Books and songs
Kids' book and song lists
348 lists of what kids read and sing: books by grade (with picks for the child who reads ahead and the one catching up), by genre, by feeling, the Battle of the Books and award lists, read-alouds and series, and the top songs, nursery rhymes and carols with their words.
- 348 lists
- 5053 picks
🎒 Books by grade
The best books for every grade from Pre-K to 8th, with the picks that fit a child who reads ahead and the ones that fit a child who is catching up.
Top 25 books for a 3rd grader
Third grade is where many children move from short early readers to full chapter books.
Top 20 book series for 3rd graders
A series is the quickest way to build reading stamina: once a child knows the characters, the next book is easy to start.
Top 25 books for a 4th grader
Fourth graders are expected to read longer books independently and to talk about theme.
Top 20 book series for 4th graders
By fourth grade, many children want a series that will last months.
Top 25 books for a 5th grader
Fifth graders can handle longer books and heavier topics: refugees, racism, grief.
Top 20 book series for 5th graders
Fifth graders often want a long series in a world they can disappear into.
Top 20 first novels for kids moving up from chapter books
A first novel is a book with a single long plot, few pictures and chapters that run several pages.
Top 25 books to read before middle school
These twenty-five books are often assigned or recommended around grades 5 and 6, so reading them first helps with class discussions.
Top 20 funny books for grades 3 to 5
Funny books are one of the best ways to build a reading habit.
Top 20 books about animals for grades 3 to 5
Animal stories are an easy match for a child who loves pets or wildlife.
Top 20 books for grades 3 to 5 that were made into movies
Reading the book first gives a child a chance to picture it themselves.
Top 25 books for a 6th grader
Sixth graders are 11 and 12 and the range is wide: some still want Percy Jackson, others are ready for The Outsiders.
Top 25 books for a 7th grader
Seventh graders are 12 and 13 and many are ready for harder themes.
Top 25 books for an 8th grader
Eighth graders, 13 and 14, are reading the books schools assign and the dystopias their friends talk about.
25 books to read before high school
A menu of books many teachers and librarians name as worth meeting by 14.
15 classics a middle schooler can actually enjoy
Classics survive because they work, but some take effort.
Summer reading for rising 6th graders
Between 5th and 6th grade is a good time to read for fun without a book report.
Summer reading for rising 7th graders
A summer list for kids going into seventh grade.
Summer reading for rising 8th graders
Before eighth grade, kids can take harder themes and pick up books they will meet in class.
Summer reading for rising 9th graders
A summer list for the move into high school.
13 historical fiction books for middle schoolers
Historical fiction lets kids reach the past through one person.
Top 25 books for a Pre-K child
Pre-K children (about 3 to 5) like rhythm, repeating patterns, and stories about feelings they already know.
Top 25 books for a kindergartener
Kindergarteners (about 5 to 6) are learning to read, starting school, and finding out how their feelings work.
Top 25 books for a 1st grader
First graders (about 6 to 7) are moving from sounding out to reading.
Top 25 books for a 2nd grader
Second graders (about 7 to 8) can read short chapter books on their own and enjoy longer read-alouds.
Top 18 graphic novels and comics for K to 2nd grade
Comics ask kids to read pictures and text together, which is real reading.
🪜 Reading levels and needs
Books by how a child reads: advanced, behind, reluctant, dyslexic, learning English, or just wanting something short.
Top 20 books for an advanced 3rd grader
An advanced reader can decode long books but is still eight or nine.
Top 20 books for a 3rd grader who is behind or reluctant
These books use short chapters, big pictures or comic panels, and jokes to give a child a reason to turn the page.
Top 20 books for an advanced 4th grader
For a fourth grader reading at a middle-school level, the risk is not the words but the themes.
Top 20 books for a 4th grader who is behind or reluctant
Fourth graders who read below grade level often hate that the books they can read look babyish.
Top 20 books for an advanced 5th grader
A strong fifth-grade reader can handle the Victorian classics and long fantasy.
Top 20 books for a 5th grader who is behind or reluctant
These are fifth-grade-friendly in subject but lighter in text: graphic memoirs, school comics and a verse novel.
Top 20 graphic novels for grades 3 to 5
Graphic novels are real reading: panels teach inference, vocabulary and pacing.
Top 10 novels in verse for grades 3 to 6
Novels in verse have few words per page, which makes them approachable for reluctant readers, but the stories carry real weight.
What to read after Dog Man: 15 books
Dog Man readers are often hooked on comic-style books and short chapters.
What to read after Diary of a Wimpy Kid: 13 books
Wimpy Kid readers like a first-person voice, school humor and cartoons.
What to read after Magic Tree House: 12 books and series
Magic Tree House gives short chapters, adventure and history facts.
What to read after Harry Potter: 14 books and series
Children who finish Harry Potter ask for more magic schools, quests and friendship.
What to read after Percy Jackson: 12 books and series
Percy Jackson readers love myth, humor and a fast plot.
Top 20 books for an advanced 6th grader
A strong sixth-grade reader can handle adult-length books but is still 11.
