Best Christmas Books for Toddlers to Read on Repeat
Reading Christmas-themed books with toddlers at home and school is a delightful way to celebrate the holiday season and promote literacy. These classic Christmas books offer a variety of holiday themes, from classic stories to tales of friendship, giving, and the magic of Christmas. Consider your child's age and interests when choosing the best ones for your toddler, and you'll create wonderful holiday memories together. Remember that the gift of a sweet book carries the potential to inspire a love for reading, spark imagination, and create lasting memories. It's a thoughtful and meaningful present for a toddler during the holiday season.
Best Christmas Books for Toddlers to Read on Repeat
Christmas tradition ideas to help the winter season and great activity ideas for Christmas to stay sane and organized. Turn on a Santa Claus Christmas movie, maybe Christmas Carol or Grinch and make these Grinch Themed Rice Krispie Treats! These 4 FREE printable Christmas activity pages and December holiday writing prompts are a great way to get in the holiday spirit with your kids and students this year. Christmas holiday students writing prompts are a fun method for elementary students. These 5 letters and wish list printables are great for Santa and to get into the Christmas spirit.
Crank up the Christmas songs and Christmas tunes and make some Christmas Tree inspired Pretzel Rod Dessert, M and M no bake Christmas bark, Santa's reindeer Little Debbie Snack, and these adorable Christmas Mickey Mouse Inspired cookie bars. These great activities and recipes are the perfect way to have seasonal fun!
Here are some tips and book suggestions for a festive reading experience:
Tips for Reading with Toddlers:
Create a Cozy Reading Area: Set up a comfortable, inviting space with cushions, blankets, and soft lighting to make reading time special.
Engage Their Senses: Use props like jingle bells, scented candles, or soft Christmas music to engage their senses and make the experience more immersive.
Short and Interactive: Choose short and interactive books with colorful beautiful illustrations. Toddlers have short attention spans, so opt for books that are engaging and not too lengthy.
Encourage Participation: Ask questions, use different voices for characters, and encourage your toddlers to repeat phrases or participate in the sweet story.
Repeat Favorites: Toddlers often enjoy hearing the same stories repeatedly, so don't be afraid to read their favorite Christmas or holiday books multiple times through rhythmic text.
Favorite Christmas Books for Toddlers (and Children of All Ages)
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These new books cover a range of themes and styles to keep your toddler engaged and excited for the holiday season:
Christmas-Themed Children's Books for Toddlers:
"The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore:
This classic tale of Santa's visit on Christmas Eve is a must-read during the holiday season. The Night Before Christmas is an enchanting Christmas story that has brought Santa Claus to life for generations. Celebrate the holiday season with this #1 New York Times bestselling edition of the classic poem. This is the classic hardcover edition featuring an embossed cover and a four-page foldout and is perfect for gifting!
2. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" by Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss's rhyming and whimsical storytelling make this a fun and engaging choice. Grow your heart three sizes—and dazzle your eyes—with this FULL COLOR edition of the beloved holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas!—the perfect gift for under the tree and for Dr. Seuss fans and collectors any time of year!
3. "Pete the Cat Saves Christmas" by James Dean and Eric Litwin:
Join Pete the Cat on his mission to help Santa Claus in this groovy Christmas adventure. The fun never stops—this book includes a sheet of full-color stickers and a link to a free downloadable song for toddlers and little ones.
4. "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg:
Follow the journey of a young boy as he boards the magical Polar Express to the North Pole. This beautiful hardcover edition of The Polar Express is the perfect gift for all those—of any age—who believe, come Christmas Eve, that they too will hear the sweet sound of a reindeer’s silver bell. This edition includes a keepsake ornament which makes it a great Christmas book and story.
5. "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats:
While not strictly a Christmas book, this winter-themed story is perfect for the holiday season and introduces toddlers to the wonder of snow. New York Public Library's #1 book on the list of “Top Check Outs of All Time”
In 1962, a little boy named Peter put on his snowsuit and stepped out of his house and into the hearts of millions of readers. Universal in its appeal, this story beautifully depicts a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. The quiet fun and sweetness of Peter’s small adventures in the deep, deep snow is perfect for reading together on a cozy winter day.
6. "Llama Llama Holiday Drama" by Anna Dewdney:
Join Llama Llama as he deals with the excitement and impatience of the holiday season. Llama Llama holidays.
