Board books for children are simple picture books. The target age group are children five-years-old and younger. The pages are thick like a board, thus the name.

Infants, toddlers and young children have not developed their motor skills. They are unable to manipulate fine objects with their little fingers. This is the reason everything made for them are large: blocks, legos, pencils and books.

Select board books to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended. For example, an infant is content to have a board book with simple paintings or photograghs of the alphabet, numbers, animals and everyday objects. They love to listen to the reader’s voice. The best board books increase infants’ identification of vocabulary words and objects.

Infants, toddlers and young children still have not fully developed their motor skills, but desire a story. The best board books for children have simple words with bold text. The words are repetitive and/or rhyme.

Also, children with poor motor skills due to physical disabilities enjoy board books. They, like other children, love reading books on their own.

Board books have bright, simple pictures. Usually, there are not many details. Yet, there is lots of color to stimulate children’s interest. The colors tend to stick with the eight basic colors. This allows the child to identify the color of different objects which makes the alphabet book into a book for learning colors.

Invest in board books for children. It is never too early to pique their interest in books. Read the books with them. Let them look at the books on their own, so they can become comfortable with them. Don’t be surprised to see a two-year-old child or younger chewing on one. That’s another reason for the thick pages, not thin pages, so they are not so destructible.

There are new board books published every month. Many books originally published as picture books are now available as board books. Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, The Foot Book, Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon and Eric Hill's Spot Books are fine infant and toddlers board books.

Board books make great last-minute birthday books. Remember, when in doubt, stick to the classic authors, such as Dr. Seuss, Todd Parr and Eric Carle. There is a reason these authors have been around for years.

Board books are everywhere. They are on the shelves in the local library. All bookstores carry many titles. Dollar Stores have many for a bargain. Online bookstores like Amazon.com carry quite a selection. There are used board books available at tag and garage sales.

Amazon.com has many board books. Browse their titles for books to share with children.
Children Board Books at Amazon.com

Eric Carle's Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me is available as a board book. It is a classic bedtime story.



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Infants and Toddlers Board Books

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