Spooky season is almost upon us! Can you believe it?! We’re ready to celebrate the occasion with pumpkin patches, trick-or-treating, and some super fun Halloween books for kids. We’re all about family-friendly Fall activities that aren’t scary, but exciting and engaging for little ones. This year, we’ve curated a list of the perfect Halloween books for children ages 0-3 to immerse them in the holiday spirit. In this blog, you’ll find recommendations and tips on how to make Halloween reading a delightful learning adventure for little ghosts and ghouls. Let’s jump in and do the monster mash!
What Makes a Great Halloween Book for Toddlers?
There are plenty of Halloween books for toddlers, but how do you know which is best for your child? Great Halloween books are exciting, and introduce kids to this beloved holiday in a friendly, gentle way. The right books can help ease anxiety around a potentially scary subject, and provide an opportunity to discuss all the fun activities associated with Halloween. We suggest looking for books that include:
- Well-known characters: witches, ghosts, and vampires
- Halloween activities: pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating
- Educational: learn about different cultures' approaches to Halloween
Interactive elements are important, too! Look for Halloween books that include rhymes, textures, and sounds. These types of books encourage sensory play, which involves all five senses and encourages children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate, and explore. For example, our interactive sound books are perfect sensory tools, combining visual, tactile, and auditory elements into a captivating reading experience.
Should Halloween Books for Toddlers Be Scary?
The short answer is, it depends! Toddlers are at an age where they are still prone to magical thinking, meaning they have a hard time distinguishing reality from fantasy. Easing your child into Halloween is a good rule of thumb, however, you will always know what’s best for your child. You can take their unique personality and disposition into account when choosing a Halloween book.
Keep an eye out for your child’s reactions to potentially spooky images and scary situations. Pay attention to what they seem worried about, avoid or talk about, which can be clues that something is scary. Parents are often surprised by what frightens their child.
With the support of a loved one, children can learn to manage their reactions to emotions. It is helpful for a child to draw pictures or be able to talk about their fears. Picture books that show characters fearful of something but then are able to find ways to deal with their fear can be very helpful to young children. It is important to acknowledge and respect your child’s fears, no matter how irrational they seem.
Halloween Sound Books for More Engaging Experiences
Kids use their senses to explore the world around them. Adding sensory books to your child’s bookshelf is a great way to engage them in a way that feels natural to them, while also encouraging their development and learning skills.
Halloween sound books feature fun, tactile elements, music, and colorful illustrations that engage multiple senses at the same time, helping kids learn faster and retain information longer. This learning method is sometimes referred to as “whole-brain learning.” When engaging multiple senses, children learn to associate letters and words with sounds faster, too, giving them a head start when it comes to learning how to speak and read.
Sound books offer a more interactive experience than traditional books with features like buttons to press, mirrors kids can see themselves in, and cute illustrations of furry friends. These types of books serve as a wonderful resource for kids with additional needs and/or learning challenges by keeping them engaged and excited.
Cali's Halloween Books
A solid Halloween read for toddlers is our Halloween Nursery Rhymes Glow-in-the-Dark sound book. This book includes six Halloween-themed nursery rhymes to get everyone singing and dancing along to a spooky tune. Plus, you can read it in the dark with a crazy cool glow-in-the-dark element that shows cute characters glowing bright without light! It’s a perfect and gentle introduction to the holiday that will get them excited about Halloween.
Our Halloween Bundle brings on the cutest toil and trouble with three books including, “Halloween Nursery Rhymes,” "Twinkle Little Star," and "Bedtime with Mozart." A soothing bedtime story trio, this set of sound books will ease kids into Halloween with fun and giggles.
Popular Halloween Books for Toddlers
Let’s look at some more kid-friendly reads for Halloween:
- Room on the Broom: A delightful story where a kind witch and her cat make room for new friends on their broomstick, taking toddlers on a magical adventure filled with teamwork and fun.
- Eek! Halloween and Spooky Pooky by Sandra Boynton: Two quirky, rhyming stories featuring lovable characters celebrating Halloween with spooky surprises and fun costumes, perfect for easing little ones into the holiday spirit.
- Boo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton: A charming Halloween tale with familiar barnyard animals dressing up and engaging in playful antics, ideal for toddlers who love a mix of farm fun and spooky thrills.
- You’re My Little Pumpkin Pie illustrated by Natalie Marshall: This sweet, rhyming board book wraps your child in the cozy love of Halloween, celebrating the special bond between parents and their little pumpkins.
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Halloween: Join Mickey and his friends on a Halloween adventure full of trick-or-treating fun and a magical mystery, perfect for little Disney fans.
- Ten Little Monsters: A fun counting book where ten little monsters embark on a Halloween adventure, making it a playful way to teach numbers while enjoying some spooky fun.
- The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin: This playful twist on the classic nursery rhyme follows a tiny pumpkin on a journey down the street, bringing a delightful Halloween spirit to a familiar tune.
- Happy Halloween Sesame Street: Celebrate Halloween with Elmo and friends as they dress up, go trick-or-treating, and enjoy festive fun on Sesame Street, ideal for easing toddlers into the holiday with familiar faces.
- Little Blue Truck Halloween: Ride along with Little Blue Truck and his friends as they dress up in costumes and discover who’s hiding beneath them, in an interactive, lift-the-flap adventure that’s perfect for curious little ones.
Reading Tips for Parents
Want to make reading Halloween books more exciting for your little one? Try one of these reading tips for toddlers that make storytime engaging and unforgettable.
Bring characters to life! Let your child dress up as their favorite character from the book. This will make the story and its unique world come alive right before their eyes. It's a fun way to get them more involved and excited about reading.
Use silly voices. Read the voices of different characters in unique or funny ways. This keeps your little one eagerly waiting to hear what’s next. They'll love the variety and it makes the story more entertaining.
Ask questions. Make sure to pause and ask questions about what they've just read. This keeps them engaged and helps with their understanding. It also gives you a chance to see what they think about the story.
Make personal connections. Try to connect the book with your child's prior knowledge or personal experiences. This makes the story more relatable and meaningful for them. They might even see themselves in the characters!
Let your child reflect. Give your child some time to process and think about what they’ve read. Ask them to recall details or predict what will happen next. This enhances their understanding and enjoyment, which makes reading a more enriching experience.
Curious to explore more sound books available at Cali’s Books? Check out our ever-expanding collection of stories that kids can’t put down, including best sellers, multicultural, and holiday books.