If you have a little one on the verge of saying some words, you are in need of a great “baby’s first words” book! These can be useful to have on hand before a baby turns 1, and I have found that kids tend to enjoy looking through them until they are 3 or 4. That’s a lot of mileage to get out of a book for kids, trust me!
Here are my top 25 picks for first word books. I hope they help you out if you are searching for a baby shower gift or even a first birthday gift!
- My Big Barefoot Book of Wonderful Words. This is a large book with vibrant scenes, following a family through a busy day. A good one to grow with, as preschoolers will still want to engage. Over 700 words are listed! This title has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal as one of the best books to gift to children.
2. My Very First Book of Words This classic children’s book by Eric Carle is very engaging, as children match up the picture in the bottom half of the book with the word in the top half. This also makes this book one that will grow with the child as they become a reader.
3. First 100 Words This is the bestselling book for baby’s first words, and for good reason. My girls loved this book with its 100 color photographs and simple words. It is a board book with a softly padded cover so it can survive babies and toddlers!
4. First Words (Bright Baby) Lovely bright pictures of fun objects to name, like boat, car, apple and banana. Board book format.
5. Big and Small A favorite in my home. Very high contrast colors to pull kids in. Very simple words and the concepts of big and small are featured on the pages (for example: lion on the left page and cat on the right).
6. Baby Basics: My First Words Colorful photographs of everyday objects are grouped by categories for ease of learning. Padded cover.
7. Disney Baby My First Words The perfect pick for the Disney fans out there! Images are organized by category and the illustrations are adorable. Board book with a soft padded cover.
8. Baby Touch and Feel: First Words Different textures come into play with this interactive book. Clear labels are also present to provide a multi-sensory experience and early language skill development. Padded cover.
9. Babies Love First Words: Life-a-Flap Board Book A chunky board book with 10 first words and matching colorful illustrations. Open the flaps to see what’s hidden underneath.
10. My First Book of Learning People, objects and activities featured in a baby’s day are found in this book. Real-life photography included.
11. My World My Words: A Toddler’s First Words Take a walk through toddler Bobby’s day, from breakfast to bedtime. Words for things, actions and feelings children know about. Love the printed cloth tabs at the start of each section. Unique, retro-chic illustrations make this book a winner!
12. Baby Sophie la Girafe: Baby’s First Words Another lift-the-flap option that features a favorite toy: Sophie the giraffe! Bright illustrations and large, simple text.
13. First Words (Say & Play) Toys, food, clothes and other familiar objects for letting one are featured in these big, bright photos.
Baby, bib, bottle, and apple: these are some of the first words every child learns! Big, bright photos show toys, food, clothes, and other familiar objects, so preschoolers can learn and practice saying the name of each one.
14. Baby’s First Book This is a beautiful book that features some rhymes and everyday scenes that will encourage language development.
15. 100 First Words (My Big Book of Lift and Learn) Photographs of familiar animals, toys, clothes, food and more. Flaps make this one interactive.
16. Jane Foster’s First Words Bold and graphic images that are distinctive, yet easily recognizable by young ones.
17. TotMart Baby Soft Activity Book, My First Word Book This super soft book is so fun to tote around! Different textures inside, too. 22 full color pages and 92 words featured.
18. Tabbed Board Books: My First Words: Let’s Get Talking! Tabbed sections lead children through 13 fun activity spreads of real photography and simple texts.
19. My Big Word Book Sturdy board book with bright photographs featuring everyday experiences, grouped into sections such as toys, clothes, mealtime and more.
21. The Sounds Around Town As little ones are learning words they are also eager to learn fun sounds! This book is SO much fun to read with little speakers-in-training! They will want to mimic every sound you make!
22. First 100 Words Lift-the-Flap This is another best seller: over a million copies sold! Contains over 100 photos of food, pets, toys and more everyday items.
23. Simple First Words Let’s Talk This book has a talking component, which sets it apart from the rest of the picks. I like that the list is limited so that it won’t overwhelm the child.
24. Mudpuppy My First Words Ring Flash Cards My girls had this reclosable ring of cards and took it all over the house with them! It has 26 cards that are two-sided. Lots of fun!
25. First Words Cards I do recommend a set of cards in addition to a book, and this is my other flash card pick. I love the 108 photographic images on the 54 cards. They are great to lay out in front of the child to point to an identify, even if s/he hasn’t mastered saying the words quite yet.
Let me know if you have any books or flash cards to add to the list of fantastic first words resources. I hope this helps you find something your little one will love!
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