. We know reading to babies as young as 6 months old is associated with stronger vocabulary and early literacy skills 4 years later. We also know children read to regularly in the early years learn language faster and become more successful readers at school age. Take a look at the image below at just how many words children are hearing based on how many books they are read each day.
When Should You Start Reading to Babies in Your Infant Room?
You can start reading to babies as soon as they are in your care (but really babies can be read to as soon as they are born. My youngest heard her first book when she was 1 day old, in the hospital!) It is never too early or too late to start reading to the babies in your care!
What Types of Books Are Best for Babies in Your Infant Classroom?
There really is no such thing as a “bad book”. But there are certain features to look for when picking the best books for your infant classroom.
What to look for:
Questions to ask yourself:
Is there a sensory element? (sound, touch and feel, texture, etc.)
Is the book interactive?
Is the book short and simple?
Sensory Books: Touch-and-Feel, Crinkle, and Texture Books
Babies learn through their hands first, which means we want them touching the pages. Often providers will encourage babies to keep their hands down or still while they read but we want to look for books that actually encourage the opposite- get their hands involved! Sensory books are your best friend when reading to infants in your class..
What to look for:
Touch-and-feel textures on every page
Crinkle or foil elements
Fabric or cloth books that can be safely mouthed
Sound buttons or squeaky elements
These are especially effective because the tactile experience keeps babies engaged and helps them connect pictures with physical sensation.
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Interactive Books: Lift-a-Flap and Sliding Door Books
Attention goes where the hands go. If you want to keep babies engaged during story time, keep their hands busy.
Lift-a-flap books, sliding doors, and peek-a-boo pages give babies a reason to participate rather than just observe. That active participation is where the real learning happens.
Interactive books also support object permanence — the understanding that something still exists even when hidden. When a baby lifts a flap and finds the duck, that is object permanence in action. (BTW this is a question on our early intervention assessment, so we want to give our babies opportunities to practice this skill)
What to look for in interactive books:
Large, sturdy flaps that hold up to baby hands
Simple reveals, one image per flap
Familiar subjects like animals, faces, and everyday objects
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Simple Board Books: High-Contrast and One-Image-Per-Page Books
Less is always more with babies. One large, colorful image per page will hold a baby's attention far longer than a busy, crowded scene. Young infants especially respond to high-contrast images — black and white patterns and bold colors — because their visual systems are still developing. A lot of these high contract books can seem “awkward” to read because it is literally just one picture per page. But you can practice having baby track the pictures or set the book up during tummy time for them to look at the pictures- this counts as a literacy activity in your infant class!
What to look for in high contrast books::
Bold, large illustrations on each page
One word or one short phrase per page
High-contrast images for younger infants
Familiar subjects — faces, animals, everyday objects
Photo Albums and Wordless Picture Books
Don't sleep on a photo album. Photo albums are highly engaging for infants. Real photographs hold babies attention and this is a great way to help parents feel their baby is connecting with them while they are at work.
Wordless books also give you freedom as the teacher. Instead of feeling like you have to read the text, you can label pictures, make fun sounds, and add lots of gestures. That interactive narration is one of the most powerful language-building strategies you have.
How to Read to Babies in Your Infant Classroom
The most important thing I tell every infant teacher I work with: reading to babies is not about finishing the book. It is about the back-and-forth — the talking, pointing, reacting, and connecting.
6 Story Time Tips for Infant Teachers
Follow the baby's lead — Stuck on one page? Stay there. Talk about what they see.
Use your voice expressively — Change pitch, slow down, get animated. Tone matters more than words. (No, this is NOT baby talk!)
Point and name — "Look — the dog! The fluffy dog!" Pointing is a skill we look for in Early Intervention- we need to model it!
Pause and wait — Leave space for a sound, a reach, a look. That back-and-forth IS communication.
Keep it short — 2 pages of real engagement is better than forcing a squirming baby to look at the entire book.
Repeat the same books — Repetition is not boring to babies. It is how they learn!
How to Build the Best Book Library for Your Infant Classroom
Here are a few ideas for your infant room library:
Aim for variety across these five categories:
2–3 sensory or touch-and-feel books
2–3 lift-a-flap or interactive books
3–4 simple board books with bold or high-contrast images
1–2 repetitive text books
1–2 photo books (Have the parents send in a photo book or take pictures for a couple weeks and make your own!)
A few other things to keep in mind:
Durability matters — Board books and cloth books hold up a little longer in infant classrooms.
Rotate your collection — I like themes- rotate a few books by theme but keep favorites in rotation at all times. Remember we want repetition.
Display books accessibly — Forward-facing displays low to the floor let babies see covers and reach for books independently- just touching and interacting with books is building literacy skills!
Frequently Asked Questions About Reading to Babies in Childcare
What age should you start reading to babies in an infant classroom?
There is no minimum age. As soon as they start in your care, you can start reading to them. Infants benefit from hearing your voice, experiencing the rhythm of language, and sharing a bonding moment with their caregiver.
How long should story time be for babies?
There is no specific criteria on how long story time should last. We want quality read a louds over quantity of minutes.Short, frequent read-alouds throughout the day are more effective than one long session. And that exposes them to even more vocabulary!
Do babies need to sit still for story time to be effective?
No. Wiggly, grabby, squirmy story time still counts. Babies are learning even when they're moving. Tracking the book pages, batting at a crinkle book from the floor gym, setting up the high contrast book on the floor so baby can see at tummy time- all count as book reading! The goal is not compliance, it's language exposure and positive interactions around books.
Do I always have to read when we are doing “floor time”?
No!, I am all about leveraging your daily routines. Depending on how many infants you have in your care or if you have mixed age groups- you may have to get creative. Hook a book that can be wiped down to the changing table and let baby look at it during a diaper change. Add a book to meals- while everyone is at the table, read a few books.
What if babies aren't interested in books?
Start with sensory books that give their hands something to do. Read when baby has a full belly and seems content. Also, when they seem done, move on. It’s ok if you only read a few pages and didn’t finish the book! Follow their lead.
Looking for more practical, research-backed strategies for your infant classroom? Check out our training for infant and toddler childcare providers — built by a pediatric SLP who has spent years in classrooms just like yours.