Top 20 books for a 6th grader who is behind or reluctant
For a sixth grader who reads below grade level or avoids books, the choice is high interest and low reading demand: graphic novels, verse novels, short chapters, and real kid voices.
Top 20 books for an advanced 7th grader
For a seventh grader reading well above grade, these are classics and adult science fiction that are still readable at 12 or 13.
Top 20 books for a 7th grader who is behind or reluctant
A seventh grader who is behind needs books that respect their age.
Top 20 books for an advanced 8th grader
For an eighth grader ready for high school English, these are classic novels, plays, and memoirs from Austen to Achebe.
Top 20 books for an 8th grader who is behind or reluctant
For an eighth grader who is behind, these are graphic novels, verse, and very short classics.
20 books for middle schoolers who say they hate reading
Kids who say they hate reading often mean they have not found the right book.
11 sports books for middle schoolers
Sports fiction and memoir are among the best ways in for a reluctant reader who loves a game.
12 survival and adventure books for middle schoolers
Survival stories are reliable for kids who say they hate to read.
12 scary books for middle schoolers
Plenty of kids at 11 to 14 want to be scared.
12 funny books for middle schoolers
Humor is a good way into reading.
12 books to read after Harry Potter (ages 11-13)
When a child finishes the Harry Potter series, the question is what next.
12 novels in verse for middle schoolers
Verse novels have short lines and a lot of white space, so they read fast and feel less like homework.
17 graphic novels for middle schoolers
Graphic novels are real reading and often the strongest hook for reluctant readers.
12 nonfiction and memoir books for middle schoolers
For kids who say they only like real stories, these true accounts read like novels.
Top 20 books for an advanced Pre-K child
An advanced Pre-K listener can follow longer text, more words per page and slower plots.
Top 18 books for a Pre-K child who isn't into books yet
Some three- and four-year-olds will not sit for a story.
Top 20 books for an advanced kindergartener
A kindergartener reading above grade level needs short, well-made chapters and simple sentences with real stories, not just harder words.
Top 20 books for a kindergartener who is reluctant or behind
Kindergarteners who are behind on letters or sounds need success, not pressure.
Top 20 books for an advanced 1st grader
A first grader reading at a 3rd-grade level still has a 6-year-old's feelings.
Top 20 books for a 1st grader who is reluctant or behind
A first grader who says reading is boring is often finding it hard.
Top 20 books for an advanced 2nd grader
A strong 2nd-grade reader can handle upper-elementary text, though not always upper-elementary themes.
Top 20 books for a 2nd grader who is reluctant or behind
Second graders who say they hate reading usually want funny, fast books with lots of art.
The Elephant & Piggie books
Mo Willems wrote the Elephant & Piggie series between 2007 and 2016.
Top 20 first chapter books for 1st and 2nd graders
A first chapter book has short chapters, big type, and a plot that stays simple.
Books that help with sight words and decoding
These are trade books, not formal decodable readers.
I Can Read! classics
I Can Read! is the HarperCollins early reader line that began with Little Bear in 1957.
Books for kids who read above grade level but need age-appropriate themes
A strong reader at eight can decode a novel written for fourteen-year-olds, but the content may not suit them.
Books that work well for kids with dyslexia
No book is dyslexia-friendly on its own, but some features help: short chapters, plenty of white space, pictures and predictable plots.
Chapter books under about 100 pages
Short books give a child a finish line.
Books to read in one sitting
For a rainy afternoon, a long car ride or a child who gives up on long books.
Dyslexia-friendly formats, audio and publishers
Format can matter more than the title.
Picture books and early readers for English learners
Learners of English do best with books that repeat words, show meaning in pictures and run short.
Bilingual Spanish and English books for kids
Some of these are printed in two languages in one book; others weave Spanish into an English story.
Easy chapter books for new readers
A child who has finished picture books and early readers often stalls here.
Graphic novels to start with
A graphic novel is a real book and takes real reading.
Books for first and second grade readers
These sit in the range schools usually call grades 1 and 2: short sentences, repeated words and pictures on most pages.
Books for third and fourth grade readers
At this stage children move from picture books to novels of 100 to 200 pages.
Books for fifth and sixth grade readers
By this stage children read longer, more complex novels with moral and emotional weight.
Books for seventh and eighth grade readers
Middle schoolers can read complex books but not all content suits twelve.
🧭 Books by genre
Adventure, fantasy, mystery, science, history, poetry, graphic novels and every other kind, sliced by age.
Top 14 adventure books for kids ages 6 to 12
Adventure stories put a child in a hard place with a problem to solve: a wilderness, an island, a quest, a chase.
Top 12 fantasy books for ages 6 to 8
These are talking animals, magic doorways and small heroes, written plainly enough for new independent readers or good as a read-aloud.
Top 15 fantasy books for ages 9 to 12
The middle-grade years are the peak of fantasy reading.
Top 14 fantasy books for younger teens (ages 12 and up)
These are the bridge from children's fantasy to adult epic fantasy.
Top 11 fairy tale collections and retellings for kids
Fairy tales come in two kinds here: the old collections, and newer novels that retell or play with them.
Top 10 books about Greek myths for kids
Greek myths are the usual starting point for mythology.
Top 10 books about Norse myths for kids
Norse myths (Thor, Odin, Loki, Asgard) are popular with kids who know them from Marvel films, and the original stories are different and often funnier.
Top 12 books of Egyptian myths and legends from around the world
These books cover ancient Egypt and then range across Africa, India, China, the Pacific Northwest and Britain.
Top 11 mystery books for ages 6 to 9
Early mysteries are short, clue-driven and solved by a kid or an animal.
Top 15 mystery books for ages 9 to 13
Middle-grade mysteries give kids more to hold: puzzles with clues, red herrings and a final twist.
Top 12 science fiction books for ages 9 to 12
Kid science fiction asks what if: what if the sun went out, if a robot learned to live, if a school bus fell into another world? These books are short enough for a third or fourth grader and sensible enough for an adult to read along.
Top 14 science fiction books for younger teens (12 and up)
These are the novels teens pass around: dystopias, space war and classics by Wells and Bradbury.
Top 13 historical fiction books from ancient Rome to the American Revolution
Good historical novels make the past feel lived in.
Top 16 historical fiction books from the 1800s and 1900s
These novels follow pioneers, the Civil War, the Depression, the civil rights movement and World War II.
Top 15 realistic fiction books for kids ages 6 to 13
Realistic fiction covers school, family, friends and the hard parts of growing up.
Top 14 funny books for kids ages 6 to 12
Funny books are how many reluctant readers become readers.
Top 16 animal story books for kids
Animal stories range from talking farm animals to realistic tales of dogs and horses.
Top 12 sports books for kids ages 7 to 14
Sports books can pull in readers who don't think of themselves as readers.
Top 14 spooky books for kids, with age notes
Spooky books are a favorite for kids, but what scares one eight-year-old is easy for another.
Top 12 graphic novels and comics for ages 6 to 9
Graphic novels are often the first books a child will read for fun.
Top 14 graphic novels for ages 10 to 14
The best middle-grade graphic novels deal with friendship, family, identity and history.
Top 13 poetry books for kids
Poetry for kids does not need to be solemn.
Top 13 novels in verse for kids and teens
Verse novels tell a full story in short lines.
Top 12 picture-book biographies for ages 6 to 9
Picture-book biographies tell one person's story in a few pages and often one defining event.
Top 12 biographies and memoirs for ages 10 to 14
These are longer biographies and young-reader editions of adult memoirs.
Top 14 history nonfiction books for kids
Good history for kids reads like a story and uses real documents, photographs and quotes.
Top 12 science and nature nonfiction books for kids
Great science books for kids let you open anywhere.
Top 12 books about space for kids
Space is the topic where picture books can show things photographs cannot.
Top 10 dinosaur books for kids
Dinosaur knowledge has changed a lot, with feathers, color and new species.
Top 11 art books for kids
Art books for kids include picture books about artists, books that teach drawing, and stories that show how to look.
Top 12 music books for kids
Music books can introduce instruments, composers and jazz in a way a recording cannot.
Top 12 math and puzzle books for kids
Math story books teach concepts without worksheets.
Top 12 books about how things work for kids
These books pull back the walls of buildings, machines and bodies.
Top 10 cookbooks for kids
A good cookbook for kids has clear steps, photographs and recipes children can make with help.
Top 12 survival books for kids
Survival stories give kids a safe way to ask what they would do.
Top 14 books about war and courage for kids and teens
War stories for young readers focus on children and civilians, and many are based on real events.
Top 10 spy books for kids
Spy books appeal to kids who like codes, gadgets and secrets.
Top 11 magic school books for kids
Magic schools combine a coming-of-age story with spells.
Top 14 dragon books for kids
Dragons are among the most common creatures in children's fantasy.
Top 11 books about robots and artificial intelligence for kids
Robot stories for children look at what it means to feel and to think.
Top 20 picture-book classics
These are the picture books librarians and teachers return to again and again, many for over fifty years.
Top 16 wordless picture books
Wordless books let a child tell the story in their own voice and are a good fit for children of any language.
Top 16 folk tales from around the world
Folk tales are the oldest stories that kids still enjoy.
Top 12 short story collections for kids
Short stories are good for a child with a short attention span and for a family that wants a book to share in pieces.
Top 21 children's books that became movies
Kids often want to read the book once they have seen the film, and the reverse also works.
💛 Books for feelings and life
Books about big feelings and big changes: worry, anger, grief, divorce, a new baby, moving, friendship, being different.
Books about anger for kids
Anger is one of the first big feelings children need words for.
Books about sadness and sad days
Children are often told to cheer up.
Books about fear, the dark and monsters
Fear of the dark, of monsters, and of being left is normal between ages 3 and 7.
Books about worry and anxiety
Worry can show up as stomachaches, clinging or perfectionism.
Books about shyness and quiet kids
Shy and quiet are not problems to fix.
Books about loneliness and finding a friend
Loneliness is different from being alone.
Books about frustration and trying again
For the child who throws the pencil when the drawing is not right.
Mindfulness and calm-down books for kids
Short books that teach breathing, noticing and stillness.
