As my baby grew into a toddler, her taste in books changed dramatically. At 12 months, she started getting tired of some (not all) of the ones we had read over and over (and over) again and wanted something new.
In this post, I’m sharing my favorite board books for toddlers (ages 12-24 months). These books encourage participating, spark curiosity, and make story time even more fun!
(Looking for books for younger babies? If you’re starting a library for your little one, don’t miss My Favorite Board Books for Babies (0-12 Months) for must-have first reads. My toddler still returns to a lot of these, too.)
Table of Contents
Introduction
Reading to toddlers aged 12–24 months can feel like a wrestling match—and it’s still worth doing. These quick reads with colorful pages and durable covers have become our go-tos for keeping story time fun and low-stress.
My toddler has opinions—and these made the cut.
Our Favorite Board Books for Toddlers (12-24 Months)
🧸 Books About Friends and Feelings
Sesame Street Friends
We started with Rosita, and it’s such a great book that we added more. Her favorites are Rosita, Count, Cookie, Grover, Elmo, and Abby. These are full of bright colors, clear pictures, simple words, and joy.
Grumpy Monkey
This book teaches us that all feelings are okay with the help of a whole cast of jungle characters.
🎶 Board Books with Rhymes and Repetition
Llama Llama Misses Mama
This Llama Llama book is about the first day of school, and my daughter loves it.
There’s a Bear on my Chair
This one is so cute! The mouse has had it with the bear that is in his spot. My little one loves it.
🤪 Silly and Mischievous Favorites
Maybe…
The bright colors and unique illustrations make this book about 3 little monkey siblings pushing their luck so much fun. There are tigers hiding in the trees that my little one loves to point out.
Froggy Gets Dressed
Ah, Froggy! I remember some Froggy books from when my brother was younger and they are a delight. This is the only one I can find in board book form, and my daughter loves it. Froggy ’flop flop flop’s inside and out, putting on and taking off all of the clothes and accessories required for the snow.
Shake My Sillies Out
My little one loves to shake, jump, and clap along with this fun Raffi song in book form.
How to Babysit a Grandma
This one is about a little girl that goes to grandma’s for the night and plans all kinds of activities. My daughter loves playing along.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
This families bear hunt has all kinds of sound effects that my daughter loves. She asks for “Hunt” over and over again.
📖 Lift-the-flap and Fold-Out Surprises
Flora and Friends Colors
This book about colors folds out into a gigantic rainbow, and my little one loves to do it herself. (I have to fold it back up though.) The Flora books are fabulous.
📸 Board Books with Real Photographs
My First Library: Boxset
Around age 1, my daughter became more interested in actual pictures than illustrations. These are great. They are teeny, so she loves flipping through them on her own, too. The fruit book is her favorite.
First 100 Words
This is another book of real pictures. She loves repeating each word after me and pointing to each of the 100 pictures.
🌙 Cozy Bedtime Board Books
Time for Bed
This bedtime book is adorable. The illustrations are in a beautiful watercolor style, and each page features a different animal baby and their parent gently convincing them to go to sleep.
Tips for Reading with a Wiggly Toddler
- Keep books on shelves and in baskets all over the house.
- Let them turn the pages even if you’re not reading every word.
- Repetition is key—embrace reading the same one 12 times
Final Thoughts
Books are a staple in our house, and I take pride in building a great library for my daughter. I hope some of these earn a spot in your library, too.
Check out my other book recommendations:
