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:
Halloween Picture Books
For a lot of us, October means Halloween, complete with jack-o-lanterns, fun decorations, costumes, and treats. And sharing some sweet reads with your little one is a treat you can both enjoy. Visit educator Chrysta Naron’s article on great kids’ books for fall holidays and scroll down to find some recommended picture books for Halloween. You’re also sure to find plenty featured at your local library!
Then move beyond the page and incorporate reading into other parts of your Halloween celebrations. For example, pick a book-character costume for your child or yourself, or get more ideas in Chrysta’s article on how to make Halloween a reading holiday.
Kids’ Book about Dia de Los Muertos
Dia de Los Muertos means “Day of the Dead” in Spanish. This tradition from Mexico, now celebrated in many Latin American countries and others, is all about celebrating loved ones who have died. Emphasis on the “celebrating”—the tradition abounds with love, flowers, special foods, candles, and joy.
Dia de los Muertos takes place at the start of November, right after Halloween, so this month is a great time to read up and get in the mood! You’ll find Chrysta’s picks for some great Dia de los Muertos picture books in her fall holidays books post.
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Kids’ Books
Also called the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival, this holiday is traditionally celebrated in many parts of Asia, including China, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The day is based on the Lunar calendar and happens each year sometime between September and October. In 2025, it’s early in October.
It’s a celebration of the Autumn harvest and takes place (as you might have guessed) at night! Families gather with lanterns, mooncakes, and starfruit to celebrate together. To read about this long-standing tradition with your kids, check with your local library for some good books, or you can also find a couple of lovely picture books about the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival recommended in the fall holidays post mentioned above.
Picture Books about Diwali
Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is coming up at the end of this month, too. The biggest holiday of the year in India (though it is celebrated around the globe), it’s observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists.
The festival takes place over several days, with prayers, feasts, decorations like intricate sand art called rangoli, the lighting of lamps, and many other traditions. Though different regions and groups have differing stories about the origin of Diwali, the various celebrants recognize it as a holiday about the triumph of good over evil or light over darkness. Contributor Chrysta Naron has curated a list of awesome Diwali books for children.
Story Time Activity: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Roast some pumpkin seeds with your child for a tasty seasonal snack this month. Check out our Read With Me pumpkin seeds recipe that’s written in simple, child-friendly language so that you can sneak in a reading lesson as you prepare it.
Enjoy this post? Please share it on social media.
New to MayaSmart.com?
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.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:
Winter Olympics Picture Books
Build excitement for the upcoming Winter Olympics with books about winter sports and Olympic athletes. Check out our curated list of Winter Olympics picture books to find true-life and fictional tales of athletes twirling on the ice, speeding down the slopes, challenging themselves, and breaking barriers alongside records.
There’s so much fun and excitement to be had in an Olympics-themed story time—along with tremendously valuable life lessons about about persistence, resilience, and teamwork.
Picture Books About Martin Luther King, Jr.
There are hundreds of books dedicated to exploring the life, dreams, and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. So how’s a parent to choose which books are best to explore with their child?
Read Maya’s article, Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. with 13 Thought-Provoking Books, to get tips for finding the right-fit book to deepen your child’s knowledge of King’s legacy and the American history it so vividly illustrates. You’ll also find specifics about a bunch of great kids’ reads to explore this topic around Martin Luther King Day.
Story Time Activity: Word Snow People
Whether it snows in your area or not, nothing says winter like making snow people! So for this month’s featured activity, we’re making paper “snow” families that teach kids reading skills and make cute decorations for your home. All you need for this easy activity is 15 minutes and some basic materials. Get the word snowmen tutorial.
Early childhood educator Chrysta Naron created this cute winter craft for us as a way to teach kids word families—groups of rhyming words that share the same ending (both the spelling and pronunciation). For example, the “-op” rhyming word family includes words like hop, top, and pop. Word families help kids learn spelling patterns that make it easier to read and write new, related words.
Book Pairing: Read a snow-related book or two to set the scene for your craft. Some favorites from Chrysta include Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner and illustrated by Mark Buehner, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, A Big Bed for Little Snow by Grace Lin, and Snowballs by Lois Ehlert. Look for word families as you read!
New to MayaSmart.com?
