How to Make a Baby Children’s Book: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a baby children’s book is a magical journey filled with creativity, color, and joy. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or aspiring author, designing a book for little ones between 0-3 years old takes special care. Babies respond to vibrant visuals, repetitive rhythms, and simple language. But how do you make a book that babies—and their parents—will love?

In this guide, we’ll walk you through every step of creating a baby’s book, from concept to publication.

Why Create a Baby Book?

Before diving into the process, let’s understand why baby books matter.

Benefits of baby books:

• Stimulate early brain development
• Strengthen parent-child bonding
• Improve listening and language skills
• Encourage visual engagement with bold, simple illustrations
• Introduce concepts like colors, shapes, animals, and emotions

Baby books aren’t just adorable—they’re foundational.

Here Are the Key Steps to Make a Baby Children’s Book

Creating a book for babies isn’t complicated, but it does require attention to detail. From knowing your audience to choosing the right illustrations and format, each step plays a vital role in the final result.

Below is a step-by-step breakdown to help you bring your vision to life.

Step 1: Understand Your Audience

Your primary readers may be infants, but your real target audience is adults, especially parents, grandparents, and teachers. They’re the ones choosing and reading the book aloud.

Key traits of baby books:

• Simple, clear language
• Few words per page
• Bright, high-contrast visuals
• Rhythmic or repetitive text
• Durable format (board book, softcover)

Think about what you loved reading to your baby or what catches a toddler’s eye in a bookstore.

Step 2: Choose the Type of Baby Book

There are several types of books suitable for babies. Choose one based on your concept.

Popular types of baby books:

• Board books – Chunky pages, durable, chew-proof
• Touch-and-feel books – Interactive textures (soft, bumpy, fuzzy)
• Lift-the-flap books – Great for play and learning
• High-contrast books – Black and white images for newborns
• Concept books – Teach basics like numbers, colors, or shapes
• Bedtime stories – Calm, rhythmic books for winding down

Pick a format that aligns with your story idea and baby’s developmental stage.

Step 3: Brainstorm the Idea

Baby books thrive on simplicity and clarity, so your idea should be focused and concise. Think in themes or concepts.

Great themes for baby books:

• First words or animals
• Daily routines (bath time, bedtime)
• Feelings and expressions
• Sounds or musical rhymes
• Colors or counting
• Family and love

Step 4: Write the Manuscript

Now it’s time to write! Keep your language minimal and rhythmic. Babies respond well to rhyme, repetition, and playful sounds.

Writing tips:

• Use short sentences or phrases
• Repeat key words to reinforce learning
• Use onomatopoeia (e.g., “moo,” “beep,” “woof”)
• Create a flow from one page to the next
• Limit your word count – Most baby books have 50 to 200 words total

Example (for inspiration):

Good night, moon.
Good night, bear.
Good night sleepy everywhere.

Simple. Rhythmic. Relatable.

Step 5: Plan Your Pages

Once your manuscript is written, it’s time to break it into pages. Baby books are usually 12 to 24 pages, often with one line or image per page.

Tips for page planning:

• Each page should focus on a single idea or word
• Match every sentence or phrase with a corresponding image
• Include a beginning, middle, and end—even if it’s simple

Make a dummy book by folding paper and sketching out your text and image placements.

Step 6: Illustrate (or collaborate)

Illustrations are the heart of any baby book. They capture attention, convey emotion, and help tell the story.

Illustration tips:

• Use bold, clear shapes
• Limit background clutter
• Use high contrast colors
• Show faces, animals, and objects that babies recognize
• Keep the art consistent with the tone (soft for bedtime, vibrant for playtime)

If you’re not an artist, consider hiring an illustrator. Sites like Behance, Fiverr, and Upwork have talented children’s book illustrators.

Step 7: Choose the Right Format

Baby books need to be durable and safe. Consider these printing formats:

Recommended formats:

• Board book – Thick, cardboard pages ideal for ages 0-2
• Softcover – Lightweight, more affordable for short print runs
• Digital baby book – Good for apps or tablets, though not ideal for infants

If publishing independently, use platforms like:

• KDP Kids (Amazon)
• IngramSpark
• Blurb
• Lulu

Some of these offer board book options, but you may need to work with specialty printers for baby-safe materials.

Step 8: Edit and Review

Even a 50-word baby book needs editing. Check for:

• Clarity – Are the words age-appropriate?
• Flow – Does the rhythm feel natural when read aloud?
• Grammar – No typos, even in the simplest books
• Consistency – Fonts, colors, characters, and story logic

Read it out loud several times, and test it with parents or caregivers.

Step 9: Publish or Pitch

Once your book is polished and designed, you can either self-publish or pitch to publishers.

Option 1: Self-Publishing

• Full creative control
• You manage printing, distribution, and marketing
• Great for niche topics or personal projects

Option 2: Traditional Publishing

• Submit your manuscript and dummy book to a children’s book publisher
• Many baby book publishers require agented submissions
• Check sites like SCBWI, Query Tracker, and Reedsy for agent or publisher leads

Step 10: Promote Your Book

Whether you self-publish or go traditional, marketing is key.

Promotion tips:

• Create a website for your author profile
• Post on social media – Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok work great for visuals
• Collaborate with parenting influencers
• Offer free printables or activities
• Reach out to mommy bloggers and book reviewers
• Donate copies to libraries, daycares, or pediatric offices

Final Thoughts: Make It with Love

The best baby books are made with heart, not just strategy. They’re warm, engaging, and memorable. Whether you want to publish a bestseller or simply make a keepsake for your child, your book can spark joy and learning from the very first page.

Keep it simple. Keep it sweet. And most importantly—keep it fun.

FAQs

Q: How many words should a baby book have?
A: Most baby books have 50 to 200 words total.

Q: Can I make a baby book without illustrations?
A: Visuals are essential. If you can’t draw, consider working with an illustrator or using simple, baby-safe stock images.

Q: What software can I use to design my book?
A: Tools like Canva, Adobe InDesign, or Book Creator are great for layout design.

Q: Can I sell a baby book on Amazon?
A: Yes! Through Amazon KDP, you can self-publish a softcover version. For board books, you may need a third-party printer.

Q: How long does it take to make a baby book?
A: From concept to publishing, it can take 4 to 12 weeks, depending on illustration and design complexity.