Make reading a priority without all the work! In our July stories for kids you print out your free printable reading and activity calendar. Each day are a couple great book recommendations along with fun, clever activities to go with. This month's calendar is perfect for your summer bucket list to have an intentional month reading, learning, and creating memories together.
UPDATE: This month's books have been triple checked to make sure they are at most public libraries plus I've included various alternatives to make gathering the books a cinch!
July Stories for Kids & Activity Calendar
Each day below follows a July special day or topic. If you scroll to the bottom of the post you can download and print the free printable July stories for kids activity calendar. Then check out books from the library and take a peak at this post for fun, clever activities for families to do together!
You'll love this LOW PREP activity calendar!
>> Find other Monthly Stories for Kids <<
July 1 - Postal Worker Day
Our favorite books are A Letter for Leo , Mail Truck's Busy Day (fun rhyme, but not at all libraries) and The Post Office Book: Mail and How It Moves (hand sketched illustrations). Today would be a great day to write a letter to Grandma, play mail carrier, or sort letters in alphabetical order.
July 2 - World UFO Day
Read Mr. Wuffles and make a cute UFO space craft, simple alien balloons, healthy UFO bagel snack, and a fun Alien themed family movie like Monsters Inc or Mars Needs Moms.
July 3
With 4th of July coming tomorrow let's help kids explore fireworks! Start out by reading Over at the Castle (castle, dragons and fireworks - what's not to love!), Pooh and the Storm That Sparkled (not at all libraries), Red, white, and boom! (4th of July focused) and maybe watching this video (might help them prep for the noise). And of course we can't forget making some pretty firework crafts with straws, cupcake liners, curling ribbon, or shaving cream.
July 4 - American Independence Day
Start of the day reading Corduroy's 4th of July or The Night Before the Fourth of July (not at all libraries) which tells kids what to expect, various traditions people have, and why we celebrate the 4th of July. Our family likes to grill hamburgers served with watermelon and apple pie and in the evening we head with glow sticks in hand to watch our local fireworks. What do you do?
July 5 - Ice Cream Month
After reading The Ice Cream King and Just One More (teaching about self control) you'll want to make either this ice cream puffy paint craft, this super cute ice cream cone foot art, or this fun hands-on edible ice cream cone stamping. Last, but certainly not least - you'll want to eat ice cream! Kids will love going out to a local ice cream parlor to pick their favorite flavor OR make your own ice cream or ice cream in a bag.
July 6 - International Kissing Day
There couldn't be a better day than one where I get extra hugs and kisses from my kids!! Start of International Kissing Day by reading Plant a Kiss, Kiss Goodnight, and The Kissing Hand and then our kiss craft
July 7 - Macaroni Day
Start off by reading Noodle Man: the Pasta Superhero and The Great Pasta Escape, serve up some macaroni and cheese (try this best ever homemade mad and cheese), and of course you need to make a classic macaroni craft like this dyed pasta necklace, butterfly past craft, or stained glass pasta craft.
July 8 - Picnic Month
Warm, summer days are the perfect time to have a picnic on the beautiful summer green grass. Read Teddy Bears Picnic, The Pidwick's Picnic (not at all libraries), and The Teddy Bear's Picnic. You can make this cute fingerprint ant picnic craft, but don't miss the main event - have a picnic. You can be traditional and head out with friend chicken, potato salad, watermelon, and pie or grab a sandwich - either way you'll have a blast!
July 9 - Sugar Cookie Day
Start off by reading The Cow Loves Cookies, If you Give a Mouse a Cookie, and Who Stool the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? (not at all libraries) Next you are gong to want to whip up my famous Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookie Recipe to make together. Kids will love rolling out the cookies and cutting them out with cookie cutters. If you don't feel like baking, try these printable chocolate chip cookie counting cards.
July 10 - Don't Step on a Bee Day
After you've read The Bee Tree and Bee: A Peek-Through Picture Book you can either make this cute Bee Attitudes craft or choose one of these bee crafts. I'd make some corn muffins and serve them with honey today and remind kids how important bees are - from making yummy honey, to pollinating our fruits and vegetables, and making pollinating flower so we can enjoy their beauty.
July 11 - Blueberry Muffin Day
The best way to start blueberry muffin day is to make my favorite blueberry muffin recipe together. Then read If You Give a Moose a Muffin together.
July 12
Start out the day reading Duck & Goose Go to the Beach. If you are lucky enough to be driving distance from a beach - go to the beach for the day. If not, try this super cute Sand Clay Keepsake Craft or fun Beach Sand Slime.
July 13 - International Rock Day
Kids are going to love going on a rock hunt (or you can buy these to save time) to get rocks to decorate today. But first, start out by reading If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet and Ricky, the Rock that Couldn't Roll (not at all libraries). They can make ladybug rocks, monster rocks, patterned snake rocks, minion rocks, fruit rocks, inspirational rocks, or anything else your kids can dream up!
July 14 - Shark Awareness Day
After making this super cute shark whale or shark banana themed food, read Clark the Shark, The Three Little Fish And The Big Bad Shark, and Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist. If you can, why not head to a local aquarium to see a shark in person. If you aren't able to, try this newspaper shark craft or shark cootie catcher.
July 15 - Gummi Worm Day
Bob and Otto is one of my kids favorite books; I think your kids will really enjoy this book too! After you try making this Gummy Slime, make sure to make either this super cute cup of dirt snack or gummy worm popsicles your kids will flip over!
July 16 - World Snake Day
Slither into World Snake Day by reading I (Don't) Like Snakes and Snakes. Next up, make either a pipe cleaner, paper plate, paper chain, or rolling pin snake craft. And you can always scare up a yummy hot dog snake lunch.
