As a parent, the time you spend with your child—reading aloud, chatting, and interacting in countless ways—is pivotal in helping them develop and thrive as a reader, writer, and thinker. From teaching your child the alphabet to playing rhyming games, you instill crucial knowledge and skills through fun, playful time together. Best of all, it builds your relationship, too—and can even help you feel happier and more fulfilled.
That’s why each month we share a special list of featured reads and literacy activities. Expect fun seasonal reading recommendations, complemented with activity tutorials and free printables for an all-out story time experience with your little one.
Here are some topics to delve into with your child this month:
Picture Books for Earth Day
Whatever else unites or divides us, our planet is truly everyone’s business. And on April 22, Earth Day provides a powerful opportunity to remember that, as well as to pass on a message of stewardship to the next generation.
From fostering environmentalism to inculcating habits of physical activity and mindfulness, Earth Day opens the door to a plethora of valuable lessons. And you can introduce and reinforce them all with a few choice reads. Find recommendations for awesome picture books to read on Earth Day, plus fun activities, in our free DIY Earth-shaped bookmark printable post, our article on Earth Day activities, and our article about easy ways to teach kids to care for the planet.
Kids’ Books about Passover
The world’s major monotheistic religions all have important holidays this spring. It’s a great time to share some picture books to celebrate your family’s traditions and/or to learn about other cultures.
For April, check out our list of Passover picture books, and your local library should also have plenty of great titles featured as well and ready for immediate borrowing. Last month, we shared Easter literacy activities, plus Ramadan picture books, which still make great reading this month, as Ramadan continues.
Books for Surviving Spring Break
If you have kids in school, Spring Break is a challenge and an opportunity. It’s a challenge to keep your little ones happily employed while school is closed, and it’s an opportunity to get in some bonding time, educational experiences, and even travel if you’re able. And some great reads will help with both aspects!
To engage, educate, and entertain your kids during their break, browse our many themed lists of books for kids, our roundups of audiobooks for toddlers and audiobooks for preschoolers, and our article about using books to prepare young children for successful visits with extended family.
Baseball Picture Books
Plaaaaay ball! It’s baseball season… and that’s one more reason to pick up some new picture books.
Whether your child is obsessed with baseball or barely knows what it is, our recommended baseball picture books will engage them with fun and inspiring stories—plus life lessons about teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and resilience. What’s more, the sport’s past and present can spark important conversations about history, racism, progress, and values.
If your child is a player or a fan, so much the better—one of the best ways to engage children in reading is to share books about topics they’re interested in. When kids are excited to cheer on their favorite players or love to play sports themselves, books by and about athletes are ideal to capture their attention.
Story Time Activity: Honor Earth Day
Taking your story time with your child and transforming it into a story time activity is a powerful way to build engagement, literacy, and comprehension. It’s also an important means of driving home a book’s message. Click here to read about three simple ways to create a sweet Earth Day story time activity, from taking a nature walk story time to helping your child create recycled art.
We’ll be back next month! Meanwhile, go ahead and browse around the site for more tips and tutorials, or message Maya with your questions or requests for future printables, activities, and book lists. We’re so happy to have you here!
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Welcome! It’s lovely to have you here. I’m Maya, an author, literacy advocate, and mom. On this site, I publish articles, advice, book recommendations, and activities for busy parents. Through it all, my goal is to help parents like you feel equipped and confident to support your children in reading. Let’s start by understanding what you bring to the effort—your unique superpower.
Find your raise-a-reader superpower now.