10+ Best Sensory Books for 2-Year-Olds w/ Exercises (2024)

Are you on the hunt for the perfect way to engage your toddler's senses and spark their curiosity? Look no further than sensory books for 2-year-olds! These books are designed to captivate little ones by stimulating their touch, sight, and hearing, enhancing their developmental journey through play and learning. Keep reading to discover our top picks of sensory books that will delight your toddler and encourage a love of reading from an early age.

Fun Sensory Books for 2-Year-Olds

• Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
  • Genre(s): Sensory, Interactive Book
  • Synopsis: This touch and feel book invites little ones to pat the bunny, feel Daddy's scratchy face, and look in the mirror.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's a classic sensory book that encourages interaction and sensory exploration, making reading a tactile experience.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers who enjoy touching and feeling as they explore the world around them.

• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
  • Genre(s): Lift-the-Flap, Animal Fiction
  • Synopsis: A child writes to the zoo asking them to send a pet. The zoo sends various animals that aren't quite right, but finally, they send the perfect one.
  • Why we recommend this book: The repetitive text and lift-the-flap features engage young readers and help develop memory and prediction skills.
  • Perfect for: Kids who love animals and interactive reading sessions.

• Never Touch a Dragon by Rosie Greening, illustrated by Stuart Lynch
  • Genre(s): Sensory, Rhyme
  • Synopsis: This playful book uses rhymes and silicone touch-and-feel features to describe why you should never touch a dragon and other mythical creatures.
  • Why we recommend this book: The tactile elements and rhyming text make reading a fun, engaging, and sensory-rich experience.
  • Perfect for: Children who enjoy mythical creatures and interactive, tactile play.

• That's Not My Puppy... by Fiona Watt, illustrated by Rachel Wells
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Board Book
  • Synopsis: This book features different puppies with various textures on each page designed to help toddlers develop sensory and language awareness.
  • Why we recommend this book: Its simple, repetitive text and clear illustrations are perfect for language development and sensory exploration.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who are just beginning to explore books and love animals.

• Baby Touch and Feel: Animals
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book introduces babies to animals with tactile elements on every page designed to spark curiosity and encourage early learning.
  • Why we recommend this book: It helps develop sensory skills and introduces young readers to a variety of animals with fun, interactive elements.
  • Perfect for: Babies and toddlers who are beginning to learn about animals and enjoy engaging their senses.

Educational Sensory Books for 2-Year-Olds

• Touch! My Big Touch-and-Feel Word Book by Xavier Deneux
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book features oversized, textured words and images, ranging from animals to vehicles, that invite little hands to touch, feel, and explore.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Sensory development, vocabulary expansion, early concept learning
  • Why we recommend this book: It combines tactile exploration with word recognition to enhance both sensory and language skills.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers beginning to learn words and engage with different textures.

• Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy! by Sandra Boynton
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Board Book
  • Synopsis: This cuddly board book invites toddlers to touch various animals with different textures, from a fuzzy bear to a velvety cow.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Sensory awareness, animal recognition, tactile exploration
  • Why we recommend this book: It's a playful and cozy book that uses simple text and sensory elements to captivate young readers.
  • Perfect for: Young children who love animals and exploring the world through touch.

• Whose Tools Are These? by Sharon Katz Cooper, illustrated by Amy Bailey Muehlenhardt
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Educational
  • Synopsis: This interactive book explores various tools used in different professions, with textures on each page to simulate the feel of each tool.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Motor skills, vocabulary related to professions and tools, sensory recognition
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces young readers to the world of tools and professions in a tactile, engaging way.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers interested in building, fixing, and tactile exploration.

• Animal Kisses by Barney Saltzberg
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Board Book
  • Synopsis: This delightful book allows toddlers to feel different types of animal kisses, from a scratchy squirrel kiss to a slimy fish kiss.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Sensory development, emotional recognition, animal identification
  • Why we recommend this book: It's an affectionate and interactive book that encourages loving interactions and sensory exploration.
  • Perfect for: Young children who enjoy affectionate play and are curious about animals.

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch-and-Feel Playbook by Eric Carle
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Educational
  • Synopsis: Based on the classic story, this playbook expands with textures and activities that engage toddlers as they follow the hungry caterpillar through his week.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Counting, days of the week, sensory skills, fine motor development
  • Why we recommend this book: It combines the beloved story with sensory and learning activities that enhance engagement and learning.
  • Perfect for: Fans of the original story and toddlers who enjoy interactive, educational play.

