Personalised book preparing child for baby sibling: your child Saves a Seat

What happens in your child Saves a Seat

1. Your child saves a space on the park bench for the baby.
2. At the café, your child notices room for a high chair.
3. Your child chooses the sunny side of the picnic blanket.
4. In the car, your child imagines the baby’s seat beside them.
5. The family shares a cosy outing, with your child still close and loved.

How the first page could read

Your child spotted an empty space on the park bench. “That one is for the baby,” they said, patting it carefully. Mum smiled and sat beside your child. The baby was not here yet, but your child could already picture the pushchair, the snacks and the three of them watching ducks together.

Your child’s name, look and little details replace these words, and the whole story is written for their age.

Why this story works

For a child aged two to five, a new baby can feel easier to picture through familiar places rather than big explanations. This story keeps the focus on ordinary moments they already know: sitting in the car, having a snack out, visiting the park and spreading out a picnic blanket. Each empty space gives your child a small, active way to think about the baby’s arrival. The repeated idea of saving a seat also makes room for an important reassurance: family routines may grow, but your child still has a close place with their parents. Their own photo makes them the one noticing, choosing and belonging.

Reading it together

• Read the book before a familiar outing and ask your child where the baby might sit or rest.
• Pause at each saved space and let your child point out a place they would like to keep for themselves too.
• After reading, use the phrase “there is room for both of you” when talking about the baby’s arrival.

Suggested art style: Storybook watercolour

Soft storybook watercolour suits the gentle, everyday family settings and gives each familiar outing a calm, welcoming feel. A sidekick idea: a curious little duck who keeps finding empty spaces. You can pick any of the four styles and change the details in the form.