The 25+ Best Picnic Books for Toddlers to Enjoy
Warmer weather and longer days mark the arrival of picnic season, providing an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and each other's company while indulging in delicious food. Keep young children entertained during picnics with picnic-themed books, available in a range of series and for emergent readers.
Our list of favorite picnic books for toddlers and preschoolers will keep them engaged whether picnicking in the park or backyard, and inviting a best friend adds to the fun.
Don't forget to bring along a great book with your picnic blanket and basket!
Board Books on Picnics
Board books are perfect for toddlers who are just learning to read. These fun frog books are printed on thick, durable cardboard and have very few words on each page, allowing your toddler to get a good look at the illustrations and learn the basics about frogs without having to read a bunch of words.
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Garden Picnic by Eric Carle
Munch through different foods with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this scratch-and-sniff board book! Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar Scratch-and-Sniff includes a sweet story about the classic character eating through his favorite foods and includes six fun scents to scratch and sniff on every spread for added fun. Little ones will love it!
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Goodreads: 4.2/5
Ages: 3 - 7 years
2. Mouse's First Summer (Classic Board Books) by Lauren Thompson
You could buy this book just for the unique beautiful coloring and illustrations alone! It is a simple book with only a couple of lines per page that I prefer the board book version which brings out the beauty of the illustrations even more than the paper version. This book is also a must-have for mouse lovers! Amazon review by N. Thanu
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Goodreads: 3.4/5
Ages: 2 - 4 years
3. Jamberry by Bruce Degen
This bestselling classic features a berry-loving boy and an endearing rhyme-spouting bear. The fun wordplay and bright paintings with lots of details for young readers to explore make Jamberry a perennial favorite!
Amazon Rating: 4.9
Ages: 1 – 3 years
4. Peter Rabbit Tales - A Spring Surprise by Beatrix Potter
A sweet story about sharing, springtime celebrations, and a gentle message about the importance of friends. This is the fifth title in a new series of stories for the very young set in Peter Rabbit's world.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Goodreads: 3.4/5
Ages: 1 – 4 years
5. Let's Have a Picnic! (Fluorescent Pop!) by Hunter Reid
2 & 1/2 year old loves this story!! They love discussing the food items, their favorite ice cream flavor, and the objects on the playground in the story and how it’s similar/ different from the ones at their school or local park. Amazon Review by Debbie B.
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Ages: 2 – 5 years
6. Corduroy's Shapes Illustrated by Lisa McCue
Funny and goes along with all the other there was an old lady books. Perfect for my little frog lover. Rhyming is always fun. – Review by Nicole G
Amazon Rating: 4.9
Age range: 4 – 7 years
Picture Books on Picnics
Picture books for toddlers offer more detailed and in-depth stories about picnics for little learners. These books are illustrated with charming characters and even better, they feature text that can be read aloud by a parent or by a more independent or advanced reader.
7. The Bears' Picnic by Stan and Jan Berenstain
When the Berenstain Bears set out to find the perfect spot for a picnic, Father Bear says he knows just the place. But each ideal location turns out to be a complete disaster, with a train roaring past or hordes of mosquitoes. At last, they find a place with no pesky crowds or noisy planes, and nary a mosquito . . . until it starts to rain. Another fun Berenstain adventure right up to the last page!!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Goodreads: 4.1/5
Ages: 2 – 6 years
8. Max and Marla Are Having a Picnic by Alexandra Boiger
Equal parts adorable and informative and with lots of kid appeal. I love the calming and engaging descriptions of each pose, and the illustrations are so cute and charming. My two year old already loves looking at the pictures and trying to imitate some of the poses, and I know we will use it together even more as she gets older. The author's note at the end is also great. – Review by Laurie Morrison
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Age range: 2 – 6 years
9. Teddy Bear’s Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
Throw in some picnic activities with the picnic song and you’re all ready for a Teddy Bear picnic themed party! If you go down in the woods today, you'd better go in disguise, For every bear there ever was, will gather there for certain because Today’s the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Goodreads: 4.1/5
Ages: 1– 3 years
10. The Perfect Picnic by Ciara Flood
Our family really enjoyed the author's debut children's book Those Pesky Rabbits. The Perfect Picnic is of the same standard, full of whimsy, sweetness and forgiveness:-) The gorgeous pictures alone make you want to have a picnic immediately, you can practically feel a balmy summer’s day as you turn the page. – Amazon review by Berry
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Goodreads: 4.1/5
Ages: 4 – 8 years
11. The Lost Picnic by B. B. Cronin
Love these books so much! The illustrations are so beautiful, and colorful and have a vintage feel which I thoroughly appreciate. Lots of fun to go through with my girls. Amazon review by jenned
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Goodreads: 3.5/5
Ages: 3 - 7 years
12. We're Going on a Picnic! By Pat Hutchins
A charming book! Pat Hutchins really tells two stories. One with her words and the other with her illustrations. – Review by KO’D
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Ages: 4 – 8 years
13. Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack by Doreen Cronin
This alphabetical adventure for the very youngest fans of Duck brings alphabet books to a whole new level -- click, clack, quackity-quack! And your children will have as much fun as the animals … and learn their letters, too!