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.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 the Holiday Season
Get in the holiday spirit with books about Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and other winter holidays and traditions. There are too many fabulous titles out there for us to list—and your local librarian or independent bookstore is sure to have a wonderful and diverse selection to recommend on any wintry topic you wish. To get you started, though, early childhood educator Chrysta Naron put together a lovely list of Kwanzaa and Christmas books by black authors (plus one New Year’s read), and Kwanzaa educator Jessica “Culture Queen” Hebron has also shared some awesome recommendations of lovely Kwanzaa picture books to check out, too. Happy Holidays!
Holiday Recipes for Kids
Our Read With Me Recipe series features printable recipes that are easy for kids to make and read. Simple words and short sentences in an easy font set your little one up for reading success. Just print the recipe PDF and read it together as you cook. (We also share tips for using the recipes to maximize reading and learning in each recipe post.)
The idea is to make it easy for you to mix reading and writing into everyday life with your kids. This kind of “everyday literacy” is key to raising thriving readers. So, this holiday season, mix a little literacy learning into your celebrations by making our DIY christmas ornament recipe and latke recipe for kids.
Anything You & Your Child Love for Jolabokaflod
In Iceland, there’s a wonderful holiday tradition called Jolabokaflod, which means “Christmas book flood.” It’s all about giving, receiving, and reading books as a way to celebrate. Read all about it in this Jolabokaflod article and get tips for starting your family’s own book flood tradition.
Then browse our Kids Books section for ideas of great reads to add to your flood. We’ve got reading lists tailored to all kinds of interests, from sports to science, animals to humor to fantasy and imagination, and so much more.
We also have lists designed to support development of key literacy knowledge and social-emotional skills. For example, you’ll find recommended kids’ reads selected to foster body positivity and self-love and empathy, as well as to help kids deal with grief. On the skills side, you’ll find ABC books, titles that build print awareness in the youngest listeners, and picture books about starting school, among others.
Story Time Activity: Make Seasonal Bookmarks
Print out and color in our cute bookmarks that have Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah themes. Just enter your email in the box to get a PDF with the bookmarks, seasonal recipes, and other fun, educational, and festive printables!
Enjoy this post? Please share it on social media.
New to MayaSmart.com?
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.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:
Kids’ Books for Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S. Seize the moment to celebrate and learn with our curated list of Hispanic heritage children’s books for all ages, from board books to YA titles for tweens and teens.
You’ll find books with playful adventures, touching family stories, and inspiring journeys, all centering Hispanic and Latinx characters and cultures. Check them out at your local bookstore or library.
Picture Books about Rosh Hashanah
The start of fall also brings Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days—one of the most important times of the year in Judaism. It’s a time for adherents to reflect on their actions of the past year, consider any times they may have harmed others or done wrong, and think about how to improve themselves and the world around them in the coming year.
Your library should have lots of relevant reads on hand, and you can also check Chrysta Naron’s top picks for children’s picture books about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, compiled in the same post about awesome kids’ books for fall holidays that’s linked above.
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Kids’ Books
Also called the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival, this holiday is traditionally celebrated in many parts of Asia, including China, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The day is based on the Lunar calendar and happens each year sometime between September and October.
Early childhood educator Chrysta Naron recommends a couple of lovely picture books about the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in her post about books for fall holidays—just follow the link and scroll down.
Children’s Books about Fall Sports
Does your little one enjoy playing or watching ball sports? If you’ve got a budding fan/athlete in your home, reading books about their favorite sports may be a wonderful way to engage them in books and support their interests.
This fall, browse our lists of great picture books about soccer, soccer picture books featuring female characters, and picture books about football. You’ll find lots of fun and inspiring reads, plus plenty of lessons about teamwork, resilience, perseverance, and chasing your dreams.
Story Time Activity: DIY Pencil Case
Make a personalized, DIY pencil case for your child to take to school or keep on their desk at home to encourage homework or writing practice.
Enjoy this post? Please share it on social media.
New to MayaSmart.com?
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.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 Starting School
The time is fast approaching: The sound of new zippers rings out and the smell of sharpened pencils fills the air. It’s back to school! Whether it’s your child’s first year in school or they’re an old pro, a new school year can be daunting. But don’t worry! There’s something that can help ease their worries and spark some enthusiasm for their upcoming year—books.