Books about being brave
Courage in picture books is often small: asking a question, trying a new food, going in the water.
Books about joy, gratitude and happy feelings
Not every feelings book has to be about trouble.
Books about growth mindset and not giving up
Stories where the character gets better by trying, not by being born able.
Books about grief and death of a loved one
Children are often told the truth in pieces.
Books about losing a pet
A pet's death is often a child's first.
Books about divorce and two homes
Children usually want to know three things: it is not their fault, both parents still love them, and what will change.
Books about a new baby or sibling
For the child about to become a big brother or sister: mixed feelings, jealousy, and the first time the baby smiles.
Books about moving to a new home
Moving means leaving friends, a room and a school.
Books for the first day of school and starting kindergarten
First-day books work best when read in the weeks before.
Books about making friends and being a good friend
Friendship has to be learned like reading.
Books about bullying, teasing and being left out
Good bully books show the target, the bystander and the bully as people.
Books about kindness, honesty and doing the right thing
Character is taught by example, and these stories supply the examples: small acts of generosity, owning up, and telling the truth when it costs something.
Books about self-esteem and being yourself
Picture books that tell children they are fine as they are, without the hollow cheerleading.
Books about growing up, bodies and puberty
These are reference books, not stories.
Books about diversity, difference and belonging
Picture books that show a wide world of faces, families and cultures, and a child finding a place in it.
Books about autism and neurodiversity
Look for books by autistic authors or reviewed by them.
Books about ADHD and dyslexia
Children with ADHD or dyslexia often need to see that a smart child can learn in a different way.
Books about deaf and hard of hearing kids
Look for stories by or reviewed by deaf people.
Books about disability and different bodies and minds
Books where a child with a disability is a person first.
Books about adoption and foster care
Children who are adopted or fostered often ask where they came from and why.
Books about immigrants, refugees and new places
Stories about leaving, arriving and learning a second language.
Books about families of all kinds
Single parents, grandparents, same-sex parents, step-families, adoptive and foster families.
Books about going to the doctor, dentist or hospital
Children cope better when they know what is coming.
Potty training books
Books will not train a child, but they can make the idea familiar and funny.
Bedtime and sleep books
Good bedtime books slow down.
Books about money, saving and what things cost
Money books for young children cover wanting, saving, spending and earning.
Books of wonder: nature, the night sky and being part of the world
Quiet picture books that look at the world and make children curious.
Books about fairness, race and standing up
Books to read together when a child asks why some people were treated unfairly.
🏆 Book challenges and awards
Battle of the Books, Newbery, Caldecott, the state readers' choice awards and the other lists schools and libraries use.
Newbery Medal winners, 2017 to 2026
The Newbery Medal goes each year to the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children, chosen by a committee of librarians.
Newbery Honor Books, 2023 to 2026
Honor books are the runners-up the Newbery committee also names.
Newbery Medal winners worth reading before middle school
Newbery winners go back to 1922, and many older ones feel dated.
Caldecott Medal winners, 2017 to 2026
The Caldecott Medal honors the most distinguished American picture book for children, judged on the illustrations.
Caldecott Honor Books, 2022 to 2026
Honor books are the Caldecott committee's runners-up, and many of them are the ones children ask to hear again.
Caldecott Medal winners from 1980 to 2016 that are still shelf favorites
Older Caldecott winners are the ones many families already own.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winners, 2019 to 2026
The Geisel Award goes to the best book for beginning readers each year.
Geisel Honor Books, 2023 to 2026
The Geisel committee also names honor books, which is where many of the funniest early readers show up.
Coretta Scott King and Pura Belpré awards, 2026 winners and honors
The Coretta Scott King Awards honor Black authors and illustrators; the Pura Belpré Awards honor Latino authors and illustrators.
Sibert nonfiction and Schneider Family awards, 2026 winners and honors
The Sibert Medal is for the year's best nonfiction for children.
Teen award winners from ALA, 2026 (Printz, Belpré young adult, Schneider young adult)
These books are written for teens, ages 12 or 14 and up, not for children, so they are flagged here for parents who follow the awards.
Batchelder translated books and Odyssey audiobooks, 2026
The Batchelder Award goes to the best children's book first published in another country and translated into English.
Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, 2025-2026
The Texas Bluebonnet Award is a readers' choice award for grades 3-6.
Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, 2026-2027
The 2026-2027 Texas Bluebonnet list is the one Texas students in grades 3-6 are reading now.
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan picture book nominees, 2025-2026
Maryland students vote on the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award each year.
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan grades 3-5 chapter book nominees, 2025-2026
These ten chapter books and ten graphic novels are the 2025-26 Black-Eyed Susan nominees for grades 3-5 in Maryland.
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan grades 6-8 nominees, 2025-2026
These twenty books, ten novels and ten graphic novels, are the 2025-26 Black-Eyed Susan nominees for middle school students in Maryland.
Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, 2025-2026 nominees (teen)
The Colorado Blue Spruce Award is chosen by Colorado teens from a nominee list of ten young adult books.
Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award master list, 2026
Illinois students in grades 4-8 read from a master list of twenty titles and vote for the winner each spring.
