A collection of board books for young children! Durable books with engaging topics for preschool and kindergarten aged kids.
You may typically think about board books as being just for babies and toddlers, but there are many wonderful board books for pre-K, K, and even 1st graders!
Read on to see my top picks for educational board books for little learners.
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
What is a Boardbook?
Unlike hardcover and paperback books, board books are completely made out of cardboard.
Board books are a great option for young children! Perfect for babies and toddlers because they are so durable. However, even three, four, and five year olds can read these books.
I like how even the pages are printed on heavy weight cardboard along with the front and back covers. The pages are often shiny and easy to wipe clean if they get dirty.
Board books are usually smaller than a typical book making them easy for little ones to hold. You can even toss them into a to-go bag and take them with you in the car!
Top Rate Board Books
I personally went through and reviewed each book that is on the list. I selected books that my readers will love. On the list you will find educational books that cover topics in science and nature.
Peek-a-Flap Series
As a mother to a young child, I can say that I really enjoy these books just as much as my child. Not only are they filled with beautiful illustrations, but fun facts.
Unlike traditional lift the flap books, you dont have to worry about your child ripping off the flaps. Each one is made of thick cardboard and has a slot that you can use to lift the flap open!
Peek-a-Flap Ocean - learn all about different ocean life including tide pools, kelp forests, coral reefs, and the deep ocean.
Peek-a-Flap Who- explore different animals that live in a woodland forest such as raccoons, bears, and deer.
Look & Learn by National Geographic Kids
Filled with real life photographs that will captivate young readers. As a mom and educator, I like how little ones can see nature up close in these books! A great way to get them excited about the word around them.
Each page contains a few facts along with new vocabulary terms. Images have numbers, arrows, and question bubbles making them engaging for parents and kids.
Caterpillar to Butterfly- follow a monarch butterfly through its entire life cycle!
Baby Animals- identify and observe beautiful photographs of baby animals and their mothers
Life Cycles with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
Follow along with the very hungry caterpillar as it explores life cycles in nature. If your child enjoyed the Very Hungry Caterpillar, then these books are a great next step!
How Does a Tadpole Grow?- explore the life cycle of a frog with these through beautiful illustrations and simple text.
How does an Egg Hatch?- learn about the life cycle of a chicken through text and bright illustrations.
First Discovery Books by Smithsonian Kids
If you are looking for information filled durable books for young kids, these are it! Similar to other books by the Smithsonian, these board books are filled with facts, real life images, and cute images.
Planets and the Solar System- zoom off into outer space to learn about all eight planets in our solar system.
Butterflies and Moths- great for tactile learning, your child can feel the different textures on the pages as they learn about different butterflies and moths.
Rocks and Gems- see and explore beautiful rocks, minerals, and gems with this engaging book
First 100 Words Books
This series is great for learning and exploring new vocabulary words. These books are considered more basic, but I love how young children can look through them independently and practice identifying plants and animals.
Items are shown as either illustrations or a real life photograph. Below each image is a label written in an easy to read black font.
Nature Words- explore different regions and the plants and animals that call each place home.
First 100 Animals- learn about different animals including wild animals, farm animals, and pets.
Story Books
Swirl by Swirl - dramatic illustrations done in sketch will captivate young children as they explore different spirals in nature. I love how each object is labeled throughout the book using a small font.
Nest- follow along with a pair of robins as the build a nest, hatch an egg, and raise a baby robin though its first year of life.
The Busy Little Squirrel- go along with a squirrel as it gathers food in preparation for winter. A favorite in our house!
The Very Busy Spider- A classic storybook by Eric Carle in board book form. Follow along with a spider as she spins her web on a fence. Kids love how they can feel the web on the pages.
Kittens First Full Moon- award winning story about a kitten trying to catch a bowl of milk which is actually the moon. Gorgeous black and white illustrations will captive young children!
Hop- the unique artwork of Jorey Hurley makes this a wonderful story. Follow along with a family of cottontail rabbits as they go about their day. Each page has only one word and the illustrations are done in calming pastels. I love the conversations that happen while reading this book together!
Rosie's Walk- beautifully illustrated story with very few words that will spark a child's imagination for storytelling. Follow along with a hen as a sly fox follows her around the farmyard.
" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You Hear?- bright and colorful illstrations of different animals along with rhyming text help make this book an all time favorite.
Hello World! How do Apples Grow?- I love this book due to its cheerful illustrations and detailed diagrams. Basic enough for young children to understand, yet engaging enough for curious preschoolers.
Have You Seen My Duckling?- another favorite in our house do to the simple text and engaging illustrations. Follow along with a family of ducks as they search the pond for their missing duckling.
Dahlov Ipcar's Maine Alphabet Book- Now I know not everyone lives in Maine, however this is a beautiful illustrated alphabet book for young children. Since we live in New England, we love learning all about our region.
The Mitten- another classic storybook written in board book format. Your child will love following along to see what other animals squeeze into the mitten. A fun way to learn about different woodland animals during the winter months.
" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Are You My Mother?- A young bird hatches from an egg and goes off in search of his mother. A cute story that engages young children with its repeating text and illustrations done in sketch.
Bug City- A whimsical story about a family of bugs that visits the city. I love how kids can identify real life bugs, but in a fun and creative way!
I had so much fun putting together this list of board books for preschool, kindergarten, and first graders. I hope you were able to find a few new titles to add to your collection!
Additional Booklists
You may also like these top rated floor puzzles for young children.
Do you have a favorite board book? Let us know in the comments below!
Cindy
Julie, Thanks, those books look great for the younger children! What do you recommend for the 5 year olds?
Julie
Hi Cindy! You can also use these with 5 years olds especially the Smithsonian ones which have a little bit more information. The Life Cycle books with the Very Hungry Caterpillar are nice too (they are basic, but I find that 5 year olds like those as well). I also have book lists by topic including: birds, dinosaurs, apples, frogs, butterflies, insects, chickens, etc that have additional book recommendations.