Five Little Bugs

Five Little Bugs — a counting book with five squidgy silicone bugs to touch

A bee, a spider, a snail, a ladybird and a butterfly, all in textured silicone to press, poke and trace, with a funny counting-down rhyme as they disappear one by one: five, four, three, two, one. Each bug is die-cut right through to the cover, so little fingers can find it before the page is even turned. A 14-page board book from Make Believe Ideas' Busy Bees range, written by Rosie Greening and illustrated by Shannon Hays. Suitable from birth.

🐞 A new rhyme to learn together

If you have sung Five Little Ducks more times than you can count, this is the same idea with a rhyme that is new to both of you. The bugs leave one at a time, the number goes down and the rhyme carries it along, so it reads aloud easily from the first go. For a toddler who stops to look at every snail and ladybird on the path, it is the obvious choice.

✋ Something to find with fingers as well as eyes

The silicone bugs feel soft and squishy, quite unlike the board around them. For a baby still working out what the world feels like, grabbing, tracing and pressing a texture of its own is sensory play. Because the bugs are cut through the pages, each turn leaves a hole where one used to be, which is how a countdown starts to make sense.

👜 Small enough for the changing bag

At 210 x 176mm it fits in a bag for café queues, train journeys and waiting rooms, and the cut-through board pages are easy for small hands to turn.

⚠️ Worth knowing before you buy

• It is the same format as Five Little Ducks. Same size, same page count and five silicone touches cut through to the cover. If you already have the ducks, this gives you a new rhyme and new characters rather than a different kind of book.
• The bugs are part of the pages. They are silicone set into the board, not loose pieces. Check them now and then, and put the book away if one comes loose.
• Board, not cloth. It is not washable. Wipe the silicone and pages with a barely damp cloth.

What we like about it

• A silicone bee, spider, snail, ladybird and butterfly, die-cut through to the cover
• A funny counting-down rhyme, new to most families
• Cut-through board pages that are easy to turn
• Bright artwork from Shannon Hays
• Small enough for the changing bag
• From birth

Specification

• Suitable from: birth (0+)
• Format: board book with cut-through pages
• Touch and feel: 5 textured silicone bugs (bee, spider, snail, ladybird and butterfly), die-cut through to the cover
• Pages: 14
• Size: 210 x 176 x 14mm
• Author: Rosie Greening
• Illustrator: Shannon Hays
• Series: Busy Bees, Make Believe Ideas
• ISBN: 9781788436830
• Care: wipe with a barely damp cloth

❓ Frequently asked questions

I already have Five Little Ducks. Is this just the same book?
It is the same format, with a different rhyme and different characters. Lots of families like having both, because a new rhyme gives the counting game a fresh start.

What age is it for?
It is suitable from birth. Young babies love the textures and your voice, and toddlers join in with the counting.

What are the bugs made of?
Soft, textured silicone, set into the board pages and cut through to the cover.

Can it go in the bath?
No. It is a board book, so keep it dry and wipe it clean.

Is it a good new baby gift?
Yes. It is a lovely first counting book and fits easily into a gift bag.

📚 Which first book?

All of these are from Make Believe Ideas and all are suitable from birth:

• Five Little Bugs — this one. A silicone bee, spider, snail, ladybird and butterfly, with a new counting-down rhyme.
• Five Little Ducks — the same format, with the nursery rhyme you already know.
• Never Touch a Spider! — more creepy-crawlies, with silicone touches on every page and rhymes that end in giggles.
• The Toddler Play Book of Everything! — over 60 flaps, songs, shapes and counting, for when they want more to find.
• Funny Feet — a lift-the-flap guessing game, matching feet to their owners.
• My First Busy Shop — a book shaped like a till, with a coin to slide and a card to swipe.

See the rest of the silicone-touch books in our Never Touch Books collection.

Our guides to why sensory play matters and the best sensory and cloth books for babies go into more detail.

Safety information

Adult supervision recommended. Check the book regularly, and put it away if a touch or page comes loose.

❤️ From our family to yours

Carefully chosen products for babies, toddlers and parents. Browse the rest of our baby books and the full Make Believe Ideas range — free UK delivery on orders over £25.