America's Battle of the Books 3rd grade list, 2026-27 (used in Kern County, California)
A 15-book third grade list used for Battle of the Books in Kern County, California.
America's Battle of the Books Standard 28 list for grades 4-6, 2026-27 (used in Kern County, California)
A 28-book list for fourth to sixth graders in Kern County, California.
America's Battle of the Books Medium 20 list for grades 7-8, 2026-27 (used by Kern County, California junior highs)
A 20-book middle school list from Kern County, California, new for 2026-27 in the Medium 20 format.
Common Sense Media must-read books for kids (first 20, by age)
Common Sense Media keeps a list of 50 must-read books for kids.
How to run a Battle of the Books at home or school
A Battle of the Books is a team quiz on a shared reading list.
Geisel Award winners, 2006 to 2024
The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award goes to the best American book for beginning readers each year, awarded by the American Library Association.
Geisel Honor books worth reading
Honor books are the runners-up in the Geisel Award each year.
📚 Read-alouds and series
Books to read out loud, series to binge in order, and what to read next after the one your child loved.
Mo Willems books beyond Elephant & Piggie
Mo Willems made more than the famous pair.
Top 15 chapter books to read aloud to a Pre-K or kindergartener
Reading a chapter a night builds attention and vocabulary well before a child reads one alone.
Best picture book read-alouds for ages 2 to 4
Toddlers and preschoolers want rhythm, repetition and pictures they can point at.
Best picture book read-alouds for ages 5 to 7
By five, kids can follow a real plot and enjoy a joke the grown-up has to deliver well.
Chapter books to read aloud to the whole family
A good family read-aloud works for a six-year-old and a ten-year-old at the same time, and the adult does not mind the fortieth chapter.
Best bedtime books for kids
A bedtime book should slow down by the last page.
Audiobooks kids love for car rides
A long drive works when the whole car wants to know what happens next.
Book series to binge at ages 6 to 8
A series gives a new reader a reason to read the next book.
Book series to binge at ages 8 to 10
At eight to ten, many children want a long run of books and will read one every night.
Book series to binge at ages 10 to 13
Older kids who want sixty hours of the same world have more choices than you might guess.
Series for reluctant readers
A kid who says they hate reading often hates long pages of text.
Books to read after Harry Potter
Kids who finish Harry Potter want a school, a hidden world and a mystery.
Books to read after Percy Jackson
Percy Jackson fans want a funny narrator, a quest and mythology.
Books to read after Wings of Fire
Wings of Fire readers want dragons, tribes and rivals.
Books to read after Dog Man
A child who has read every Dog Man usually wants the same speed.
Books to read after Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Wimpy Kid fans like a first-person school disaster and cartoon drawings.
Books to read after Magic Tree House
After finishing the first dozen Magic Tree House, many kids are ready for longer chapters but still want short, fast ones.
Halloween books for kids
A range from silly to properly spooky.
Winter and snow books for kids
Snow days, cold evenings and winter holidays.
Summer reading books for kids
Books set in summer, at camp or on vacation, plus ones that fit a long afternoon.
Back-to-school books for kids
Books for first-day worries and for starting a new school year, from kindergarten to middle school.
🎵 Songs for kids
The top kids' songs of 2026 and the favourites by age and mood, each with a link to the official video.
Top 100 kids songs of 2026
One hundred songs children are listening to and singing right now, mixing this year's viral hits, film and TV songs, preschool channels and the older classics that keep coming back.
Top 50 songs for ages 2-5
Short songs with repeating lines, hand motions and slow enough lyrics for preschoolers to join in.
Top 50 songs for ages 6-9
Songs that early-elementary children are learning at school and singing at home: film hits, cartoon themes, clean pop and a few songs that teach.
Top 40 songs for ages 10-13 (tween, mostly clean)
What tweens actually stream: pop, K-pop and film songs.
Top 25 movie songs kids love
Songs from animated and family films that children ask for by name, from the Oscar-winning ballads to pop tracks written for the movie.
Top 25 songs from Disney films
From 1960s Disney musicals to Encanto and Frozen, the Disney songs children sing most.
Top 25 TV theme and show songs
The opening songs that children (and adults) can sing from the first note: preschool shows, cartoons and teen series.
Top 25 dance-along songs
Songs with a built-in dance, a call-out or a beat that gets kids moving: party games, school dances and car-seat wiggles.
Top 25 clean pop songs for kids
Radio hits that suit most families, with content notes where a song has romance, strong feelings or adult wordplay.
Top 25 K-pop songs families like
K-pop that families listen to together: the KPop Demon Hunters songs, BTS's English singles and girl-group hits with easy dance steps.
Top 25 classic kids songs every generation knows
Traditional nursery songs and campfire standards, nearly all public domain, that grandparents, parents and children all know.
Top 25 calm-down songs
Slow songs for bedtime, bad days and quiet time: lullabies, soft jazz, folk, piano pieces and film themes.
Top 25 songs for a kids' party
Songs for a birthday or classroom party: a few instant dance songs, a few sing-alongs and a few that adults will not mind hearing again.
Top 25 Spanish and bilingual kids songs
Traditional Spanish songs, pop hits and songs from films in Spanish and English.