Amazon Rating: 4.6
Goodreads: 3.6/5
Ages: 2 - 8 years
14. It's the Bear! by Jez Alborough
This is an all-time favorite! Seriously, it may be at the very top for cute stories. Fun to read and the kids love it! – Amazon review by KrisH
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Goodreads: 4.1/5
Ages: 2 - 5 years
15. Duck and Hippo Lost and Found by Jonathan London
The illustrations are cute, the animal characters are colorful, and the story captivated my four-year-old, who enjoys books like the Henry and Mudge stories about a boy and a dog, or the Elephant and Piggie books from Mo Willems. Amazon review by himmelsgrau
Amazon Rating: 4.6
Goodreads: 3.8/5
Ages: 3 – 7 years
16. Freda Plans a Picnic (I See I Learn) by Stuart J. Murphy
We first borrowed this book from our local library for my 4 year old. She loved the easy-to-follow story and enjoyed reading about the steps you take to plan a picnic. When we returned the book to the library she missed it so much that I purchased it for her. This is one book that she requests to read at least three times a week. – Amazon review by S. Sultan
Amazon Rating: 5.0
Ages: 2 – 5 years
17. Bats at the Beach (A Bat Book) by Brian Lies
From Caldecott honor–winning and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Brian Lies, a charming and lyrical beachy read perfect for summertime—or anytime. The first of many nighttime adventures with the award-winning Bat Book series – check them all out!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Goodreads: 4.1/5
Ages: 3 - 6 years
18. Good News, Bad News by Jeff Mack
This clever story is about two friends with very different dispositions as they search for a perfect picnic spot. Using just four words, Jeff Mack has created a text with remarkable flair that is both funny and touching, and pairs perfectly with his energetic, and hilarious, illustrations. Good news, this is a book kids will clamor to read again and again!
Amazon Rating: 4.6
Goodreads: 4.0/5
Ages: 2 - 5 years
19. What This Story Needs Is a Munch and a Crunch by Emma J. Virjan
This book is perfect for beginner readers. Not only is it highly entertaining with fun artwork, it has repeat and rhyming words to help expand the child's sight vocabulary. The story is cute and will keep the child's attention. Pig is sure to become one of their favorite literary characters. Amazon review by Marcie
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Goodreads: 3.6/5
Ages: 4 - 8 years
20. Peanut and Pearl's Picnic Adventure (My First I Can Read) by Rebecca Dotlich
My daughter, 21 months old, found this book at the library and fell in love. She asks me to read this book to her every single night and we have talked about and discussed just about every single detail in it... so much so that we ended up buying it and now she reads it in the car every day. She LOVES it! Amazon review by Lindsey
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Goodreads: 3.4/5
Ages: 4 - 8 years
21. Llama Llama Very Busy Springtime by Anna Dewdney
My son enjoys reading all those llama llama books, it’s easy to read for a 5 year old and interesting to reread it all over again. Highly recommend! Amazon review by D Malishka
Amazon Rating: 4.5
Ages: 3 – 5 years
22. Sun (Seasons with Granddad) by Sam Usher
Lovely story of an adventure in the summer. Imaginative, sweet, my 4-year old wants the whole series! – Amazon review by Mariposa
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Goodreads: 3.6/5
Ages: 3 – 7 years
23. The Rattlebang Picnic by Margaret Mahy
I love that this book teaches kids that family and spending time is more important than material possessions. The family gets in some jams and they all work together to get out of the jams. Too many kids books these days don't have anything worthwhile to teach and are just mindless reading. I feel like my kids have learned something by reading this book even though they don't realize it. This is a great story and any age can appreciate it. – Amazon review by mrich
Amazon Rating: 4.9
Goodreads: 3.8/5
Ages: 3 – 8 years
24. We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson
After reading this picture book, I'm wishing my family had been getting together like that. A sweet tribute to times gone by for some and celebrating traditions that still stand for others. Amazon review by T. Bold
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Goodreads: 3.8/5
Ages: 3 – 9 years
25. Mr. Putter & Tabby Row the Boat by Cynthia Rylant
This is a wonderful series of books with great messages, writing and pictures. We've loved every one that we have read. This one makes our four-year old laugh each time we read it. He loves this story, and it is a great one for summertime. – Amazon review by J. Williams
Amazon Rating:
Goodreads: 4.2/5
Ages: 3 - 7 years
Whether you have a new reader or a more experienced one, these preschool picnic theme books for toddlers will provide your child with hours of endless fun. Couple it with a picnic craft or activity that involves organizing their own picnic (even with play food and paper plate!). This first time will leave memories for your child that will last a lifetime!
Just be sure to include a special storytime to round up a perfect day together as a family!