Challenging Sensory Books for 2-Year-Olds

• Touch and Feel: Farm by DK
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book takes toddlers on a tactile exploration of a farm, featuring various textures associated with farm animals and objects.
  • Why this book is challenging: It introduces more complex textures and concepts related to farm life, which are more advanced for toddlers to understand and differentiate.
  • Why we recommend this book: It helps develop sensory and cognitive skills through the exploration of real-world textures and encourages curiosity about agriculture and animal care.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers who show an interest in animals and nature, and are ready for more detailed sensory experiences.

• Where’s the Ladybug? by Nosy Crow, illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius
  • Genre(s): Lift-the-Flap, Sensory
  • Synopsis: A colorful, interactive board book where children search for a ladybug hidden behind felt flaps on each page, along with other hidden insects.
  • Why this book is challenging: The search-and-find aspect requires focus and the development of observational skills, which are more advanced cognitive tasks for toddlers.
  • Why we recommend this book: It enhances visual perception and problem-solving skills while keeping the reading experience fun and engaging with tactile elements.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who love playing hide and seek and are fascinated by bugs and interactive books.

• Furry Logic by Jane Seabrook
  • Genre(s): Touch-and-Feel, Humor
  • Synopsis: This book combines witty sayings with detailed illustrations of animals, each paired with a tactile element such as fur or feathers.
  • Why this book is challenging: The humor used in the sayings involves a higher level of language comprehension, and the textures paired with detailed illustrations offer a complex sensory experience.
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces subtle humor and complex textures, aiding in cognitive and sensory development while entertaining young readers.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers who enjoy a laugh and parents looking for a more sophisticated touch-and-feel book.

• Shake the Tree! by Chiara Vignocchi, Paolo Chiarinotti, and Silvia Borando
  • Genre(s): Interactive, Sensory
  • Synopsis: In this interactive book, children are invited to shake the book to simulate shaking a tree, watching as various animals fall, slide, or fly out.
  • Why this book is challenging: Requires understanding of cause and effect and the ability to follow a sequence of actions, which are more advanced cognitive skills for toddlers.
  • Why we recommend this book: It’s a fun and physical way to engage with a book, promoting both motor skills and cognitive development through playful interaction.
  • Perfect for: Energetic toddlers who enjoy active play and are learning about actions and consequences.

• Busy Bug Book by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Christopher Santoro
  • Genre(s): Lift-the-Flap, Sensory
  • Synopsis: This book features a bug moving through various environments, with flaps to lift and textures to feel, exploring the world from the bug’s perspective.
  • Why this book is challenging: It combines the complexity of following a character’s journey with interactive elements that require fine motor skills and sensory discrimination.
  • Why we recommend this book: It encourages exploration and curiosity about nature and insects, while developing tactile and motor skills.
  • Perfect for: Curious toddlers who like exploring nature and stories with a journey.

Exercises to Develop a Good Reading Habit

Introducing sensory books to your 2-year-old can be a delightful way to enhance their reading habits early on. Sensory books are not just about reading; they involve touching, seeing, and sometimes even smelling, which makes the reading experience more engaging for toddlers. Here are some exercises that can help you make the most of sensory books with your little one:

• Touch and Tell
  • What it is: Encourage your child to touch different textures in the book and describe what they feel.
  • How it helps: Enhances sensory development and builds vocabulary.
  • Tips: Ask open-ended questions like "How does this feel?" to encourage more interaction.

• Find the Sound
  • What it is: Read the book and have your child identify sounds from the book or mimic them.
  • How it helps: Improves auditory skills and helps in phonetic learning.
  • Tips: Make the sounds together and praise your child for correct identification or imitation.

• I Spy With My Little Eye
  • What it is: Use the illustrations in the book to play a game of 'I Spy' based on colors, shapes, or objects.
  • How it helps: Enhances observational skills and memory.
  • Tips: Keep the game lively and engaging by changing the objects you spy frequently.

• Story Sequence
  • What it is: After reading the story, help your child to sequence the events using tactile cards that represent different parts of the book.
  • How it helps: Helps with understanding the order of events and memory retention.
  • Tips: Start with two to three cards and gradually increase as your child gets better at sequencing.

• Mix and Match Scents
  • What it is: If the sensory book includes scents, have your child match scents to corresponding pictures or contexts in the story.
  • How it helps: Engages multiple senses which enhance cognitive connections and recall.
  • Tips: Discuss each scent and its relevance to the story to deepen understanding.

By incorporating these exercises into your reading time, you not only make reading fun but also stimulate various sensory and cognitive skills in your child. Remember, the key is to keep the activities light, playful, and pressure-free. Enjoy watching your little one grow and learn through their senses!