Top 10 Beloved Toddler Board Books
These are the book we love to pieces – literally, these books that are falling apart by now because we’ve read them so many times.
Does your family have little, “book jokes?” You know, where everybody knows that one line and you all say it the same way? Or do you have some stories that you can recite in the car to soothe the baby because they’re so familiar?
For our family, when it comes to toddler board books, these are those books.
A couple of these were ones we received as gifts, which I always think is a very sweet baby shower present – what a great way to start a family on a childhood filled with snuggles and stories.
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Beloved Toddler Board Books
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 Beep! Beep! Sheep in a Jeep! So much fun to read with cute pictures to boot. If you haven’t yet, you must meet the sheep of Margot Apple and Nancy Shaw. |
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar was one that we would say aloud in the car to help my oldest son stay happy on long car rides.When we read it, on the last page the whole family says “A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY” and we flap the book like butterfly wings. |
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Ahh, melt my heart. I think Mama Mama/Papa Papa is a wonderful board book to give any new mom; it’s so loving with pretty animal pictures. |
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Goodnight Moon is another great gift book. I actually received two of these when my oldest was born, but that was a good thing because one got teethed on until it was ruined. The other is still read to our youngest child at bedtime. One family I know does bedtime by saying goodnight to things in the bedroom just like this story. |
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Touchy-Feely Books are a must for toddlers. The Usborne board books, in particular, I find to be very high quality. |
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The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear -This book can inspire you to read dramatically. Don and Audrey Wood write books that are fun to read aloud with whimsical illustrations that spark your imagination.We love King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub too, but it’s not a board book 😉 |
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 Some books are special just because of how somebody reads them. that’s the case with Curious George’s ABCs. I think what’s made the book special is the way my husband reads it. He has silly little ways he says each letter, like, “two clamping claws!” with chomping hands to match. |
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 We live in the Southwest and I tend to fall for books that feature coyotes and lizards. I Howl, I Growl is a fun one to read. Currently my seven year old like to read it to my toddler and they all laugh about the skunk at the end. |
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Babybug – Not actually a book, rather a sturdy magazine for toddlers. All of my kids have loved the simple stories about “Kim and Carrots” nursery rhymes, poems and beautiful illustrations.As kids get older they can subscribe to Ladybug, Click or Cricket – all high quality literature magazines for kids. |
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Ok – 10 is for you. I want to know what books your family loves! Which toddler board book can you imagine pulling out years from now to read to a grandchild? |
I know your family probably has some beloved books as well. I’d love to check out your recommendations. Add to my list of great toddler books by leaving a comment!
Related Posts:
- Best Family Board Games – with ideas for toddlers too!
- Toddler Years Bucket List – All the most fun things to do with toddlers
64 Positive Things to Say to Kids
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The Giving Tree or A Dandelion Girl!
The Pout Pout Fish is a great read and a good moral to the story! My 2 year old loves the ending! We also enjoy the Anne Wilkinson for Jellycat books If I Were an Owl, If I were a Zebra, etc. Great touch and feel books!
Love love love Where Is The Green Sheep!!!! Great book for toddlers who sign too!
Great list – thank you!
But not the hippopotamus
Anything by Sandra Boynton.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Not surprised that Goodnight Moon is on the list. It’s a classic for a reason. Definitely one of our faves too. 🙂
Hairy MacLary by Linley Dodd and Hello Baby by Mem Fox
Where is the cat at? By Hollyanne Shell, kids are encouraged to tell their own story of the wonderful illustrations
I’d add a few Australian titles – a big favourite at our house has been Where’s the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox 🙂
10 Little Fingers & 10 Little Toes
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Roadwork
5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Curious George’s Favorite Things
Where is the Green Sheep is awesome. Huggy Kissy is probably my favourite, but all of the books I’ve come across by Leslie Patricelli are good. Aliens Love Underpants is good for a laugh.
Don’t forget Peepo!
We really like Sweet Dreams Lullaby by Betsy Snyder. It’s a fun book that has fairly accurate representations of things in nature along with a whimsical bunny character. It has rhyming text that is loving and gentle without being sappy. And the illustrations are beautiful. We read it morning, noon, and night!
I read Barnyard Dance and I know a Rhino more times than I can count. I recently pulled out the board books from my 6-year-old’s shelf, but I made sure to keep both of those.
