These cloth books are perfect for newborns and young babies, because they get kids used to the idea of books before they’re ready to actually hold one. As they get a little older, babies can stare at high-contrast pages that are designed for their developing eyes. And, of course, they can be grabbed, chewed, and used as a pillow. The interesting thing about looking for cloth books for babies is that they’re not produced like regular books. Because they’re made of fabric and other materials, they are often grouped in with toys, not books. That can make them difficult to find, especially because they’re not made by publishers, for the most part. Because cloth baby books have a lot of overlap with toys, many of them also aren’t books in another sense: they may not have words on the page or even an author. There are only a very, very few kids’ book titles that get adapted into a cloth book. It may even be more likely for a picture book to make it to the big screen than it is to have it made into a cloth book. This means that only the classics of kids’ literature have this option, like Goodnight Moon. Publishers don’t seem willing to take a chance on newer titles. This unfortunately means that of the cloth books for babies I’ve found that have authors, they are almost all white authors. I hope that publishers decide in the future to make cloth book adaptations of books like Lovely by Jess Wong — its scarcity of words and vibrant illustrations make it well-suited to a cloth format — or one of Richard Van Camp’s beautiful board books, like Little You. In the meantime, though, here are some cloth books for toddlers and babies that you and your kid will love! I’ve separated these into cloth story books, which are mostly adaptations of picture books and have pages that look similar to board books, and toy-like interactive cloth books that have crinkly pages, teething bindings, mirrors, and other fun activities for babies and toddlers.
Cloth Story Books
Interactive Cloth Books for Toddlers
Allow me to be a paranoid aunt and recommend that these books be used with supervision, not necessarily left in the crib. While they’re all made for babies, they have more little parts attached to them, and I’d be worried about one getting yanked off and swallowed. I’m probably being overprotective, but I’d rather be extra safe! Still looking for more books for babies? Try these!
The Best Soft Books for Babies 50 Must-Read Board Books for Babies and Toddlers 50 Of The Best Books For Baby Showers
