frequently asked questions
what are the indestructibles made of that are so durable yet paper-like and lovely to my baby?
expendables are printed on a synthetic material made from flash-spun high-density polyethylene fibers (we know, being technical). It feels like paper, but liquid water cannot pass through it and it is very difficult to tear.
why are there no words, or so few words?
Indestructibles are intended to encourage dialogic reading (ie, educational jargon means “natural conversation”) between parents and babies. Dialogic reading is likely to help a baby develop early literacy skills, such as phonological awareness, vocabulary, and narrative skills. To learn more about Expendables and early literacy, visit our “for educators” section.
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what do you mean “expendables grow with my baby”?
expendables has something unique to offer babies at all stages of development from 0 to 2 years, whether it’s a tactile experience, a visual experience, an image identification experience or a storytelling experience. Because they have few words, your conversation may change as your baby develops, understands, and interacts with you more and more. here are some examples of ways a baby might use an indestructible at different stages of development (these are just examples. all babies are different, of course):
- 0 months: Baby loves to hear your voice and watch you turn colorful pages.
- 4 months: the baby approaches and touches the book with his own hands.
- 6 months : the baby chews and explores books with her own mouth.
- 9 months: the baby begins to learn to turn the pages on his own.
- 12 months: the baby begins to identify the objects in the pictures and soon says their names.
- 18 months: the baby talks about what a character in the picture is doing.
- 2 years old: Baby and parent/caregiver tell stories about what might be happening in the book.
why don’t the indestructibles have a cover or spine?
Indestructibles pages are virtually indestructible, and a typical cover simply isn’t necessary to protect them. we have found that the addition of an outer cover or spine lessens the appeal for babies who really want the tactile experience of playing with the pages.
Are indestructibles safe?
yes. Indestructibles have been safety tested for ages 0+ and meet the ASTM F963 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety and CPSI Guidelines.
Are indestructibles free of bpa, phthalate, pvc and lead?
yes in all respects. indestructibles do not contain any of these substances and are completely non-toxic.
how do i wash my indestructibles?
Wash Indestructibles with warm water and mild soap. We recommend throwing them in the tub with your little one, just for the fun of it. 
I thought babies liked high contrast black and white illustrations. these books have colorful pictures on colorful backgrounds. why?
Contrary to popular belief, by around 2 months of age, your baby is able to perceive almost all of the subtle nuances that make our visual world so rich, textured and interesting, including the hues in clouds and the shadows that are unique to your face. you can even see a white teddy bear on a white sofa! The Smith-Kettlewell Vision Research Institute says that “by around 2 months of age, your baby is capable of perceiving almost all of the subtle nuances that make our visual world so rich, textured and interesting: hues in the clouds. , shadows that are exclusive to his face ; even seeing a white teddy bear on a white sofa!”
seriously, isn’t my baby going to destroy an indestructible if I unleash it?
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not. really. We haven’t had an Indestructible broken or destroyed by a baby yet. Wrinkly, yes, but we’ve heard some moms comment that the wrinklier they get, the more their babies love them.
why indestructible?
1. Expendables are developed for babies: Many books are developed for older children and then printed on cardboard so they can be marketed for babies as well. indestructibles have been developed specifically with baby in mind.
2. Babies are often overlooked when it comes to reading: Educators, literacy experts, and child development professionals stress the importance of reading to babies, but there is little on the market that be really baby-friendly.
3. Indestructibles encourage dialogic reading: Babies whose mothers talk to them often develop much more advanced vocabularies than babies whose mothers speak poorly. Expendables were purposely created with no or very few simple words to encourage natural conversation between parents and babies.
4. Expendables grow with baby: Because they have very few or no words, Expendables have something to offer babies from birth to toddlerhood. what parents say about each page can change as the child grows and develops, and the pages can be turned quickly or slowly depending on the baby’s interest at the time. There is no right or wrong way to read an indestructible.
5. indestructibles are tear resistant: It’s a developmental milestone when babies begin to grasp and hold on to objects. At this point, many parents save their favorite books for later so they don’t get ripped or torn. indestructibles can stand up to the most “zealous” infant.
6. to babies, “reading” often resembles “chewing”: indestructibles are created from a tear- and water-resistant, paper-like material that allows babies to “read” everything whatever they want. the book remains intact and there are no torn pages or choking hazards to worry about.
7. Expendables encourage babies to talk and tell stories long before they can read: As a baby grows and develops, important cognitive skills are gained as babies begin to recognize the pictures on the Expendables and they begin to name them, then they learn to create their own stories and tell what is happening in the pictures.
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8. With indestructibles, reading can happen anywhere and everywhere. Because books are lightweight and can be wiped or washed, they can go anywhere a baby goes, tucked into a diaper bag, or carried in a the car, carried in a stroller, taken to the pool or enjoyed with a dirty meal. with exposure, reading becomes a comfortable daily habit, not just something reserved for quiet times or bedtime!
early literacy and indestructibles
Early literacy is what children know about reading and writing before they can actually read and write. According to research, there are six pre-reading skills children need to learn in order to learn to read:
1. Tell stories about everything: Because Expendables have few or no words, infants and toddlers can learn to talk about pictures and tell stories without being limited by words they can’t read, gaining important storytelling skills.
2. play with sounds: indestructibles encourage natural conversation with babies (dialogic reading), so babies hear the natural flow of their mothers’ speech and begin to hear smaller sounds in words, developing awareness phonological.
3. talk, talk, talk: Because they have few or no words, Expendables allow parents to use words from their normal vocabulary to describe the pictures. young babies will listen longer and hear more words when parents speak in “parentese” instead of more formal language.
4. Look at the print around you: Indestructibles help babies and toddlers begin to understand that print has meaning, from the title to the simple words inside.
5. look at pictures: Before a child is ready to recognize letters, they can recognize differences in pictures. what is bigger or smaller in the picture? How can two images of the same object look different? looking at the brilliant illustrations in indestructible builds skills on the road to letter knowledge.
6. Have fun with books: Because babies can handle indestructible objects, they can learn to turn pages on their own, hold a book from an early age, and learn that books and reading are fun.
based on johnson county library 6 x 6: early literacy program ready to read.
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