Top 25 songs that teach (ABC, counting, science, history)
Songs that put letters, numbers, grammar, science, civics and history into a melody.
🎤 Sing along (with lyrics)
Nursery rhymes, folk songs and carols with the full words (public domain), and links to licensed lyrics for the rest.
Top 52 nursery rhymes with lyrics
These are the rhymes most English-speaking children meet before they can read, in the forms that are in the public domain.
Top 25 folk songs kids should know with lyrics
American and English folk songs get passed from person to person, so there are many versions.
Top 20 lullabies with lyrics
Lullabies work because they are slow, soft and repeated.
Top 18 campfire songs
Campfire songs are easy to learn by ear, repeat a lot, and often have actions.
Top 20 holiday songs in the public domain
These Christmas, Hanukkah, Halloween, Thanksgiving and New Year songs are old enough to sing, copy and print for classrooms and family songbooks without asking anyone.
Top 18 patriotic songs with lyrics
These songs turn up at school assemblies, ball games, parades and holidays.
Top 16 classroom and transition songs
Teachers use short songs to move children from one thing to another: lining up, cleaning up, gathering on the carpet, saying goodbye.
Top 19 songs for learning ABCs, counting, days, months and more
Songs stick in memory because of rhythm and rhyme.
Top 10 clapping and hand-game rhymes
Hand-clapping rhymes pass from child to child on playgrounds and need no equipment.
Top 20 road-trip singalongs
On a long drive, the best songs are ones with a repeating pattern that everyone can join in, whatever their age.
🎧 Listen and watch
Podcasts, audiobooks, shows, movies and music that kids love, with ages and notes for parents.
Best kids podcasts for ages 3 to 6
For the youngest listeners, a good podcast is short, slow, and has a clear voice.
Best kids podcasts for ages 7 and up
At this age children can follow a story or a science idea for 20 minutes.
Best audiobooks for families
A good audiobook for a car trip works for several ages at once and has a narrator who does not slow it down.
Best kids music channels on YouTube
YouTube has a lot of good children's music and a lot of junk.
Best kids movies based on books
A film is a good way to open a book, or to celebrate one after reading it.
Best kids TV shows based on books
A TV series can bring a book to a child who is not ready to read it, or stretch a story beyond one volume.
Best classical music for kids
Some classical pieces were written for children or tell a story.
Best musicals for kids
Musicals suit children who like to sing and to follow a story with songs.
Best educational shows for kids: science and nature
These science and nature shows were made with scientists and tested with children.
Best educational shows for kids: history, culture and social skills
Shows about people and places work best when real people or sources are in them.
Best educational shows for kids: reading and math
Reading and math shows work best when they are slow and ask the child to join in.
🍎 Classroom and teaching supplies
What teachers buy for the room: manipulatives, centers, organization, decor, tech and art supplies, by subject, grade and budget, with where to buy each.
Book bins, supply caddies and tubs for the classroom: 12 options
Bins and caddies are the cheapest way to turn a pile of books and markers into something kids can find and put back.
Classroom cubbies, bookcases and storage units: 10 picks
Furniture is the big-ticket part of a room, so buy it slowly.
Classroom library furniture and reading-nook pieces: 10 picks
A reading corner needs three things: book display, a place to sit, and something soft underfoot.
Labels and organization tools for a classroom: 10 picks
Labels cost little and save a lot of daily nagging.
Bulletin board sets, paper and trim: 12 picks
A bulletin board has three costs: paper, trim and the letters or pieces.
Bulletin board borders and trim: 10 picks
Borders frame a board and hide ragged edges.
Anchor-chart paper, easels and chart stands: 8 picks
Anchor charts are made live with the class, so you need big paper, a stand and a marker that does not bleed.
Pocket charts for the classroom: 12 picks
Pocket charts hold sentence strips, word cards, schedules and calendars.
Calendar and daily-schedule tools: 9 picks
Young children feel safer when the day is shown in pictures.
Classroom posters: alphabet, numbers, maps, jobs and kindness, 12 picks
Posters work only when they are used in teaching: an alphabet strip for letter sounds, a 1-100 chart for counting, a classroom-jobs chart for routines.
Classroom decor themes and style lines: 10 picks
A matched line of border, labels, paper and letters makes a room look finished with fewer decisions.
Flexible seating: wobble chairs, cushions and balance seats, 10 picks
Wobble seats let students move a little while they sit.
Beanbags, floor seats and soft seating for reading corners: 9 picks
Soft seats make a reading nook feel inviting, but they need washable covers and a secure fill.
Standing desks and standing-height tables for classrooms: 8 picks
Standing desks give some students a way to stay on task without leaving the group.
Classroom rugs and carpets for circle time and reading: 12 picks
A carpet marks the meeting area and cuts echo.
Whiteboards, lapboards and dry-erase markers: 12 picks
Individual whiteboards let every child answer at once, which is the quickest way to see who is lost.
Classroom timers and visual timers: 10 picks
A visible countdown reduces 'how much longer?' and helps students who struggle with time.
Classroom headphones and listening centers: 10 picks
Classroom headphones need to survive daily use, fit small heads and, ideally, limit volume.
