5 Ways to Celebrate National Book Month with Kids

There are plenty of reasons to love Autumn– the cooler weather, fall foliage, and cozy sweaters, to name a few. But, here’s one more to add to the list: October is National Book Month! It’s the perfect time of year to spend time with your little one and a stack of good books. Today, I’ll share 5 ways to celebrate that will have the whole family curled up together with their favorite stories.

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The History of National Book Month

National Book Month was created in 2003 by the National Book Foundation whose mission “is to celebrate the best literature published in the United States, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place in our culture.” The month-long event has evolved into a yearly tradition, celebrated by schools, families, libraries, and communities all over the country to encourage an appreciation of books and all of the magic they have to offer.

Why Celebrate National Book Month with Children?

Reading to and with children, starting at a young age, has countless benefits. For example, picture books can:

1. Improve language and literacy skills
2. Build empathy and compassion
3. Encourage critical thinking skills
4. Boost imagination and creativity
5. Cultivate a life-long love of reading

One of the phrases I use most often on this blog is “children learn through modeling.” They learn how to speak, behave, and interact with others by watching the adults in their lives. Parents can instill a love of reading by making books an integral part of their daily routine. When children see their important adults engaged in reading, they’re more likely to want to read too!

Furthermore, children love special events like holidays and birthdays. So, why not use this already built-in enthusiasm to participate in this meaningful celebration? Bring cheer and playfulness to your home this October to foster a love and appreciation of books.

5 Ways to Celebrate National Book Month With Your Child

1. Make A Calendar Or Book List

Have your child help you create a book list or a schedule of what books they’d like to read during the month. You can even choose themes for each week. For example, you can choose picture books based on your child’s current interest or books that fit topics commonly discussed in the Fall.

This is a great time of year to read books about Autumn, i.e. leaves, apples, pumpkins, or changing seasons in addition to spooky Halloween stories! Here are some of my favorite books for October.

2. Visit Your Local Library (and sign up for a library card!)

Your local library is a literal and figurative playground! They have countless FREE books for children and adults with extensive collections for every age group. Plus they offer toys and programs like group storytime, crafts, and games. Additionally, the library staff is incredibly helpful in researching and locating books on various topics and can make excellent recommendations.

Don’t forget to sign yourself and your child up for library cards so you can take advantage of the many benefits year-round! As a parent and a teacher, I save thousands of dollars a year borrowing books for my home and classroom.

3. Create A Reading Nook

What’s better than a comfy pile of fluffy pillows? Not much! But, a pile of books nearby certainly helps!

Creating an inviting place to read together will enhance the storytime experience for the entire family. This can be as fancy or as casual as you’d like. You can add a play tent or string lights or simply gather up your favorite pillows and blankets into the corner of the room. You could even invite your child to decorate the space with stuffed animals or homemade drawings of their favorite book characters.

4. Read-Aloud Every Day

Make sure to set aside time every day to read with your child. (Bedtime works best in our house!) Here are some helpful read-aloud tips that can make the shared reading experience more engaging and enjoyable for all.

Remember reading out loud to your child not only helps develop their language and literacy skills but also creates precious moments of family bonding. For more tips and strategies for promoting literacy learning in early childhood, please download my free guide.

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5. Write/Illustrate Your Own Stories

Provide blank sheets of paper and plenty of art materials so your child can draw/write their own story and then bind it together to make a book. Depending on your child’s age and ability, you may have to write out the words for them, but that’s okay! In addition, you may need to provide story prompts to get them started. For example, ask them to draw and/or write a story about their favorite friend, holiday/ celebration, sport, etc.

To learn more about writing and drawing development in preschool, feel free to visit my other posts:

Stages of Emergent Writing in Preschool (What Stage is Your Little One In?)

Understanding the Art of Childhood: Developmental Stages of Drawing

Conclusion

“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.” –Maya Angelou

Make sure to head to your local library this October to take advantage of National Book Month. Foster a love of reading by introducing the magic of books in fun and engaging ways!

Now talk to me! In what ways do you plan on celebrating National Book Month? Do you have any favorite Fall picture books? Share your ideas in the comments below.

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