6 Great Soft Cloth Activity Books
Let’s face it: conventionally published books are terrific until you try to use them for anything other than conveying information. Take one in the bath, and it dissolves into colorful mush. (Fun science experiment, perhaps.) Cuddle one in bed, and you’ll end up with scratches and poky corner marks all over you. (Ouch!) Try to use it as a puppet, and all you’ll get is Booky the Book. (Boring!) These books, however, give you added value and entertainment in addition to good old reading.
{{ product: 9781416908036 }}Little Quack’s Bath Book, by Lauren Thompson and Derek Anderson
Little Quack’s aquatic adventures have always been a favorite in our house, but not until now could you actually splish, splash, sploosh, and splosh along with Little Quack and his family. Take Little Quack’s Bath Book along at bathtime, and count the duck siblings as they venture out of their nest and into the pond.
Fuzzy Bee and Friends, by Roger Priddy
From the creator of several essential board books including First 100 Words and Bright Baby Touch and Feel comes a soft activity book just begging for interaction. Friendly and adorable insects populate this book, inviting little ones to crinkle, feel, inspect, and munch each one. Parents and caregivers might wish to instruct consumers of this book not to expect actual insects to be as attractive or satisfying to chew. Except for dragonflies, of course.
Penguin and Friends: A Soft and Fuzzy Book Just for Baby!, by Rettore
Here’s another collection of animal friends just waiting for little fingers to explore. Soft, cloth Penguin and Friends makes a great crib or cuddle companion with fabric tabs, crinkly bits, and parts that rattle when shaken. Each page features a bright, colorful animal such as a penguin, moose, or seal attractively embroidered especially for a baby’s enjoyment.
Old MacDonald: A Hand-Puppet Board Book, by Scholastic, Michelle Berg, and Jill Ackerman
Old MacDonald takes the nursery rhyme classic song and adds fun finger puppets in a book that you wear as you read it. Bop your fingers along with the dog, cow, cat, pig, and duck as each animal is named. Use the puppets to increase your child’s recognition of types of animals, making it a silly game. Mix up the animals to see if they’re paying attention. Does a duck really moo moo here? Or there? E-I-E-I-NO!
Bath Time, Sandra Boynton
If you thought the tub was the one place you could escape Sandra Boynton’s adorable menagerie and irresistible rhymes, you’re wrong! Come scrub along with a perky, painting pig as the artist demonstrates how to wash: from head to toe, all the way up to the essential kiss and squeak at the end. For more Boynton bath time fun, Barnyard Bath provides some excellent animal washing activities.
Goodnight Moon Cloth Book, Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
The ubiquitous classic Goodnight Moon (in various formats) has help lull children to sleep since 1947. This particular edition invites readers (and those being read to) to say goodnight to the same room full of objects and bunnies as the original but with the added benefit of being able to cuddle the book as they drift off to sleep. Good night, book.