Quiet-space tools: sound, light and privacy for the classroom, 9 picks
Some students need less noise, less light and fewer eyes on them to work.
Behavior and reward tools for classrooms, with a note on research: 12 picks
Teachers use charts, treasure chests and small prizes.
Name plates and name tags for a classroom: 10 picks
Name plates help substitutes, parents on open-house night and early learners who copy the alphabet from their desks.
Teacher desk essentials: planners, laminating, tape and storage, 10 picks
What lives on a teacher's desk is dull and daily: a planner, a record book, tape, labels and a laminating pouch.
Calm-down corner kits and tools: 12 picks
A calm-down corner is a place a child goes to settle, not to be punished.
Classroom cleaning supplies teachers actually buy: 9 picks
Many teachers pay for wipes and spray themselves.
A classroom set-up under $50: 8 things to buy first
If you have almost nothing to spend, start with tools you use every day: something to write on, something to hold supplies, something to keep time.
A classroom set-up under $100: 11 things
With $100 you can add a pocket chart, a number chart and paper trays to the basics.
A classroom set-up under $250: 12 things
At about $230 you can add bins, a wobble cushion, a visual timer, a schedule chart and headphones.
First-year teacher starter kit under $100: 11 items
New teachers often buy their own supplies.
First-year teacher starter kit under $250: 15 items
Adds a visual timer, schedule and calendar charts, a tote and paper for boards to the under-$100 kit.
First-year teacher starter kit under $500: 17 items
Adds a teaching easel, a wobble stool and a class set of markers.
Sub tub contents: 11 things to put in a substitute teacher's tub
A sub tub is a box a substitute can pull out when you are sick.
What to ask your PTA or DonorsChoose for: 12 requests that make a difference
PTAs and DonorsChoose funders usually fund items that last and help many children.
Back-to-school supplies a teacher should stock: 14 things
The first week runs on a handful of basics.
Crayons, markers, colored pencils and glue for the classroom: 10 picks
Art basics are the largest recurring supply cost.
Pre-K classroom must-haves: 16 supplies a teacher actually uses
Pre-K rooms run on hands-on play, so the shopping list is mostly things to build, sort, pour, draw and pretend with.
Kindergarten classroom must-haves: 16 supplies for the first big year
Kindergarten adds letters, sounds, counting and the start of writing to Pre-K's play.
First grade classroom must-haves: 15 supplies
First grade is where reading starts to click.
Second grade classroom must-haves: 15 supplies
Second graders read and write more on their own and work with regrouping, money and time.
Third grade classroom must-haves: 15 supplies
Third grade starts multiplication, division and fractions, and children read to learn.
Fourth grade classroom must-haves: 15 supplies
Fourth graders work with multi-digit multiplication, fractions and longer writing.
Fifth grade classroom must-haves: 15 supplies
Fifth grade prepares for middle school: decimals, fractions, longer reports and more independence.
Middle school classroom must-haves: 16 supplies for grades 6-8
Middle schoolers move between classes, so they need a portable kit and a few teacher-side basics.
Science lab basics for a middle school classroom: 12 supplies
A middle school lab does not need to be expensive, but it must be safe.
Math tools for grades 6-12: calculators, graph paper and what is allowed
Which calculator you need depends on the course and the tests.
High school basics for ages 14-16: 14 supplies students use daily
By 9th and 10th grade, students need dependable, plain tools more than novelty.
Homeschool starter kit for ages 5-7: 14 supplies
Children this age learn by handling things, so the kit leans on manipulatives, readers and art supplies, not workbooks.
Homeschool starter kit for ages 8-10: 14 supplies
At 8-10, children can handle a notebook, a real ruler and a small experiment.
Homeschool starter kit for ages 11-14: 14 supplies
Middle-years homeschoolers need tools for pre-algebra, lab science and research writing.
Homeschool science kit: 12 pieces of equipment that cover K-8
A home science kit should be small, safe and reusable.
Math manipulative kit under $50: 9 essentials for K-5
If you can buy only a few things, buy these.
Math manipulative kit under $100: 12 tools for K-5
A step up from the basics: add place value with more blocks, a fraction set with more pieces, and measuring tools.
Math manipulative kit under $200: 15 tools for K-8
A full set for a small class or a homeschool through middle school.
Phonics kit for home and class: 12 tools
A phonics kit needs sounds, letters, words and short books.
Nanny and tutor bag of tricks for ages 4-12: 15 items
A good bag fits in a tote and covers boredom, tantrums and a bit of learning.
Rainy-day kits and sub tubs: 14 items
A sub tub holds what a substitute needs for a day with no prep; a rainy-day kit gives indoor recess a fallback.
Lakeshore Learning favorites by category: 20 products with live pages
Lakeshore does not publish a ranked best-seller list, so this uses its 'Five-Star Favorites' page and the first products on its math category page, as they appeared on 25 Oct 2026.
Special education room supplies: 14 items teachers ask for
Special education rooms need tools for sensory regulation, fine motor work, communication and structure.
ELL and ESL room supplies: 12 items
English learners need pictures, repetition and low-pressure ways to talk.
