Five Little Ducks – Silicone Touch & Feel Counting Board Book | Ages 0+

Five Little Ducks — a counting book with five squidgy ducks to touch

The nursery rhyme you already know, with five textured silicone ducks to press, poke and trace. Each duck is die-cut right through to the cover, so little fingers can find it and, page by page, watch it disappear: five, four, three, two, one. A board book with cut-through pages, 14 pages long, from the Make Believe Ideas Touch and Explore collection. Written by Lucy Waterhouse and illustrated by Scott Barker. Suitable from birth.

🦆 Why the silicone touches work

The ducks feel soft and squishy, unlike anything else in a book. For a baby who is still working out what the world feels like, that is sensory play: grabbing, tracing and pressing something with a texture of its own. Because the ducks are cut through the pages, there is something to find with fingers as well as eyes.

🔢 Counting, without anyone calling it maths

As the ducks swim away, the number goes down. Where did that one go? How many are left? It is a game first and a counting book second. The rhyme repeats on every page, so early number words, rhythm and new vocabulary come with it. Toddlers soon start shouting the numbers back at you.

👜 Small enough for the changing bag

At 210 x 176mm it slips into a bag for café queues, train journeys and waiting rooms. The pages are sturdy and the cut-throughs make them easier for small hands to turn.

⚠️ Worth knowing before you buy

• The ducks 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.
• It is a short book. Fourteen pages and one rhyme, which is just right for a young baby. Older toddlers who want more to find may prefer the Toddler Play Book of Everything!.

What we like about it

• Five textured silicone ducks, die-cut through to the cover
• A countdown game built into a rhyme you already know
• Cut-through board pages that are easy to turn
• Bright, bold artwork from Scott Barker
• 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 touches, die-cut through to the cover
• Pages: 14
• Size: 210 x 176 x 15mm
• Author: Lucy Waterhouse
• Illustrator: Scott Barker
• Series: Touch and Explore collection, Make Believe Ideas
• Care: wipe with a barely damp cloth

❓ Frequently asked questions

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

What are the ducks 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 Ducks — this one. Five silicone ducks to touch, counting down from five.
• The Toddler Play Book of Everything! — over 60 flaps, songs, shapes and counting.
• Funny Feet — a lift-the-flap guessing game, matching feet to their owners.
• Never Touch a Noisy Cow! — silicone touches and a farmyard where every animal makes the wrong noise.
• My First Busy Shop — a book shaped like a till, with a coin to slide and a card to swipe.
• Lion Puppet Soft Book — a soft book with a lion hand puppet.

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 flap, 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.