As the Christmas holidays approach, routines begin to slow down. There are fewer early mornings, more time at home, and precious moments spent together as a family. It’s a wonderful opportunity to pause, cuddle up, and enjoy sharing stories.
In Nursery, reading isn’t about learning letters or sounding out words. It’s about connection, language, and joy. These quiet moments with a book, especially during the holidays, play a powerful role in shaping children’s early reading experiences.
As author Emilie Buchwald so beautifully says:
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”
This festive period, whether families are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or simply enjoying time together, offers the perfect chance to do just that.
The holiday period provides something that can be hard to find during busy term times: time. Time to slow down, talk, listen, and share stories without rushing.
Research shows that parental engagement in the early years has a lasting impact. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) highlights that strong parental engagement is linked to an average of five months’ additional progress over the course of a year.
Long before children begin learning phonics, they build the foundations for reading through:
Festive and winter-themed stories naturally invite conversation, excitement and prediction; all key ingredients for early reading development.
In Nursery, reading should feel relaxed and enjoyable. There’s no pressure to finish a book or read every word. Instead, it’s about shared moments and meaningful talk.
Over the holidays, simple ideas work best:
These experiences build confidence, vocabulary and a love of books, the foundations children need before formal reading begins.
At Monster Phonics, we believe stories should spark imagination and joy, while also reflecting children’s lives and experiences. Here are some festive favourites that work beautifully for Nursery children:
Dear Santa
Rod Campbell
A Nursery classic. The lift-the-flap format, predictable structure and repeated phrases make this perfect for active, shared reading. Children love joining in, anticipating what’s coming next, and talking about the pictures.
There Was a Young Reindeer Who Swallowed a Present
Kaye Baillie & Dianne Ewen
A playful Christmas twist on a familiar rhyme, full of repetition, humour and surprise. Perfect for re-reading and joining in.
Twelve Days of Kindness
Sophie Beer
A gentle, uplifting story that focuses on kindness and generosity during the festive season. The simple text and warm illustrations invite meaningful discussion.
The Snowman
Raymond Briggs
A timeless, wordless story that invites children to tell the story themselves. Ideal for developing language, imagination and storytelling skills, with no pressure to “read” words.
Luna Loves Christmas
Joseph Coelho & Fiona Lumbers
A warm and thoughtful story celebrating family, belonging and different ways of experiencing Christmas.
Stick Man
Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
A hugely popular winter story with rhyme, repetition and rich language. While not a traditional Christmas story, it’s closely associated with the season and works beautifully for shared reading.
Not all families celebrate Christmas, and many children will be enjoying other festivals of light at this time of year, including Hanukkah. Sharing a range of stories helps children see their own experiences reflected in books and builds understanding of the wider world.
My First Hanukkah
Karen Katz
A warm, simple introduction to Hanukkah, focusing on family traditions, food and togetherness.
Hanukkah Bear
Eric Kimmel & Mike Wohnoutka
A charming, gentle story that introduces Hanukkah traditions through humour and warmth.
Little Glow
Katie Sahota & Harry Woodgate
A beautifully illustrated book exploring festivals of light celebrated across cultures, including Hanukkah, Christmas, Diwali and Chinese New Year.
At Monster Phonics, we believe early reading should feel joyful, reassuring and pressure-free. That’s why we provide parent support videos and materials that help families understand how young children develop language and early reading skills.
Phonics For Parents | Free Videos & Resources
Our message to parents is simple:
You don’t need to be an expert — talking, sharing stories and enjoying books together is more than enough.
The holidays are a perfect time to build these habits in a relaxed, meaningful way.
Whether families are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, another festival of light, or simply enjoying time together, the holiday season offers a special chance to slow down and connect.
Sharing stories, talking about pictures, and enjoying books together helps children associate reading with warmth, comfort and joy — memories that last far beyond the festive season.