July 17
Start out by reading Pinkalicious and the Pink Drink and Froggy's Lemonade Stand. Then you can make a lemonade craft, lemon print craft, or a lemon volcano science experiment. Don't let the day go by with out making some homemade lemonade, or let your kids try their hand at a lemonade stand.
July 18 - Hot Dog Day
If you've got young kids you've got to start the day by singing the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song Hot Dog, Hog Diggity Dog, then read The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, have a hot dog for lunch, and then have your kids try these super clever hot dog lacing cards.
July 19
Summer is a fun time for kids to think bout creatures in the ocean including (albeit make believe) mermaids. Start off by reading The Mermaid, Three Little Mermaids (for younger kids, practices counting but not at all libraries), Good Night Mermaids (not at all libraries), or The Tail of Emily Windsnap (my daughter loves this series for 3-7th grade!). Next, I would don either a mermaid swimsuit or this mermaid feet fin and head to my local pool to swim! But if it's raining you could always sew your own mermaid tale blanket together, spoon mermaid craft, mermaid food art, or this simple mermaid paper bag puppet craft.
July 20 -Moon Day
Celebrate Moon Day by reading Moongame (classic), Moon: A Peek-Through Picture Book, Goodnight Moon (classic!), On the Moon (surprisingly not at all libraries). Then have some fun learning about the moon by making Oreo Moon Phases (includes free printable and other ideas) or trying one of these moon activities.
July 21
Nothing says summer like swimming at the beach in the waves. Kids will learn about waves today as they read In the Waves, Curious George Chasing Waves (sadly, no longer at all libraries) and The Great Wave: A Children's Book Inspired by Hokusai.(not at all libraries) Next you can either go to the beach and chase your own waves, make a wave in a bottle, wave art print, or learn the science behind salt and ocean waves.
July 22
Nothing says lazy summer day like relaxing in a hammock! Today I suggest kids grab their favorite book (here are some of our favorite books) and curl up in a hammock to read! Don't have a hammock? check out this super easy-to-set-up, easy to store hammock that can go anywhere (even inside!)
July 23
Hot summer days are best spent in a pool; today your family will read The Whale in My Swimming Pool. If you have a backyard pool or sprinkler, today would be a great day to cool off in your own backyard followed by this yummy homemade fudgesicle! If it's raining, why not make these cute pool noodle monsters.
July 24
My kids favorite thing to during the summer is to build an epic sandcastle! Whether you live near a beach or not, your kids will have a blast as we explore sandcastles today! Start out reading Sandcastle by Brenda S. Yee and Sandcastle (choose your own ending). Then you can build a sandcastle, make this cool sandpaper sandcastle craft, or finish off your day with this super impressive, yummy, and easy-to-make sandcastle ice cream treat!
July 25
Whether you find one at a fair, zoo, boardwalk, or local mall - carousel's are all over. Many think of carousels with strolling along the boardwalk in summer. Read these two heartwarming stories The Carousel and Carousel Cat. I suggest going on a carousel today, but if you are one of the rare families that doesn't live near one.... try this cute carousel craft and healthy carousel snack instead.
July 26
Our family loves having water balloon fights during the summer! So today, let's read about balloons! Read I Have a Balloon, The Balloon Tree (not at all libraries), and My Yellow Balloon, (not at all libraries). Next up why not have your own backyard balloon fight (we love these rapid fill balloons you attach to the hose and they are ready in 60 seconds!) or make it educational water balloons. Or you can learn about science with these pop rock balloon science experiment or density water balloon experiment.
July 27
I love lazy days blowing bubbles for the kids to pop in the backyard! Today you can have your own bubble fun starting with reading Bubble Trouble (about a family) and Bubble Trouble (two animal friends, not at all libraries). Then I suggest blowing some really big homemade bubbles or using this amazing bubble machine that makes TONS of bubbles. Or if you'd prefer a craft, try this beautiful, fun-to-make foam bubbles craft.
July 28
Summer means lots of beautiful days to ride around your neighborhood on a bike. Start out by reading Duck on a Bike and The Bike Lesson. You of course can take a family bike ride, but here are some other ideas for an epic bike day: bike Spirograph (chalk art with bike), how to draw a bike, cupcake line bike craft.
July 29 - International Tiger Day
Start off International Tiger Day by reading these fun books: Mr. Tiger Goes Wild and Tiger in my Soup. Then you have a choice: tiger bookmark, simple tiger plate craft, or this tiger hand art project. And of course, visiting a tiger at a zoo would also be a great idea!
July 30
One of my favorite things about summer is all the beautiful flowers all around! After ready Miss Rumphius, Flowers are Calling, and Bees Like Flowers (not at all libraries). I suggest heading to a local rose garden, flower garden, or nursery to see the huge variety! Then kids will enjoy making one of these flower crafts: finger painted snapdragon flowers, painter plate flowers, clever paper flowers, spin art flowers, sunflowers, dandelions, q-tip daisies, paper dahlias, or egg cartoon bluebells.
July 31
Start out the day reading these books about birds: Hello, My Name is Ruby Mama Built a Little Nest, In My Tree (not at all libraries), Little Green (not at all libraries), and The Best Nest. Next up I suggest going on a bird hunt with these kid binoculars, bird sighting guide, and this backyard birdsong (hear sound of all the birds to compare to what you heard). If the weather is poor, why not try one of these bird crafts: yarn cardinal, duck foot art, cup parrot, twirling parrot, or bird in the nest.
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