Best Valentine’s Day Books for Preschoolers & Kindergarteners

Love and kindness aren’t the only things your little one will pick up in this digital version of the adorable board book. They’ll also get a sweet lesson in counting. From hugs and butterfly kisses to tickles and giggles, they can count all the ways we can show love.

In this special Valentine’s-themed installment of the hit Construction Site series, every truck in the yard gets a special note. Written in the charming rhyming text the books are known for, kids can read the notes out loud as they help the trucks find out the identity of the mysterious sender. Each message expresses encouragement and appreciation for what each of the hardworking trucks bring to their day-to-day work. Your kid will get a kick out of the surprise ending and learn a lot about construction vehicles along the way.

The lovable muppet Elmo is back, and this time, he’s got a special poem for your little one. “Everyone loves something,” it begins. “Babies love noise. Birds love singing.” This simple rhyming book for preschoolers introduces them to the universal concept of love through a series relatable situations that starts with the love of a beloved toy and closes with loving each other.

With beautiful colored illustrations, this simple early reader teaches preschoolers all about friendship. It starts with a little boy and a dragon that he’s been pals with since he was a baby. It follows the pair as the little boy grows older and experiences relatable childhood milestones and family changes. Through it all, the two enjoy plenty of playtime, from snowmen and pool time, to sand castles and building-block adventures.

An imaginative little boy asks his mother if she will love him if he turns into a skunk, a meat-eating dinosaur, a swamp thing and other outlandish, unpleasant creatures in this sweet and humorous book. It teaches kids about unconditional love in a way that will inspire plenty of giggles along the way. This is the first of several titles in the popular Stinky Face series.

This audio version of the New York Times best-selling picture book is perfect for an independent read-aloud. It starts when Little Bear draws a picture and asks his friend Hen to deliver it to his grandmother. And she’s so happy that she sends Hen back with a thank-you kiss. Soon the kiss is passed along from Grandmother and Hen, to Cat, to Little Skunk, and other animal friends until it eventually finds its way back to Little Bear.  Fans of the acclaimed illustrator Maurice Sendak would enjoy following along to the audiobook with their own copy.

Fans of the classic Curious George series will delight in joining George on this adventure to create the perfect Valentine cards. He starts the day with a delicious waffle breakfast, then he’s inspired to get crafty and create cards for all of his friends. All sorts of silly mishaps ensue as he tries to find the best way to get a lot of cards made I a hurry.

Time to get crafty with this DIY guide from the Sequencing Stories series. It follows a little girl named Mia as she makes a Valentine’s Day card for her mom. With vibrant photos and simple text, the book walks your kid through Mia’s entire process, from gathering supplies with her dad to cutting, coloring and crafting the perfect Love Day message. This kid-friendly how-to is easy for little readers to follow and a great introduction to holiday crafts.

Get the tissues handy and snuggle up with this nostalgic, long beloved picture book. At times filled with funny antics and at other times touching, this sweet story tells of a mother’s love for her child from cradle to adulthood. It culminates in a gentle twist that reveals the enduring, lifelong and tenderly reciprocal bond between parents and their children. 

The soothing rhythmic prose makes this one of the most celebrated read-alouds for kids of all time, especially as you’re tucking your little one into bed.

“We were put on this earth to love and be loved. But what is love? It’s many things…” 

There’s a lot more to love than candy hearts and punny cards (although those are pretty fun). And this heartwarming picture book will open up your kid to the spectrum of ways we can show our loved ones that we care. It could be as simple as sharing a hug or making someone smile. Or it could be playing with a friend or comforting them when they’re sad. With brightly colored illustrations and simple text, this book captures all the ways that love can be magical.  

This book is part of the popular and relatable The Jitters series. This time, Mrs. Hartwell is planning an extra-special class Valentine’s Day party, and she’s got major jitters over how she’ll pull it off. She has to quickly prepare the games and crafts, and to top it all off she’s planning to serve a super-complicated cake. Nothing is going right so she enlists her class to give her some advice and everyone pitches in to make the party a huge success.

This quirky graphic novel is a super-fun pick for older kindergarteners and more advanced readers. Elementary schooler-slash-space alien Zeke shows up to school one day and is totally shocked. Hallways are covered in paper hearts, pink ribbons are  dangling from the ceiling, a picture of a winged baby Cupid is on the wall. What strange human thing is THIS? With the help of his earthling friend Harris, he comes to understand the meaning of this day called Valentine’s Day, and even develops a little crush. This is a light-hearted “just for fun” read is a great way to get your kid into the world of graphic novels.