Nursery books and bedtime stories for babies and toddlers

Why read to very young children

Reading to babies and toddlers builds language, attention and a closeness that children remember. You do not need long stories. A few minutes a day is a good start. Even before they understand the words, they learn the rhythm of speech and the comfort of your voice.

Age by age

Birth to 12 months

• Black and white or high contrast books.
• Soft cloth books they can hold and chew.
• Simple board books with faces.
• Nursery rhymes sung or said.

1 to 2 years

• Board books with one picture to a page.
• Lift the flap books.
• Repetitive stories with a chorus.
• Books about everyday things: food, animals, bath, bed.

2 to 3 years

• Picture books with short stories.
• Rhyming books.
• Counting and colour books.
• Stories where they hear their own name.

3 to 4 years

• Longer picture books.
• Stories with a simple problem and a kind solution.
• Books about feelings and friends.
• Early learning stories: shapes, opposites, the time.

What makes a good nursery or bedtime book

• Sturdy. Board pages survive a lot.
• Clear pictures. Not too busy.
• Short text. Easy to read aloud.
• Gentle ending. A calm last page.
• A voice you enjoy. Pick books you do not mind reading ten times.

Building a bedtime book routine

1. Choose two or three books and put them in a basket.
2. Let the child choose one.
3. Read it in the same chair or spot each night.
4. Say a closing line every time.
5. Turn the light off.

Adding a personalised story

A story with the child's own name keeps a toddler's attention. Snuggle Up Stories makes a short animated story starring your child, about three minutes, with their name stitched into the scenes and said aloud by Grandad Joe. It is meant to be watched together and works alongside books, not instead of them. The first story is 99p, then £9.99 a month unless you cancel within 7 days. As a gift, a year is £99.99 and three months is £27.

Rhymes and songs count

Nursery rhymes and songs are some of the best early reading. They are short, they repeat, and they teach the sounds of words. Use them in the bath, at nappy changes and on the walk home. A rhyme you know by heart is a story you can tell anywhere, with no book at all.

Look after the books

Board books will be chewed. That is fine. Keep a basket of favourites within reach so a child can choose one themselves. Rotate the books every few weeks to keep them fresh. When a book is worn out, keep one favourite page for a keepsake box.

If you have older children too

Let the older child read the baby a story. It builds confidence for them and gives the baby a new voice to listen to. It is also a lovely way to help a big brother or sister feel important.