Reading has always been a favorite part of my life, and I love watching my grandkids embrace the joy of reading each day. I’m always on the lookout for books to read with grandchildren that we can enjoy together throughout the year. With spring just around the corner, I’ve done some searching and found some wonderful titles that you can add to your bookshelf, check out from your local library, or even enjoy together on YouTube during a video chat.
In This Post
Babies/Early Pre-k
“Spring” by Gerda Muller
A wordless board book filled with beautiful illustrations of springtime activities It’s perfect for sparking imagination and conversation with little ones.
“Baby Loves Spring!” by Karen Katz
A fun lift the flap book for little ones to discover spring time favorites.
“Spring Babies” by Kathryn O. Galbraith
This cute book is full of brightly colored illustrations sure to captivate young ones. The only pause I would have with this book is that the ‘babies’ pictures are older children. Still – a super cute book.
Activity: Take a nature walk and search for springtime elements like flowers, birds, and budding trees.
“Little Blue Truck’s Springtime” by Alice Schertle
My grandkids have always loved Little Blue Truck books. This one is a delight with all the cute farm animal friends!
Activity: Build a mini farm scene with toy trucks and animals.
Preschool
“And Then It’s Spring” by Julie Fogliano
This one is on my list for sure. The landscape in the book reminds me of the rolling hills of their family farm, and the dog looks a lot like my grandkids dog ‘Taffy’.
Activity: Plant seeds in small pots and watch them grow over time. If you are a long distance grandparent, send a little seed planting kit their way, and plant one yourself too. You can both watch for when spring arrives in your location.
Craft: Make a “waiting for spring” countdown chain using colorful paper links.
“When Spring Comes” by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
I love the repetition and alliteration used in this book of the changing season. This book really does bring Spring to life!
Activity: Create a weather chart to track changes in spring weather, or send emojis by text that show what your weather is like each day.
“Over in the Meadow” by Jill McDonald.
This one is a classic, and once I start I can’t get this sweet song out of my head. And the interactive possibilities make this one so much fun.
Activity: Sing the rhyme together and use hand motions for each animal.
Craft: Make animal masks from paper plates or color printed out animal pages to hold up during the song.
READ: 10 Things to Mail Your Grandchildren in the Spring
Elementary
“Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms” by Julia Rawlinson
One of a series of books, this springtime book has our sweet Fletcher worries that winter is coming again as he sees blossoms falling from the trees.
Activity: Use tissue paper to make cherry blossom trees.
“Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt” by Kate Messner
If your grandkids are more about what goes on in the dirt than what they can see happening above it, then this is the book for you!
Activity: If you get to visit in person, spend a little time digging in the dirt to find worms and insects, then observe them up close.
Craft: create your own underground scenes using pieces of dark brown paper, and drawing with black markers.
“Seed to Plant: National Geographic Kids Readers, Level 1” by Kristin Baird Rattini
If your kids love seeing real photos and the science of how things grow, this book is definitely to be considered. It includes directions for how to plant a little flowerpot, some fun little visual puzzles, and a wealth of ‘behind the scenes’ info about plants.
Activity: Plant a flowerpot together.
READ: Nana’s Spring Refresh: 10 Ways to Freshen Up Your Time with Grandkids
Older Elementary
“The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett
An unforgettable classic. A great book to read together on video chat, or read separately and talk about as you progress through the book.
Craft: Create a “key to the garden” from craft supplies you both have on hand or simply draw your own version of what a key to your secret garden would look like.
Spring is a wonderful time to explore new books to read with grandchildren, whether in person or from a distance. These stories offer not just entertainment but also opportunities for learning, creativity, and connection. No matter how you share these books, the time spent reading together is what matters most.