The 35 Best Sound Books for Babies & Toddlers (Sensory Stories)
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Sound books are a type of sensory book that help babies and toddlers grow a love of reading. On this list, you’ll discover the best sound books for babies and the best sound books for toddlers (including 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds).
Music Sound Books
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star: A Musical Instrument Song Book
Illustrated by Nicola Slater
While I found some sound books based on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, this one is my favorite. The folksy illustrations and subtle lights make it a better reading experience overall. The instrumental sounds help children connect to this favorite nursery rhyme.
Sound Features
- Subtle, dot-style buttons
- Instrumental tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Light-up stars throughout book
Toot, Toot, Boom! Listen to the Band
By Surya Sajnani
Listen to the animal musicians play their instruments in the musical sound book. Pushing the button will play the sounds of the instrument featured on the page. The high-contrast, black and white illustrations and minimal text make this book perfect for babies and toddlers.
Sound Features
- On/off switch
- Subtle, dot-style buttons
- Instrument sounds
I Love Mozart: My First Sound Book
Illustrated by Marion Billet
Babies and toddlers can discover the famous classical music of Mozart. This sound book includes more subtle buttons on each page. Pressing the button plays music from six different compositions. The book also introduces vocabulary to encourage music appreciation and discussions about music.
Sound Features
- On/off Switch
- Subtle, dot-style button
All about Music
By Igloobooks
This sound book introduces musical instruments played by favorite wild animals. Each page presents a new instrument and a description of how that instrument sounds. Each button plays a sample of the instrument’s sounds. Each page has a large tab for easy page turning. I love the concept of this book, but it has a very busy design overall.
Sound Features
- 10 button panel
- Instrument sounds
Plinka Plinka Shake Shake
By Emma Garcia
This quick-read sound book focuses on the sounds of different musical instruments. The fun sound words enhance the colorful, cheerful text. This board book would be perfect for a discovery basket alongside children’s toy instruments or rattles!
Sound Features
- Text focused on instrument sounds
I Love Music: My First Sound Book
Illustrated by Marion Billet
This sound book introduces the sounds of instruments with the push of a button. Babies and toddlers can discover the sounds of a piano, drums, guitar, recorder, violin, and xylophone. Pushing the button plays a burst of real instrumental music.
Sound Features
- Subtle, dot-style button
- 6 authentic instrument sounds
Shake It Up, Baby!
By Karen Katz
Shake It Up, Baby! is a cheerful board book with a built-in rattle! The text focuses on movement, rhyme, and music that encourages babies and toddlers to shake the book. The rattle is built into the book’s spine with visible beads under clear plastic.
Sound Features
- Rattle embedded in book’s spine
Animal Sound Books
World of Eric Carle: Explore the Sea!
By Pi Kids
In this Eric Carle sound book, babies and toddlers can listen to the sounds of ocean animals swimming and water bubbling. Each colorful page introduces facts about sea animals, and a large, easy-to-press button plays gurgling, bubbling water sounds. Explore the Sea! would pair perfectly with water activities for toddlers.
Sound Features
- One large button
- Gurgling, bubbling water sound
See, Touch, Feel: Roar: A First Sensory
By Roger Priddy
This animal-themed sound book includes a button panel of 5 animals. Each page of the book encourages children to move like different animals. Children are invited to match a picture on the page with the button on the panel. Pushing the button plays the animal’s sound.
Sound Features
- Button panel
- 5 animal sounds
- On/off switch
Noisy Farm: My First Sound Book
Illustrated by Marion Billet
Babies and toddlers can discover the sounds of farm animals. This book is the perfect companion to the nursery rhyme Old MacDonald. The book features adorable animal illustrations for readers to explore along with sounds. Pushing the button on each page will play an authentic animal sound.
Sound Features
- Subtle, dot-style button
- 6 real farm animal sounds
Hush… Little Bear is Sleeping
By Surya Sajnani
Little bear wants to sleep, but on each page, a new animal makes noises that keep the bear awake. The high-contrast art in this sound book is perfect for babies. The animal sounds in this book are pleasant and quieter than many other animal sound books. This is the perfect quick-read bedtime story.
Learn about the benefits of black and white books for babies.
Sound Features
- Subtle, dot-style button
- Animal sounds
Listen to the Birds
By Marion Billet
Animal-loving children will be enchanted by the authentic bird sounds in this book. Combine this bird sound book with a scavenger hunt or nature walk for a fun nature day. The author also has a second book about exotic birds (and their sounds) from around the world.
Sound Features
- Subtle, dot-style button
- 6 authentic bird sounds
Moo, Baa, La La La!
By Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton’s silly board books are a favorite of babies and toddlers. This particular book focuses on the sounds of animals using sing-songy text. Children and adults will enjoy the comedy and comic-style illustrations. Moo, Baa, La La La! is meant to be interactive and will hold your child’s attention.
Sound Features
- Text focused on animal sounds
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
By Igloobooks
This light-up sound book shares a favorite children’s song. Children can listen to an instrumental version of Old MacDonald. Along the way, children can discover farm animal names and sounds.
Sound Features
- Plays tune of Old MacDonald
- Buttons light up in time with the song
My First Baby Animals
By Igloobooks, illustrated by Sarah Ward
This sparkly, cutesy sound book introduces children to animal sounds. Each page shows different groups of animals, including pets, farm, and jungle animals. Adults can use prompts to encourage children to seek-and-find objects. The text also includes sound words to add even more sounds to storytime.
Sound Features
- Sparkly button panel
- 6 animal sounds
World of Eric Carle: Animal Babies
By Pi Kids, narrated by Michaela Emma Brooke
The parent and child relationship is an easy concept for babies and toddlers to connect. This Eric Carle sound book introduces animal parents and babies using simple text. This book includes ten buttons: one button for each page and animal pair. The buttons are a recording of the animal’s name and sound.
Sound Features
- 10 button panel
- Names of animals
- Animal sounds
Noisy Frog and Friends
By Igloobooks, illustrated by Belinda Strong
This unique sound book includes a rattle that babies and toddlers can explore. This board book includes fun rhyming text and animal sounds. Follow along as a frog character meets other animals.
Sound Features
- Built-in rattle
Concepts Sound Books
Wishy Washy
By Tabitha Paige & Paige Tate & Co
Wishy Washy is a sound book written by a speech therapist to promote early language skills. The author chose words emphasizing the first sounds children learn as they begin talking. This book features sweet watercolor illustrations. I highly recommend adding this book to your classroom or child’s home library.
Sound Features
- Focus on children’s first letter sounds
Quiet Loud
By Leslie Patricelli
When caregivers explore sounds with babies and toddlers, they can introduce quiet and loud sounds. Quiet Loud invites readers to explore these opposite sound concepts. Once you introduce this fun book to your kid or classroom, you’ll likely be revisiting it again and again.
Sound Features
- Text focused on concept of loud sounds and quiet sounds
Tap Tap Bang Bang
By Emma Garcia
Let this book inspire dozens of fun sounds in the dramatic play center of your classroom. Or bring more fun to a children’s toy tool set. Tap Tap Bang Bang introduces readers to dozens of tools and their action-packed sounds. Babies and toddlers will love looking at illustrations of colorful tool characters.
Sound Features
- Text focused on tool sounds
Shake and Splash!
By Pi Kids
Shake and Splash! is a waterproof book that rattles when you shake it! Adding sound books to bath time or water play is a great way to promote literacy development. Babies can explore and mouth bath books during tummy time.
Sound Features
- Built-in rattle
Yum! Yuck!: A Book of People Sounds
By Linda Sue Park & Julia Durango, illustrated by Sue Rama
This multicultural board book shares different ways humans make sounds to share their feelings. This interactive sound book will encourage being expressive with your sounds and your face! Discover how humans say yum, yikes, and yuck in multiple languages.
Sound Features
- Text focused on people sounds
Listen, Listen
By Phillis Gershator, illustrated by Alison Jay
The text of Listen, Listen is rich with sound words that babies and toddlers will love. The animal characters in this book enjoy seasonal activities. Discover seasonal changes in this quirky, fun seasonal board book.
Sound Features
- Text focused on sounds of each season
Listen to the Seasons
By Marion Billet
Listen to the Seasons introduces the real-life sounds of the seasons with the push of a button. Explore the sounds the bugs and critters make during each season. Readers will love looking at the incredibly adorable illustrations in this book.
Sound Features
- Subtle, dot-style button
- 6 authentic animal sounds
Vehicle Sound Books
Tip Tip Dig Dig
By Emma Garcia
Not to overgeneralize, but toddlers love construction vehicles. And this sound book shares all the action sounds of construction vehicles at work. Caregivers, babies, and toddlers will enjoy playing with this book’s sound words and exploring the colorful pages.
Sound Features
- Text focused on construction sounds
Vroom Vroom Garbage Truck
By Asia Citro, illustrated by Troy Cummings
Vroom Vroom Garbage Truck is a fun vehicle sound book for babies and toddlers. The simple, sound-focused text includes many different sounds that garbage truck makes. The bold illustrations lead readers through a daily routine of a garbage truck. Older toddlers will appreciate some of the silly scenarios in the story.
