Cloth book

Lots of parents want to read to their baby from day one, then find that paper pages get torn and board book corners end up in little mouths. This soft cloth book solves both. The pages are easy for tiny hands to hold and turn, and there is nothing sharp or hard anywhere.

It is illustrated in black, white and grey with bright red accents. That combination is deliberate, because it is the easiest for a newborn’s developing eyes to pick out. A raised plush animal sits on the front cover with textured fins, tails, ears and fabric shapes to explore, and the animal pictures and names inside give you easy words to share together.

A flexible red ring makes it easy to hang on the pram, and it is so light and compact that it quietly lives in the nappy bag for waiting rooms, restaurants and visits to Gran. When it gets grubby, it can be gently washed by hand (it is not machine washable). Choose from two designs: Forest or Ocean.

Designed for supervised, awake play.

Hand wash only

• Do not machine wash
• Wash gently by hand using warm water
• Use only a mild detergent made for babies
• Do not use bleach
• Gently squeeze out excess water: do not twist or wring the book
• Lay it flat to dry in a cool, shaded area, away from direct sunlight
• Allow it to dry completely before use or storage to help prevent mould

Read it together

Lay the book closed or partly opened on a clean, firm play mat during supervised, awake play. For younger babies, hold it within view and move it slowly from one side to the other, pointing to the bold pictures, moving the raised fabric pieces and talking about the animals.

Use it for tummy time

Open the book and place it slightly in front of your baby, positioning different pages towards the left and right to encourage looking, head turning and reaching in both directions.

Let them take over

As your baby's grasp improves, encourage them to hold the soft pages, reach for the raised animals and fabric shapes, explore the different textures, open and close the book, turn the pages and point to animals while you name them.

The red ring should only be attached to a secure point approved by the product and equipment manufacturers. Keep the book away from straps and harnesses, and remove it from any cot or sleep space before sleep.

Clear age guide

Manufacturer guidance: 0+

Mysa Baby SA recommendation: Best suited from birth to around 12 months, with the strongest play stage at roughly 2 to 8 months. It may stay useful up to around 18 months for turning pages, pointing and naming animals.

Birth to 2 months: Looking and listening

Hold the book where your baby can comfortably see it and move it slowly from side to side. The bold black, white and red details suit simple looking games that you lead. By around two months, many babies look at a toy for several seconds.

2 to 4 months: Tummy time interest

Place the opened book slightly in front of your baby during short, supervised tummy time sessions and encourage them to lift and turn their head to look across the pages. By around four months, many babies begin swinging their arms towards toys and holding a toy placed in their hand.

4 to 6 months: Reaching and grasping

Let your baby touch the soft pages, hold the fabric details and reach towards the attached shapes. Reaching to grab a wanted toy commonly appears around six months.

6 to 9 months: Active exploration

Your baby may hold the book with both hands, explore the raised animal pieces and begin moving through the soft pages more deliberately.

9 to 18 months: Shared learning

Encourage your baby to turn pages, point to animals and search for familiar pictures, then use it for naming animals, copying sounds and simple questions such as “Where is the owl?”

Safety information

Adult supervision is required throughout play, and the book is for awake play only.

Before every use, check that the seams, stitching, attachment ring and fabric pieces are intact and securely connected. Stop using the book if any stitching becomes loose or if a piece is torn or damaged.

Use the book only for its intended purpose of reading and sensory play and within the age range shown on the manufacturer's packaging. Make sure the red ring is attached securely and that the book does not obstruct your child's face, movement or safety harness. Keep the instruction manual for future reference.

Your order includes:

• 1 × hanging soft cloth activity book in your selected design

Delivery rates across South Africa

• R89 if your order is below R499
• R49 if your order is between R499 and R599
• Free delivery if your order is R599 or above

Delivery time

Your estimated delivery window is shown just above these dropdowns. As soon as your order ships, we send you an Aramex tracking number so you can follow it all the way to your door.