Early childhood educator Chrysta Naron recommends a selection of picture books that help kids get ready to start school. These books are special because they cover a wide range of first-day-of-school experiences. In their pages, we meet children just starting out, moving from a new country, expressing their creativity, and celebrating their names (not to mention an adorable cat and one very stressed-out pigeon). Whatever your little one’s circumstances, these picture books about starting school can help you guide your child into a less-stressed and happier beginning to the school year.
Funny Kids’ Books
What’s black and white and “read” all over?
Contributor Andrea Hunt’s roundup of funny books for kids, of course. (You didn’t guess that, did you?) August 16th is National Tell a Joke Day, so indulge in the healing power of laughter. Plus, discover all the benefits of rib-tickling kids’ reads, from making reading together more fun and encouraging reluctant readers to setting the scene for learning and helping kids regulate emotions or navigate challenges.
Then, if you and your child are up for a creative challenge, build on your comical story time by working together to write and illustrate your own funny tale. Or, for pre-writers or reluctant writers/artists, keep it light and just engage in some humorous oral storytelling.
Menus, Signs, Clothes, & More (Seriously)
If you’re on vacation, keep an eye out for ways to get in some reading practice with your kids. Read Maya’s post on working literacy into travel with kids and check out our roundup of educational road trip games for kids.
If you’re not on vacation, don’t worry! You can carve out a few moments in the evening or over the weekend to do some literacy-rich activities with your child. See Maya’s evidence-based tips for maximizing story time to get the most out of the time you have available to read with your child.
And remember that you can always fit reading into other activities, from deciphering labels at the grocery store to following recipes together. Check out our collection of Read-with-Me Recipes for some educational quality time making kid-friendly snacks and meals.
In fact, you can even use writing on clothing to help kids learn to read—something to keep in mind during back-to-school shopping. See? You really can work in literacy learning to everyday moments with your kids, no matter how busy or tired you may be.
Story Time Activity: S’More Reading
Whip up some s’mores to illustrate a sweet & simple lesson in sounding out words (or add a dash of learning to your campfire treat). Use icing to write letters on each piece, then eat your word. Or do a sugar- & mess-free version with paper! Tips in our s’mores reading game tutorial.
New to MayaSmart.com?
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.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:
Fourth of July Picture Books
For Independence Day, contributor and early childhood educator Chrysta Naron recommends a selection of wonderful picture books that explore the beauty and diversity of America.
From We the Kids, which explains the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, to artist Faith Ringgold’s We Came to America, this list shares impactful kids’ titles to help you and your child celebrate, contemplate, and converse about this nation.
Then extend the learning and bonding with a kids’ bill of rights activity and firework literacy craft.
Kids’ Books about Nelson Mandela
For parents seeking to teach their children about history through the true stories of people who’ve worked to shape it for the better, it’s hard to imagine a more inspiring subject than anti-apartheid activist, South African president, and Nobel prize winner Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. And, with Mandela’s birthday on July 18, this month is a good moment to introduce your kids to this towering figure of modern history.
You can do that through three children’s books produced by Mandela himself and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. For younger readers and listeners, there’s a picture book adaptation of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography. For middle-schoolers and comic lovers, there’s a large-format graphic novel that recounts the story of Nelson Mandela and the country he served. And then there’s a crowd-pleasing collection of 32 African folktales selected by Mandela—each accompanied by a whimsical, colorful illustration.
Soccer Books for the World Cup
Whether soccer fever is sweeping your house or you want to introduce your child to this cultural phenomenon, the tournament creates an opening for kids to connect with stories, cultures, and dreams from around the globe.
Check out this list of diverse picture books for a soccer-themed story time in honor of the World Cup. The list travels from Brazil to the Caribbean to the Arctic, introducing young readers to soccer-loving communities around the world. You’ll find books featuring stars like Messi and Pelé, stories celebrating women’s soccer, playful alphabet books, heartfelt fiction, and spirited action.
Use this collection to channel World Cup excitement or learning into meaningful reading time together with your child—plus some valuable conversation about world cultures, teamwork, resilience, and the joy of play.
Picture Books about Birds & Nature
Take advantage of summer by pairing some books about the great outdoors with outings to explore it together with your child. (After all, spending time outside in natural green spaces provides major benefits for raising readers.)