Sound Features
- Text focused on vehicle sounds
Vroom, Zoom! Here Comes the Fire Truck
By Surya Sajnani
This sound book focuses on familiar vehicles children will see in the city. Vroom, Zoom! Here Comes the Fire Truck features minimal text and high-contrast illustrations, making it perfect for the youngest book lovers. Let the sound-filled text inspire lots of play with toy cars.
Sound Features
- On/off switch
- Subtle, dot-style buttons
- City vehicle sounds
My First Things That Go
By Igloobooks, illustrated by Eva MarÃa Gey
This sparkly, cutesy sound book introduces children to the noises of vehicles. Each page shows multiple vehicles and a prompt to seek-and-find objects. The text also includes sound words to add even more sounds to storytime.
Sound Features
- Sparkly button panel
- 6 vehicle sounds
Toot Toot Beep Beep
By Emma Garcia
This car-themed sound book introduces sounds along with colors and transportation concepts. Although the book focuses on simple text and sounds, readers will hear new vocabulary too. The playful illustrations will keep babies and toddlers engaged until the end of the story.
Sound Features
- Text focused on vehicle sounds
Touch-and-Feel Sound Books
Noisy Babies
By Lauren Crisp, complied by Tiger Tales
Noisy Babies is a touch-and-feel sound book perfect for the youngest readers. Each page shares familiar daily routines such as napping, playing, eating, and baths. The book features different textures to get babies and toddlers interacting while they listen. The book includes real photographs for babies and caregivers to explore together.
Sound Features
- On/off switch
- Textured buttons
- 6 sounds
- Push button 2x to stop sound
Baa Quack Moo
By Make Believe Ideas Ltd, illustrated by Stephanie Thannhauser
Baa Quack Moo is a touch-and-feel sound book for babies and toddlers. This book includes rhyming text focusing on the sounds of favorite farm animals. Young readers can enjoy touching different textures while adults read this fun, playful book.
Sound Features
- Text focused on animal sounds
World of Eric Carle: If You’re Happy and You Know It
By Pi Kids, illustrated by Eric Carle
This Eric Carle sound book has a lot of options for interactive learning. The text features an animal-inspired version of the song If You’re Happy and You Know It. Toddlers (and babies with help from caregivers) can move around to act out shaking their tails or hopping around.
The button is squishy and invites children to touch and press it. Pushing the button plays an instrumental version of the song (a second push can stop the music!).
Each page includes question prompts for caregivers to make the story more interactive while building cognitive, literacy, and language skills.
Sound Features
- Large, squishy button
- Pushing button 2x stops music
Noisy Things That Go
By Libby Walden, complied by Tiger Tales
Babies and toddlers can learn about boats, trains, helicopters, and more. This nonfiction touch-and-feel sound book includes real photographs of vehicles. Each page contains facts and a textured button that plays a vehicle’s noise.
Sound Features
- On/off switch
- Textured buttons
- 6 vehicle sounds
- Pushing button 2x stops sound
Noisy Baby Animals
By Patricia Hegarty, compiled by Tiger Tales
Babies and toddlers will adore this sensory-rich sound book. Children can learn about puppies, lion cubs, kittens, penguins, and elephants. This nonfiction board book includes textured pages and real photos of baby animals.
Sound Features
- On/off switch
- Textured buttons
- 6 baby animal sounds
- Pushing button 2x stops sound
Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak
By Roy Henry Vickers & Robert Budd
Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak introduces wild animals and their habitats. This book contains simple, poetic text and vibrant illustrations. The lightly-textured pages of this board book add more sensory experience.
Sound Features
- Text focused on nature sounds
Questions about Sound Books
What age are sound books for?
Sound books are fantastic for all ages of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. The sensory experience of sound books helps young children stay engaged in storytime.
What are sound books called?
Sound books are a type of sensory book. Other sensory books include touch-and-feel, pop-up, metallic/sparkly, and lift-a-flap books.
What books are best to read to babies?
Board books and black and white books are usually the best first books to share with babies.
What do babies need to read aloud?
Developmentally, babies can’t read out loud. But caregivers can start reading to babies right away. Sharing books and stories helps children grow to love books and be motivated to learn to read.
Can babies read at 1 year old?
No, babies can’t read at 1 year old. But you can instill a love of books by reading to your baby or toddler daily.
You can make reading more interactive and sensory-rich with the sound books from this list.
What books are appropriate for 1 year old?
At 1-year-old, most toddlers have difficulty turning pages and may want to tear the paper. That’s why board books are the best option for babies and toddlers.
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