Gifted and enrichment supplies: 12 items for fast learners
Fast learners usually need deeper problems, not more worksheets.
Summer learning kits: 12 items to keep skills up
Summer reading and math can be brief and fun.
Field trip kits for teachers and chaperones: 10 items
A field trip kit goes in one tote and travels with the teacher.
Classroom first-aid and hygiene kit: 10 items
A classroom kit handles scrapes, nosebleeds and spills.
Teacher gifts under $15: 10 ideas teachers use
Teachers often like things they will use up or share with the class.
Teacher gifts under $25: 10 ideas
Aim for something useful that the teacher can share or use up.
Teacher gifts under $50: 10 ideas for end of year
For end-of-year thanks or a group gift.
Best gifts for a classroom: 12 things parents can donate
Ask the teacher first.
DonorsChoose wish list ideas: 12 kinds of requests that get funded
DonorsChoose lets anyone fund a teacher's posted request.
What teachers say they never need to buy: 12 things to skip or wait on
Teachers often overspend in the first year.
Place value and base ten tools for grades 1-5
Place value is where many children first lose the thread in math, and seeing ones, tens and hundreds as objects helps.
A starter set of math manipulatives for K-2
If you can only buy a few things for a primary math corner, cubes, pattern blocks, ten-frames and counters cover most of what a K-2 teacher reaches for.
Fraction tools for grades 2-5
Fractions are easier when children can hold the pieces.
Counting and number tools for Pre-K and kindergarten
Young children learn numbers by touching things: counters, ten-frames, number tiles and traceable numerals.
Sorting and patterning tools for Pre-K and kindergarten
Sorting by colour, shape and size is early math.
Shapes and geometry tools for K-4
Pattern blocks, geoboards, tangrams and solid shapes teach geometry through building.
Tools for practising addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
Fact fluency needs repetition, and it helps when the repetition is not worksheets.
Measurement and graphing tools for grades K-5
Rulers, balances, tapes and graph paper make measurement real.
Tools for teaching time and clocks
Telling time is tricky because the clock has two hands that mean different things.
Money tools for grades 1-3
Counting coins is a life skill that needs real-looking coins and bills.
Alphabet and letter tools for Pre-K and kindergarten
Letter names and shapes come first, and children learn them through touch: magnetic letters, tracing, dough, stamps.
Sound sorting and phonemic awareness tools
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and play with the sounds in words, and it comes before reading.
Phonics and word-building tools for K-2
Phonics tools let a child build a word, blend it, and read it.
Sight word tools for K-2
Sight words are the common words children should recognise instantly.
Comprehension and fluency tools for grades 1-5
Once children can decode, the work shifts to understanding and reading smoothly.
Writing tools: journals, paper and boards for K-5
Writing starts with big, forgiving surfaces and moves to lined paper.
Vocabulary, oral language and English-learner tools
Children who speak another language at home, and children with small vocabularies, need many pictures and many chances to talk.
Big books for shared reading
Big books let a whole carpet group see the print, which is how teachers model tracking words from left to right.
Classroom library starters: leveled books and book bins
A classroom library needs books children can actually read and a way to store them so they can find them.
Listening center equipment
A listening center lets several children hear a recorded book at once through headphones.
Pocket charts and sentence strips
A pocket chart holds cards children can rearrange: schedules, sentences, calendars.
Student whiteboards and dry-erase markers
Small whiteboards let every child answer at once, which is why many teachers call them the best cheap tool in the room.
Science tools: microscopes, magnifiers, magnets and more
Young scientists need real observation tools they can use without breaking.
Life, earth and space science kits
Science kits that let children see the thing itself: bugs, bones, rocks, stars.
Physical science: magnets, circuits, force and motion
Physical science is about things moving and electricity flowing.
STEM building, robotics and coding tools
Engineering and coding kits range from a small floor robot to programmable LEGO sets.
Maps, globes and geography tools
Children understand maps better when they can touch them.
Social-emotional learning and calm-down tools
Many classrooms now keep a calm corner and feelings tools.
Crayons, markers and colored pencils
These are the drawing tools every room needs.
Paint and paper for the art area
Washable tempera, watercolors and sturdy construction paper cover most classroom art.
Glue, scissors and modeling dough
Cutting, gluing and squeezing dough build the small muscles used for writing.
PE and movement equipment for the classroom
Balls, parachutes, scarves and mats get children moving between lessons.
Rhythm instruments and recorders for music class
Rhythm sticks, shakers and drums let a whole class play together; recorders and Boomwhackers are common next steps.
Board, card and logic games that teach
Good teaching games make children use skills without feeling they are working.
Fine motor and sensory tools
Fine motor tools help strengthen the small muscles used in writing.
Teacher essentials: timers, planners and classroom equipment
Planners, timers and organizers are the unglamorous parts of teaching.
Tools for children who struggle to decode
Children who find reading hard, including many with dyslexia, usually need explicit, step-by-step phonics practice rather than guessing from pictures.
Nobody paid to be on these lists and nothing is an affiliate link. Looking for AI tools, games and setups for kids? See the Big Index lists.