When choosing books for babies, look for:
- books with pictures of other babies
- rhythm and rhyme
- bright, bold pictures & simple text
- repetition
Tips: Snuggle with your baby and read for a short time. Many short exposures is better than one long reading time. Stop when your baby tells you she’s done. Singing songs and reciting nursery rhymes throughout the day is another great way to “read” to a baby. Follow your baby’s lead!
Books We Recommend
The Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O’Connell
Baby Faces by Margaret Miller
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Global Babies by Global Fund for Children
I Kissed the Baby by Mary Murphy
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora
Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? by Karen Katz
Action Rhymes and Songs
Pat A Cake
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can! Roll it (roll arms), pat it (pat legs) and mark it with a B (draw on baby’s back); Put it in the oven for Baby and Me!
Mama’s Little Baby Loves Clapping!
Mama’s little baby loves clapping, clapping
Mama’s little baby loves clapping fast!
Mama’s little baby loves clapping, clapping
Mama’s little baby loves clapping slow
Down By the Station
Down by the station, early in the morning.
See the little puffer-billies all in a row.
See the station master pull his little lever.
Chug, chug, toot, toot-
Off we go!
Trot, Trot
Trot, trot to London, Trot, trot to Dover, Look out, baby or you might fall over!
Trot, trot to Boston, Trot, trot to Lynn, Look out, baby or you might fall in!
These Are Baby’s Fingers
These are baby’s fingers, (touch baby’s fingers)
These are baby’s toes, (touch baby’s toes)
This is baby’s belly button- (point to belly button)
Round and round it goes. (circle belly button with your finger)
Simple Games
Peek-a-Boo Scarf: Feed a scarf through a paper towel tube. Now make it appear and disappear for baby. Let her pull scarf through tube, then pull it back through again. Where’s the scarf? Peek-a- boo!
Tissue Box Surprise: Put scarves or bandanas in a tissue box and let baby pull them out.
Surprise Box: Find a box with an easy opening top and put small objects in it for baby to find when she opens the box. Use baby toys or small (safe) objects from the kitchen- measuring spoons and measure cups are great choices
