Favorite Board Books for Babies and Toddlers of 2022

Every year I create a favorites book list to celebrate my top picks of the year. Well, this year when I began working on the board book section, I was overwhelmed with so many favorites. So, I decided that I would make a whole post/list of favorite board books for babies and toddlers of 2022. Who knows, maybe this will become a yearly tradition. I present to you my favorite board books of the year!

Favorite Board Books of the Year for Babies

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Birth to 6 months kiddos will enjoy the high contrast Tummy Time! which folds out, has high contrast images, photographs of real babies, and a mirror built in! It’s all the things we look for in books for our littlest ones.

Full of rhythm and a delight to read aloud is Hands On! by Anne Wynter. Follow along with the baby as there are things to shake, splash, and smash. Oh, how I love Anne Wynter’s work. Also, check out her book, One Big Day which also came out in 2022. This works equally well for toddlers too.

What’s better than little bears? Littler bears! Little bear has a new sibling in Little Bear, Baby Bear by Marine Schneider. I enjoyed the soft and gentle illustrations.

Photographs of baby animals, yes, please! Busy Baby Animals by Suzi Eszterhas. Babies will be drawn to this one over and over again.

I’m Still Up! by Antoinette Portis will be highly relatable to all caregivers who try to patiently wait for baby to tire and fall asleep. Portis also had I’m Up! this year.

Speaking of sleep…You Are Getting Sleepy by Lori Alexander is a gem to read before naptime.

Is your little one not asleep yet? Try Grab Your Pillow, Armadillo: A Silly Book of Fun Goodnights by Haily Meyers. It’s a playful lift-the-flaps and the rhyming text is perfect for establishing a read before sleep routine.

Technically not a board book but just as durable if not more is Indestructibles: Touch Your Nose! by Amy Pixton. This is one of my favorite series for babies. They are lightweight, chew-proof, and washable! This particular book has high-contrast images and works on naming body parts.

What baby doesn’t like playing peekaboo? Monsters Play… Peekaboo! by Flavia Z. Drago takes a familiar character from her amazing picture book, Gustavo the Shy Ghost, and brings him to a board book. Babies will be enthralled with the lift-the-flaps and imitating the sounds of the characters. This book works equally as well for toddlers.

Favorite Books of the Year for Toddlers

Best Board Books for the 12-18-Month-Olds

Ah, this age group so coined “tabbies” by my friend Susie at the Busy Toddler. These books are sure to delight.

Where Is? / ¿Dónde Está? Mi Ofrenda by Mariana Galvez let’s work on color identification and learn about a holiday in the process. Oh, and it’s bilingual.

Another bilingual gem comes from an illustrator that I love. Get ready for naptime with My Nap, Mi Siesta: A Coco Rocho Book by Raúl the Third.

Continuing the bilingual board book bonanza, I bring you Sumo Shapes by Sanae Ishida. This gem brings the learning of shapes as well as a little Japanese culture. Also, check out the Sumo Colors.

Monster Toys and Monsters Go by Daisy Hirst are playfulness combined with early literacy learning. ⁣
⁣These two books both focus on beginning sounds. Each monster’s name begins with the activity they are doing or toy they are playing with. ⁣

Our Friend Moon by Lea Redmond lets us reach out and hold the moon in our hands. Flip through the shapes book and discover the phases of the moon.

Littles love to look at photographs so Bear Has a Belly by Jane Whittingham is wonderful because it’s a mix of photographs of animals and children. And, you can work on naming body parts.

Let’s Play, Little Rabbit byJörg Mühle is a playful interactive book inviting toddlers to play right along with the rabbit in the book.

So much to love about Sunrise Dance by Serena Gingold Allen from the illustrations to the interactive elements to the lyrical language. Also, try Moonlight Prance.
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Best Board Books for 18 Month Olds and Up

Our upper toddlers appreciate a bit more substance and story structure to their board books although they will still enjoy those favorites from yester months too.

Me and the Family Tree by Carole Boston Weatherford is an ode to our family tree and all of the wonderful traits that get passed down the family line from grandma’s cheeks to uncle’s chin. A delightful book celebrating family.

I have pretty much loved all of Ferri’s books. They are so creative. Who’s Behind There? by Giuliano Ferri was a new gem for 2022. The pages unfold twice to reveal different animals hiding. So much fun for toddlers who are past the tearing pages stage.

This Is Music: Drums by Rekha S. Rajan is part of a new series about instruments. I love the interactive element and the introduction to the world of music.

We are all unique including in how we wear our hair. The Hair Book by LaTonya Yvette explores all the different ways people wear their hair.

Eat Together by Miguel Ordóñez invites us to learn about shapes, colors, and foods in this clever puzzle book. This is a great pick for older toddlers.

Little ones will love all the interactive elements of Big Green Garage by Jen Arena. Get ready for the car repairs at the garage. You can even lift the garage door on the front cover.