The Benefits Of Reading Board Books To Babies

Children's books come in all kinds of sizes and formats – paperbacks, hardbacks, board books. Nowadays, board book printing is increasing in popularity with its wide-ranging benefits to toddlers. A board book will help to establish the basic building blocks of learning. Sales of children's board books are spiking because of their ability to engage toddlers creatively. Self-publishing and printing board books are gaining interest from all quarters.

^{What is a board book?} 

A board book is a book where each page is two sheets of cardboard glued together back to back. When opened, the pages lay flat, forming a two-page spread. The left image of a spread is mounted on the back of the right page of the previous spread. Next, the right image of that spread is installed to the left page of the next spread. 

And a board book is a type of children's book, but not all children's books are board books. Children's books, and specifically picture books, come in three different formats – paperbacks, hardbacks and board books.

^{How many pages are usually in a board book?}

Board books tend to be short and simple for children to read, and they don't always follow the multiples of eight rule. After a quick look on our book shelf at home, the shortest board book was only 8 pages long, and the longest was 32. The length of text contained in a board book will usually be shorter too. Some board books have as little as a sentence per page, some have just a word, and some even no words at all.

^{What ages are board books for?} 

Board books are a lot sturdier than paperback or hardback picture books, and can take a lot more wear and tear. So they are ideal for babies and toddlers, as well as young children who are still very hands on with books. You don't need to be worried about your little ones tearing the pages.

Board books are a popular format for introducing babies and toddlers to things like colours, numbers, letters or animals, with simple brightly coloured pictures and minimal text. But there is no limit to the themes a board book can cover – you can even get board books introducing topics such as history and science.

So the perfect age for board books is probably from 0 until around age 3. But while board books are often seen as baby books, older children who are still very physical with their books can benefit from them too. As mentioned above, there are many children picture books printing in multiple formats. So if you think your child is not ready for paperback picture books, check if the same book is available as a board book.

Board books help children develop pre-reading skills, such as letter recognition and sound discrimination. They also provide a foundation for early language development. In addition, board books can promote bonding between parent and child and foster a love of reading