Top 16 Books About Summer For Toddlers Updated 04 /2024

There's no better way to spend the summer than with your child. People should go for walks in the sunshine, spend afternoons in the park, and spend lazy days in the sun. Summer is a great time to start teaching your baby about all the fun things this season has to offer, like games, beach trips, and ice cream. I've chosen twelve of my favorite board books for you and your soon-to-be-reader to read together on sunny days.

Llama Llama Sand and Sun by Anna Dewdney

When it's hot outside, it's time to go to the beach. With this touch-and-feel book, your baby joins Llama Llama and Mama Llama on a fun day at the beach. They splash in the waves and build sandcastles together. There are a lot of bright pictures and things that babies can touch to keep them entertained.

Is it Warm Enough for Ice Cream? by DK

Is it warm enough for ice cream? An easy-to-read book about the seasons is what this board book is all about. It's a great way to start teaching your child that there are new and fun things to do when the seasons change. Ice cream, of course, is the first thing on the list.

Spot Goes to the Beach by Eric Hill

All of us love Spot, and now the yellow puppy is ready for his day in the sun. This isn't just any beach trip, though. Spot is going to learn how to surf today! A brave penguin is one of Spot's new friends.

Maisy Goes Swimming by Lucy Cousins

You will love this reissued version of one of the first Maisy books by Lucy Cousins. Your kids will be able to recognize the sights and sounds from their favorite summer spot. It has lift-the-flaps and lessons about colors, directions, and more. It's a must-have summer board book.

Boat Book by Gail Gibbons

Books about transportation by Gail Gibbons are very good. Boat Book is about a whole fleet of boats. Whether it's a tugboat, a submarine, or a canoe, boats come in a wide range of sizes and can be used for both work and play.

Pop-up Peekaboo: Under the Sea by DK

Pop-up books like this one are a great way to introduce your child to the ocean and its animals. They are also a lot of fun for adults to read to their kids! You'll find a variety of colorful sea creatures under each flap, from a Diving Dolphin to a Stripy Fish, all ready to surprise and delight your child. Rhyming is also a great way to help people who are learning to speak a new language.

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Caldecott Medal winner: This is a great way to help your young child deal with the loss of something important. Raschka's engaging, impressionistic illustrations tell the story of Daisy's favorite toy, which pops, and how it makes her sad. It's a great book for kids to read on long, play-filled summer days.

Duck, Duck, Goose by Tad Hills

New board book edition: This is a sweet story about friendship and understanding. It shows how Duck and Goose deal with the first real test of their friendship when a new duck named Thistle comes into their lives. The bright, colorful illustrations are a lovely addition to a sweet story about friendship and summer fun that everyone will enjoy.

Colors with Ladybug by DK

As soon as school lets out for the summer, there are a lot of bright, vibrant colors. Colors with Ladybug is a fun and tactile way for your child to learn about different colors. For a read-aloud, this book is written in rhyming verse. We follow a little ladybug as she finds magical flowers and learns about colors with her animal friends.

Red Wagon by Renata Liwska

In this wonderful story for young readers, Renata Liwska's lively art is the star. It's Lucy's favorite thing to do: play with her new red wagon. Her mother has some work for her to do. Lucy, on the other hand, learns that with her new wagon and a little imagination, anything is possible and fun can be had anywhere. This is a great lesson for all those summer playdates.

The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle

The firefly is one of summer's most magical creatures, and this board book is a unique and creative story about one of them. In the dark, a lonely firefly goes looking for other fireflies. Instead, it comes across all kinds of other bright things. This is a book that's both beautiful and easy to read. At the end, there's a surprise that will make your child's face light up.

Hello Zoo by Nicola Slater

This lift-the-flap and touch-and-feel board book is great for family trips to the zoo. It's easy to carry around on summer days when you want to have fun. This is a great way for your little one to compare the colorful animal pictures to the real-life animals all around and learn some important words.

The Summer Visitors by Karel Hayes

People have arrived at the lake for the summer in The Summer Visitors by Karel Hayes. Can the bear family have fun together this summer? This mostly wordless book is a lot of fun for preschoolers to look at the pictures and make up their own stories with the help of the words..

A Boy, A Dog, and A Frog  by Mercer Mayer.

Now I need to add a book that doesn't have any words to it: A Boy, a Dog (and a Frog by Mercer Mayer). It's a small book with pen and ink drawings of a boy and his dog trying to catch a frog on a walk. You can use it to help preschoolers improve their oral language skills by reading this book to them

The Relatives Came  by Cynthia Rylant

Summer and family get-togethers go hand in hand, so they go together. It's one of my favorite books. Cynthia Rylant's The Relatives Came is one of my favorite books. The family is coming to visit, which means a lot of hugging, eating, and talking.

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