Jingle music. Lights ablaze.
How long till that special date?
Llama Llama has to wait.
If there's one thing Llama Llama doesn't like, it's waiting. He and Mama Llama rush around, shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree . . . but how long is it until Christmas? Will it ever come? Finally, Llama Llama just can't wait any more! It takes a cuddle from Mama Llama to remind him that "Gifts are nice, but there's another: The true gift is, we have each other."
7. "Olivia Helps with Christmas" by Ian Falconer:
Follow Olivia, the lovable pig, as she gets into the Christmas spirit and helps with holiday preparations.
8. "Bear Stays Up for Christmas" by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman:
Bear’s friends are determined to keep Bear awake for Christmas! So they wake Bear up and have him help them find a Christmas tree, bake cakes, hang up stockings, and sing Christmas songs. Bear stays up—by discovering that giving is one of the best Christmas presents of all!
9. "The Little Christmas Elf" by Nikki Shannon Smith:
This story about a little elf who plays an essential role in Santa's workshop is perfect for the holiday season. Celebrate Christmas all year round with Nina, the littlest elf in Santa's workshop!
Nina doesn't finish the teddy bear she's making in time for it to get loaded onto Santa's sleigh but, encouraged by Santa Claus himself to not give up, she works far into the night. While Santa is out delivering presents, a baby is born. Santa comes back for Nina's bear-and guess who he takes along to deliver it?
10. "The Christmas Quiet Book" by Deborah Underwood
Explore the different quiet moments and joys of Christmas in this beautifully illustrated great book. The holidays are filled with joyful noise. But Christmas is sometimes wrapped in quiet: “Searching for presents quiet,” “Getting caught quiet,” and “Hoping for a snow day quiet.” Irresistibly cute, soft colored pencil illustrations of bunnies, bears, and more paint a magical holiday picture indeed.
11. "The Gingerbread Man" by Karen Schmidt
A freshly baked gingerbread man escapes when he is taken out of the oven and eludes a number of pursuers until he meets a clever fox! A clever retelling of a classic tale, perfect for all-year-round!
12. "Merry Christmas, Mouse!" by Laura Numeroff
This board book with sturdy pages is perfect for toddlers, who will enjoy this simple introduction to numbers. Mouse adds ornaments to his tree, one by one. A great opportunity for the littlest ones to practice counting along with the ever-popular Mouse.
Fans of the If You Give... series won't want to miss this special Christmas board book.
13. "Clifford's First Christmas" by Norman Bridwell
Join Clifford as a puppy in this Christmas favorite -- now a board book with foil!
On Clifford's first Christmas Eve, he helps the family trim the tree, but even after he's tucked into bed, he just can't sleep. He goes out to investigate, but accidentally falls into Emily Elizabeth's stocking! Who do you think comes to his rescue? Santa, of course!
14. "Christmas in the Manger" by Nola Buck and Felicia Bond
The classic Christmas story, a joy to share with young children. The gentle beauty of the story of the first Christmas is now available as a board book. With a simple, lyrical text and radiant artwork, this book is perfect for the youngest child to be a part of the wonder of the Nativity.
15. "Snowmen at Christmas" by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner
Snowmen at Night shared with us the magical, slip-sliding adventures of snowmen after dark . . . but have you ever wondered what snowmen do for Christmas? Well, now’s your chance to find out! The snowmen are back, and this time they’re celebrating Christmas—the snowman way!
This snappy and entertaining companion to the New York Times bestseller Snowmen at Night depicts all the best parts of the holiday, replete with icy treats and a snowman Kris Kringle. Told in the same bouncy verse as the original, Snowmen at Christmas is perfect for a snowy evening read-aloud.
16. Ten Little Snowmen by Amanda Sobotka
This unique holiday themed board book counts from ten little snowmen all the way down to one with adorable illustrations of snowmen and other wintery friends. With each page, one more snowman disappears. To help demonstrate this concept, this book uses tactile snowmen buttons to help children count how many snowmen are left as the story progresses. Follow along with the easy rhythm and rhymes of this Christmas season story and let your child touch the built-in snowmen toys to give a creative and engaging hands-on approach to counting.
17. Friendly Little Snowman by Samantha Meredith
It's a snowy and frosty day and time for fun! Winter is here for everyone! Read along and play with your kids through this story of a snowman and wintertime excitement. This seasonal holiday story features a soft plush finger puppet toy built into the book, encouraging interactive play, hand-eye coordination, and sensory & language development.