To begin, try this bird walk activity for preschoolers created by birder and conservationist Susan Gadamus—you’ll find a number of recommended picture books at the end of the post. Then, for more picture books about nature, take a look at writer Karen Williams’s list of picture books celebrating water and author Tulani Thomas’s favorite eco-friendly reads for kids.
Story Time Activity: Kids’ Bill of Rights
Kids will love creating their very own Bill of Rights that focuses on what they can do rather than what they can’t. This family Bill of Rights activity is so fun, they won’t even notice all the incredible learning going on.
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 Father’s Day
Father’s Day is fast approaching! It’s a great moment to honor Dad—and all the special guys in your child’s life. This year, why not create a celebration of fathers and father figures on your bookshelf?
Check out this list of sweet picture books to read for Father’s Day and then search out some of the titles at your library or local bookstore to celebrate the men you care about.
Bonus: Make a sweet DIY Father’s Day card with an acrostic poem or scroll down for a FREE printable Father’s Day card that your child can personalize.
Kids’ Books about Juneteeth
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 that word of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached enslaved Texans, two years and six months after President Abraham Lincoln issued it. On June 19, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in the state and announced the news, making Texas one of the last states to legally abolish slavery.
In 1980, Texas declared Juneteenth a statewide holiday and, thanks to the work of activists like Opal Lee, it recently became a federal holiday. To remember and celebrate the freedom the day commemorates, writer Courtney Runn compiled a list of inspiring and informative Juneteenth picture books to read with your children.
Picture Books for Pride Month
June is Pride month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in all its uniqueness. It’s an opportunity for queer families to be seen and to share. It’s also a time to spark some valuable conversations with your children.
Early childhood educator Chrysta Naron has put together a list of some of her favorite joyful books with LGBTQ+ characters and stories for you to take a look at this month. As Chrysta says, be prepared for giggles, touching conversations, and tons of rainbow color!
Soccer Books for the World Cup
Whether soccer fever is sweeping your house or you want to introduce your child to this cultural phenomenon, the tournament creates an opening for kids to connect with stories, cultures, and dreams from around the globe.
Check out this list of diverse picture books for a soccer-themed story time in honor of the World Cup. The list travels from Brazil to the Caribbean to the Arctic, introducing young readers to soccer-loving communities around the world. You’ll find books featuring stars like Messi and Pelé, stories celebrating women’s soccer, playful alphabet books, heartfelt fiction, and spirited action.
Use this collection to channel World Cup excitement or learning into meaningful reading time together with your child—plus some valuable conversation about world cultures, teamwork, resilience, and the joy of play.
Tips for Summertime Learning
If your child’s on summer vacation, it’s worth investing some time early on to cement the reading habit and ensure that reading books takes pride of place among free-time activities. Read our tips for summer reading and our article about proven ways to motivate kids to read for suggestions on building and reinforcing the love of reading.
We also have suggestions for fun summer activities that incorporate learning, to keep you and your little ones entertained all summer long.
If you’re hitting the road or visiting family this summer, you’ll also want to get our free printable road trip activity book below. And check out our posts on building reading and writing into family travel, educational road trip games, and using books to set the scene for great visits with relatives.
Story Time Activity: Ice Cream Reading
Sneak in some summertime learning as you make a summery craft in this cute DIY ice cream-themed reading game.
Enjoy this post? Please share it on social media.
New to MayaSmart.com?
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.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 Mother’s Day
OK, moms, dads, grandparents, and readers everywhere! You know this is an important day to celebrate all the hard-working mamas and mama-types out there. And naturally sharing or gifting a picture book is our chosen way to do it.
Early childhood educator Chrysta Naron has curated a selection of darling picture books for Mother’s Day, plus a story time activity to go with them, in which you’ll make a lovely DIY Mother’s Day gift. Then extend the celebrations and the learning with an unforgettable Mother’s Day brunch, complete with a sweet keepsake menu handwritten by your child—see our Mother’s Day brunch activity post for tips and scroll down on this page for a free menu template printable!
Basketball Picture Books
Basketball is close to my family’s heart, and we understand how much this beloved game inspires young people all over. With the NBA Finals upon us, plenty of kids are feeling the basketball love right about now. Take advantage of this inspiration to do some themed reading with your child.