We love Mr. Brown Can Moo. When I read it I use some type if physical movement or touch, like when he buzzes I tickle my kids, or tick tick we all sway back and forth.
Chica Chica Boom Boom and Bubbles Bubbles (I have them memorized now) are favorites of mine and my almost 3 year old daughter. She also enjoys interactive books, such as looking for things of a certain color and counting objects. We read a book at bedtime every night and she really likes that time together and I love that I know she is learning when I read to her.
We love books in our house!!
Some of our favorites are
Ten little fingers and ten little toes by Mem Fox
Goodnight moon
Baby Cakes by Karma Wilson
Twinkle,twinkle little star by Iza Trapani
Goodnight gorilla
Babies by Gyo Fugikawa
Baby animals by Gyo Fugikawa
Peek a who ?
Love you forever by Robert Munsch
And lots more lol
Thanks for the great board book list!
Hi- not board books, but some of our family favourites for my now 4 year old. I have been reading some of these for years and neither of us tire of them 🙂
Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Love you Forever by Robert Munsch
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathon London
Piggy Washes Up by Carol Thompson
The Airport by Philippe Dupasquier
Oliver Who Travelled Far and Wide by Mara Bergman
Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld
Toddle Waddle, One Mole Digging a Hole, The Bear Hunt
my 2 year old’s favourite by far has always been Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox – she takes it everywhere and will literally run to find it. Next would be Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball by Vicki Churchill. These were my eldest daughter’s favourite too along with I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt & Time for Bed by Mem Fox. All beautiful books
The greedy python. Llama llama nighty night. The mitten. King Jack and the dragon. Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s scrubbing machine.
The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats. Kia Tanisha, and Kia Tanisha Drives Her Car, by Eloise Greenfield. Time for Bed, by Mem Fox. Honey I Love, by Eloise Greenfield.
Good Night Moon and Chica Chica Boom Boom
Mrs. Mustard’s Baby Faces
All the ones listed are awesome. Our favourites are Sandra Boynton, Sandra Boynton, Sandra Boynton. My son can’t get enough of them. “Are you a Cow?” “The Going to Bed Book” “Barnyard Dance” “Snuggles” “Tickle Me” “Happy Hippo Angry Duck” and all things Pookie related. 😀
Ten Little Fingers & Ten Little Toes is a lovely one
I love this book ! I read this one and Goodnight moon to my little girl every night 🙂
My son (26 months) loves Owl Babies and Goodnight Gorilla, too, and knows Moo Baa La La La by heart. Go, Dog. Go! gets a lot of reading. It isn’t a board book, but he recently shocked me by reciting the first half of The Gingerbread Man the other day, so he must like it! 🙂
Another one I didn’t see on the list, “I am a bunny”
Anything by Todd Parr!
I don’t think I know Todd Parr, fun to have some new books to check out now, thanks!
Owl Babies
Dear Zoo
Goodnight Moon
Big Dog and Little Dog Going for a Walk
EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
I have a 2 1/2 year old and an 18 month old.
Many of our favorites are on this list. I would also add Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? and the board book version of The Little Engine That Could, which my toddler just plopped into my lap right now.
On the Day You Were Born… My kids always wait for me to whisper, “We are so glad you’ve come!” Makes me cry every time. 🙂
I cry every single time I read that too! My toddler isn’t even all that interested. I just sit there crying saying “See! See! Baby!”
Try “where is the green sheep” by Mem Fox. A classic.
My little guy (12 months old) LOVES
Brown Bear, Brown Bear
10 Tiny Tickles
Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You
and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES
Llama Llama Red Pajama
We can recite it in the middle of crying spell and he’ll instantly giggle.
I’m with the other Kristin, we love Sandra Boynton. The Going to Bed Book and Barnyard Dance are our favorites.
Oh and any Sandra boynton book!
We love “where’s baby’s belly button,” goodnight moon of course! And row row row your boat and other Annie kubler books! They’re just cute and fun! Thanks for the book list!
Goodnight Gorilla
Moo Baa La La La and Peek a Who are some of our favorites.
Blueberries for Sal, good night moon and make way for ducklings.
Brown Bear Brown Bear, Runaway Bunny, several Pat the Bunny books and our most tattered book is Goodnight Moon, already listed above. I have a home child care and these and a few from your list are always the favorites.