0mo–11mo9 minFamily timeQuiet timeFree play

Baby Book Basket Routine

Set up a small basket of board books, cloth books, and simple stories, then use a repeatable routine to share them with young babies in short, responsive bursts.

What you'll need

Essentials

a small basket or box
2-3 board books
1-2 cloth books (or a soft, wipeable book alternative)
1 simple story or rhyme book

Nice to have

a soft blanket
a wipe or cloth (for quick clean-ups)

Movement level: false

What you'll do

The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.

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What this develops

What it practices

Enjoys looking at books and other printed material with familiar people.
Observable behaviour from Development Matters

Where it comes from

Framework: Early Years Foundation Stage (England)
Source: Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
Original guidance: “Collect a range of board books, cloth books and stories to share with young babies.”
License: Open Government Licence v3.0