I’m going to tell you something that may surprise you. 

If I had to choose between reading a board book or a picture book to a baby, I’d choose a picture book almost every time. 

I know! It’s shocking! 

“But why?” you might ask. “Aren’t board books specifically designed for babies, in that they’re relatively indestructible and also very short?” And the answer is yes, of course! We have and love lots of board books. But because they’re SO short, I tend to transition my babies to picture books fairly early on because, well, I get really bored reading the same 7 sentences in board books over and over for months. 

I’ve said this so many times, but one of the key things to make reading with kids sustainable is making sure it’s enjoyable for EVERYONE, including the parent. So you & your child may both be ready for longer stories and bigger books earlier than you think, even if they can’t quite grasp those books in their chubby hands. (Which, given babies’ page-ripping tendencies, is probably for the best.)

Here are my seven best tips for reading picture books to a baby while still keeping the pages (and your sanity) intact. 

  • You don’t have to read every word. Picture books can be lengthy, so don’t feel like you have to read every single word on every single page. Especially when it’s a book my baby is experiencing for the first time, I’ll often just summarize the story. 
  • Point to pictures. One thing about picture books is that the illustrations are JUST as important as the text (for pre-literate babies, probably more so!). And as adult readers, we tend not to pay all that much attention to them because we’re busy reading the words. So sometimes I’ll ignore the story almost entirely and just focus on pointing out interesting things in the illustrations (“Look at the red car!” “Where’s the mouse?”). This makes reading picture books to a baby or toddler super interactive!
  • Lap sitting may not be the best choice. This is the vision: you sit with your baby on your lap or next to you while you snuggle and read peacefully. Right? It does sound nice, but it’s not great for protecting paper pages (and not super realistic for older babies that just want to be on the move). Try getting your baby used to longer stories by reading as you lay face-up on the ground, holding the book above your head, or letting your baby crawl around and do her thing as you read. And for maximum book-protection… you can always read while the baby is strapped in a high chair! 
  • It’s ok if your baby appears to be paying zero attention. Don’t take it personally if your baby or toddler is doing everything but sitting quietly and listening to the story! He can still hear you and is absorbing much more than you think. 
  • Read enthusiastically. Make animal sounds! Read with drama! Break out the accents and silly voices! All of it will be so fun for your baby and highly entertaining for any other family members that happen to be in the vicinity, too. 😉
  • Keep the board books around. You never want to make a hard jump between any level of books- board books to picture books or picture books to chapter books. Just go ahead and add new picture books to the rotation. When my babies get to the “grabbing” stage, I like to hand them a board book that they can play with, chew, and slobber on while I read the picture book.  
  • Calma, mi vida, con calma. It’s so hard not to be annoyed when a book gets ripped by an enthusiastic baby or toddler, but remember that this is just how your little one explores and experiences new things. There’s always tape! He’ll figure out how to be gentle eventually. The goal is to have a kid that loves books, not one that lives in fear of messing them up.

Have I convinced you yet? Reading picture books to a baby is not only doable, it’s important! You might not be able to see it right away, but you’re setting an amazing foundation for your baby to be a lifelong reader.

P.S. Here’s where you can find the BEST Spanish picture books in case you’d like to try these tips out!