Austin writer Courtney Runn shares 12 inspiring picture books about basketball that will enthrall the little ballers in your life, all while imparting important lessons about everything from racism and resilience to perseverance and teamwork.
Kids’ Books about Senior Citizens
May is Older Americans Month, and that’s a great reason to celebrate grandparents or other senior citizens in your child’s life. It also offers an opening to delve into the topic of aging with your kids—and help them develop understanding, respect, and compassion for older neighbors, relatives, and friends.
Writer Karen Williams has curated a wonderful list of positive picture books about senior citizens and aging. Once you’re done reading, consider helping your child act on what they’ve read. Reach out to an elderly neighbor, make a date with a relative, or read Karen’s post on how to write letters to a senior citizen. The article includes links to organizations that will send your child’s notes to nursing homes or set them up with a senior pen pal.
Kids’ Books for Mental Health
May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, providing a valuable reminder to cultivate good mental health for ourselves and our children. Writer Andrea Hunt has delved into research indicating that reading aloud to our kids may have major benefits for parental wellbeing, that reading to kids can literally reduce their stress and pain, and that reading fiction can actually build emotional intelligence.
Check them out, as well as our roundups of picture books that foster body positivity and self-love, and picture books that build empathy.
Story Time Activity: Mother’s Day Love Jar
Learn how to help your child make a sweet and personal Mother’s Day gift in our Mother’s Day Love Jar tutorial & story time activity.
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 Easter and 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. Last month, we shared Ramadan picture books.
For April, check out our list of Passover picture books, and your local library should have plenty of great titles featured for Easter and Passover.
You can also find a bunch of sweet Easter-themed literacy activities & crafts on the site:
- Follow a super-easy Read with Me Recipe for “Easter Egg Bread”
- Make an adorable Easter Bunny puppet & reading buddy
- Upcycle plastic Easter eggs into maracas & use them to support literacy
- Craft DIY storytelling dice for a sweet Easter basket gift or activity
- Put on a sight-word Easter egg hunt for your emerging reader
Books to Welcome Spring
Did you know that being in nature can help kids learn better, may combat ADHD as effectively as medication, and can soothe stress? So welcome the springtime and inspire your little nature explorer by reading about all the growth and new life happening at this time of year—and then go out and see it for yourself.
Try this sweet bird-watching activity for preschoolers (and don’t miss the great picture book recommendations at the end). You’ll also want to take a look at our list of picture books about gardens and gardening to teach your child about nature and where our food comes from. Then consider starting your own garden together, even if it’s just a single tomato plant on the windowsill!
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. We’re so happy to have you here!
New to MayaSmart.com?
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.Welcome to the April edition of our monthly what to read to kids column! Keeping new books in the mix keeps family reading time fresh for your child (and you), as well as introducing them to new subjects and vocabulary.
That’s why we curate some of our best recommendations for diverse picture books around timely topics each month. We hope this inspires you to find some awesome new-to-you reads for your child at your local library or independent bookstore.
Plus, the last Saturday in April is Independent Bookstore Day, so why not grab this list and show some love to your local bookshop? Go in person and share the joy of browsing with your child, or shop independent bookstores around the country online.
Here are some books 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 and climate 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 from nature walk story times to recycled art, and our article about easy ways to teach kids to care for the planet.
Kids’ Books about Easter, Passover, & Ramadan
The world’s major monotheistic religions all have important holidays this month. It’s a great time to share some picture books to celebrate your family’s traditions and/or to learn about other cultures.
Check out our lists of Ramadan picture books and Passover picture books to get you started, and your local library should have plenty of titles featured for all three holidays. We’ve also got a bunch of fun Easter literacy activities, including a super-easy Read with Me Recipe for “Easter Egg Bread,” as well as tutorials for literacy-supporting DIY Easter basket gifts.
Picture Books about Baseball
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.
MayaSmart.com is your one-stop-shop for raising a reader. Check out our other kids’ book lists and articles. In addition to bringing books into your reading time that tackle timely topics or important subjects, be sure to follow their interests, as well. If your kid loves science or animals—read about those topics. Following their interests keeps them engaged and helps you build a responsive relationship with your child.
We’ll be back next month with our guide for what to read to your child in May. Meanwhile, go ahead and browse around the site for more tips and tutorials, or message Maya with your questions. We’re so happy to have you here!
What are you reading with your child this month?