Not long after my first daughter was born, I armed myself with enough baby gear to entertain an entire playgroup. Well, maybe not that much stuff, but in our modest living room, it sure felt like it. Looking back, I realized that the few things that seemed to interest her early on, ironically, didn’t take up much space at all: her books. And because I’d heard about the benefits of black-and-white toys and books for stimulating newborn eyes, I was armed and ready. To this day, I recall a cloth book that contained bold imagery with no words, so that I needed to “get creative” and come up with my own witty dialog (as it turned out, I could have been chanting about anything and my daughter would have been soothed by the sound of my voice alone). Memories like these prompted me to take note of the hello baby line of first books. From the mirror cloth book, to a shaker teether title, each one is perfected sized for little hands eager to grasp and explore. Their design may be basic and simple, but the payback is immense. Watch as you turn the pages of these books filled with high-contrast colors and bold patterns, and see if your little one doesn’t kick her feet or wave her arms excitedly. Consider that a two thumbs’ up review in baby talk.
In a Nutshell: The grown-up world may not be so black and white, but to a baby, it’s exactly what they need to be. Toss one of these books in your diaper bag the next time you’re out for a stroll, and see if they don’t hold your little one’s attention. Let the cooing begin…
