5 Fun Ways to Celebrate Reading in April

The first full month of spring offers a bright and vibrant time to grow a love of reading with children of all ages. Don't miss these five fun ideas for celebrating reading and literacy in April!

1. National Library Week (Apr 23 - 29, 2023)
Embrace your love of libraries and all the amazing things they offer communities during National Library Week!

• Thank a librarian in person, with a handwritten card, you name it.
  
• Visit your local library to check out books, attend community events, and more.
  
• Donate gently used books to your local library and stock up a Little Free Library in your community
  

2. National Poetry Month
Explore the rich, vibrant, lyrical joy that is poetry during National Poetry Month!

• Visit ReadingRockets.org to catch a video interview series with top children's poets
  
• Check out the Favorite Poem Project to watch videos of Americans saying poems they love
  
• Read "Change Sings," a diverse children's book by award-winning author and youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, Amanda Gorman.
  

3. April Reading Challenge
Dive into ReadBrightly's April Reading Challenge to "shower your shelf with books" this month!

• Read a book aloud to a plant you want to see grow
  
• Read a book in a voice that sounds like your oldest or youngest relative
  
• Laugh your way through a book of jokes
  
• More ideas here
  

4. National Volunteer Week (Apr 16 - 22, 2023)
Show your appreciation for all the volunteers that support reading and literacy in your community!

• Donate to a literacy organization that supports young readers
  
• Thank a volunteer you know who tutors, reads with students, supports family reading events, pitches in at school, etc.
  

5. National Tell a Story Day (Apr 27, 2023)
Celebrate the art of storytelling during National Tell a Story Day!

• Enhance learning at school and at home with these classroom-friendly stories from The Moth.
  
• Check out StoryCorps, an organization on a mission to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. Listen to stories or record your own!
  
• Explore storytelling apps for kids with this go-to list from Romper. From interactive apps to audio book recorders to storybook creators, the options are plentiful!