Durable Board Books
9 Books That Even the Toughest of Toddlers Can't Destroy
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Pop-up and peek-a-boo board books are a great idea — in theory. That is, until those curious little hands cross the boundaries of play and begin to rip, tear, and straight up attack the contents of their lovingly curated libraries. Luckily, there's a destruction-free solution to encouraging literacy for little ones. We've found nine great soft books and board books that are as interactive and fun as their delicate counterparts but will stand the test of your tough tots. Check 'em out!
Jungly Tails
Jellycat's line of soft, textural books for babies is one of our favorites. Each bright and vibrant read, like Jungly Tails ($17), features a variety of fun tabs, tags, and in this case, tails! Plus, they have velcro straps to attach to strollers — genius.
In My Pond
Just one of the fun series by Sara Gillingham and Lorena Siminovich, In My Pond ($9) utilizes a durable felt finger puppet as its interactive element throughout the book.
Wiggle!
The essential interactive element in Taro Gomi's Wiggle! ($7)? Your little one's silly little finger! You may recognize the author's name from the infamous Everyone Poops, but this book's humor is less potty, more playful.
My Animals
Appealing to young babies' developing eyesight with its black and white illustrations, My Animals ($10) features high-contrast fun and cutout shapes that are guaranteed to remain in tact, year after year.
Big Tree Little Moose Custom Soft Book
Commission a one-of-a-kind fabric book ($47-$78) that uses the letters from your child's name to introduce them to the animal kingdom. Handmade in the UK, the books feature durable padding on each page, plus ribbon tags for curious hands.
That's Not My Puppy . . .
The entire That's Not My . . . series from Usborne Books is beloved by prereaders and for good reason. From That's Not My Puppy . . . ($10) to pony, monkey, train, car, and more (you get the idea) variations on the theme, the simple, straightforward storyline and textural adventures on each page make for a fun story time.
Alphablock
Not your ordinary alphabet book, Alphablock ($17) is an ultrathick and sturdy way to learn those ABCs. It features die-cut letters and cool, retro illustrations.
Let's Get Counting Gift Set
The best way to distract troublesome teethers from gnawing on their reading material? Pair your babies' books with a favorite teething toy. The very giftable Let's Get Counting! set ($29) is full of fun tactile tabs, and Sophie the giraffe will keep those nibblers where they belong!
Opposites
Another pick from Xavier Deneux's TouchThinkLearn series, Opposites ($15) uses the power of color, graphic illustrations, and cutout shapes and figures to teach its basic concept.
