One of the best activities you can do with your baby is to read with them. It promotes literacy and bonding between the parent and child. Sometimes it’s hard to know what books will interest your baby, so I decided to create this list to help parents discover books and topics that will spark your baby’s curiosity.

Best Types of Books for Babies Under 1

• Peekaboo books or books with flaps – games of peekaboo delight babies and as their fine motor skills develop, they’re interested in turning the pages and flaps themselves   
• Books that rhyme –  rhymes help babies learn about sounds and language
• High-contrast books – newborns eyes take time to fully develop, so high-contrast books are easier for them to decipher than books in color
• Books that teach babies about their bodies – during the first year of life, babies are discovering their body and they love to look at pictures that teach them about themselves and other babies
• Finger puppet books – babies find finger puppet books so funny
• Books that show daily activities – these types of books are great for establishing routines, such as bedtime or bath time, and can help the baby understand what to expect 
• Books with funny sounds – silly noises entertain babies and keep them interested in reading   
• Books with images of babies – babies love to look at photos and illustrations of other babies
• Touch-and-feel books – these interactive books are great ways for babies to experience different textures
• Books featuring songs – babies love music and hearing their parents sing
• Interactive books that make noises – these books encourage babies to touch and manipulate the book 
• Board books – these are excellent for when the baby wants to practice turning the pages and they don’t rip like paper books do
• Books babies can’t destroy – when babies are mouthing or teething, they need books they can put into their mouth without doing damage
• Books about animals – babies love to read about animals and listening to the sounds they make
• Books for nighttime – reading books about bedtime or the night before babies go to bed, can help signify to babies that it is time for bed
• Books you enjoy reading – your love for a book will seep through to the baby and they will learn to love it to

Those are my recommendations for the best types of books for babies under 1. Do you have any to add? Please leave a note in the comments. I’d love to hear everyone’s ideas.

My next blog will post will discuss specific book recommendations for babies under 1, but first I wanted to share a list of general topics that will interest babies of this age. Stay tuned and happy reading!