18. "The Biggest Snowman Ever" by Steven Kroll
When the mayor of Mouseville announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the biggest snowman ever.
19. "Elmo's Countdown to Christmas" by Naomi Kleinberg and Christopher Moroney
Count down to Christmas with some help from Elmo! This holiday lift-the-flap board book is the perfect gift for Sesame Street fans.
Girls and boys ages 2 to 5 will have great fun finding more than 30 flaps to lift in this sturdy board book as they count down the days to Christmas with Elmo and his Sesame Street friends. There are loads of fun surprises to peek at under the flaps in the scenes of Sesame Street, illustrated in all its holiday excitement and cheer.
20. "Maisy's Christmas Day" by Lucy Cousins
A merry novelty perfect book invites young readers to celebrate Christmas with Maisy and friends.
What kinds of Christmas gifts has Maisy brought for her friends Eddie, Charley, Tallulah, and Cyril? With the lift of a flap or the pull of a tab, children uncover each surprise. As for Maisy’s present, they can help pick it out themselves with the turn of a wheel. And in true holiday spirit, Maisy has tucked a little something extra in a final fold. This book is a great gift to younger children about the spirit of Christmas.
21. "Little Blue Truck's Christmas" by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Little Blue Truck is spreading cheer by delivering Christmas trees to his animal friends. Can you help count each green tree from one to five and back again? Don’t forget to save one for Blue! Beep! Beep!
22. "Corduroy's Christmas Surprise" by Lisa McCue
Christmas is coming, and Corduroy has a list of gifts he'd like from Santa-until he discovers the true meaning of Christmas is not about train sets and ice skates, but about good friends. Celebrate the season with Corduroy in this Christmas story that is sure to be a holiday read-aloud favorite.
23. "The Christmas ABC" by Florence Johnson
This fun first alphabet book introduces simple seasonal words to get toddlers excited about Christmas. Bright illustrations feature lots of happy faces and familiar festive details to spot and talk about
24. "The Christmas Train" by Ivan Gantschev
All aboard the Christmas Train! Join Santa, his enterprising elves, snuggly snowmen, friendly carolers, and the rest of Christmas's colorful characters on a train ride that teaches counting and seek-and-find activities all for the Christmas season. This adorable two-in-one board book unfolds into a 56" train (perfect for playtime or room decor!) A handy velcro clasp keeps everything snuggly shut when reading time is over.
25. "Little Robin's Christmas" by Jan Fearnley
Giving Christmas books as gifts to toddlers is a wonderful idea. It not only provides a meaningful and educational present but also helps create a love for reading and holiday traditions. Here are some tips for selecting and presenting Christmas books as gifts to toddlers.
Selecting the Right Christmas Story Options and Books:
Age-Appropriate Choices: Choose books that are suitable for the child's age and developmental stage. Board books or sturdy picture books with simple, engaging stories and colorful illustrations work well for toddlers.
Interactive Elements: Look for books with interactive features like flaps to lift, textures to touch, or sound buttons. These elements can capture a toddler's interest and engagement.
Favorite Characters: Consider books featuring characters or stories that the child already loves. Familiar characters can make the reading experience more enjoyable.
Themes and Values: Select books that align with the values and themes you'd like to promote during the holiday season, such as kindness, giving, or the joy of spending time with loved ones.
Ways to give Christmas books as Gifts at the Holidays:
Wrap the Book: Wrap the book in festive holiday wrapping paper to make the gift even more special.
Include a Personal Note: Write a heartfelt message inside the book cover. You can share your love for the child, the importance of reading, or a personal holiday wish.
Personalize the Gift: If possible, consider getting a custom book with the child's name in the story. Personalized books can be a unique and cherished gift.
Making Christmas Books and Reading Special:
Read Together: Encourage the child and their parents to read the book together. Reading together not only strengthens bonds but also enhances the child's comprehension and love for reading.
Create a Tradition: Suggest that the family incorporate the book into their holiday traditions. They could read it on Christmas Eve, during Advent, or as part of their Christmas morning routine.
Selecting the "best" Christmas books for toddlers can be subjective, as it often depends on individual preferences and the child's age and interests. However, I can provide you with a list of 40 popular and beloved Christmas books for toddlers that have been well-received by many families.