Colorful leaves, cooler days, apple picking, pumpkins... there are so many changes for kids to notice when fall arrives. These fall books for preschooler are a fun way to explore the season together through stories, colorful illustrations, and a little hands-on learning.
We've gathered some fun fall picture books that work well for preschool and kindergarten. Some are silly stories that are fun to read aloud, while others introduce kids to changing leaves, cooler weather, animals, and other signs of fall.
You can read one before heading outside for a nature walk, add a few to your fall homeschool lessons, or simply keep a basket of fall books nearby for story time.
And don't forget our cute fall coloring pages. They make an easy activity to pair with your fall reading!
Kindergarten and Preschool Books for Fall
Fall Books for Preschoolers
One of the things I love about seasonal books is how easily they can lead to other activities.
After reading about colorful leaves, head outside and collect a few. If a story mentions apples, talk about how apples grow or plan an apple taste test. Books about cooler weather can lead to conversations about why seasons change and how animals prepare for winter.
You can also pair your reading time with one of our fall art projects for kids for an easy afternoon activity.
Here are some fall books for preschool or kindergarten reading list.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves!
The silly Old Lady is back, and this time she's swallowing leaves and all sorts of fall-themed things.
Kids who enjoy rhyming and repetitive stories will have fun guessing what she might swallow next. It's also a fun read-aloud when you want something lighthearted for your fall theme.
After reading activity: Collect a few colorful leaves and sort them by size or color.
Pete the Cat: Falling for Autumn
Pete isn't so sure about saying goodbye to summer, but he soon discovers there are plenty of things to enjoy about fall.
Apple picking, corn mazes, hayrides, and colorful leaves help Pete see the season a little differently.
This one can open up a fun conversation with kids about their own favorite things to do during fall.
Talk about it: Ask your child what they like most about fall and make a fall bucket list together.
Biscuit and the Great Fall Day
Biscuit is ready for a fall adventure!
Throughout the story, Biscuit enjoys classic fall activities like picking apples, jumping in leaves, visiting a corn maze, and going for a tractor ride.
It's a sweet choice for younger preschoolers, especially before your own trip to an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, or fall festival.
After reading activity: Draw a picture of your own perfect fall day.
The Leaf Thief
Squirrel loves the colorful leaves on his tree, so he's understandably concerned when one suddenly disappears.
Where did it go? Is there a leaf thief in the forest?
Squirrel and his friend Bird set out to solve the mystery. Along the way, kids get a funny introduction to something they may already be noticing outside: leaves falling from the trees.
Learning idea: Talk about why leaves change color and fall from trees during autumn.
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves
Fletcher the fox is worried about his favorite tree. Its leaves are changing colors and falling to the ground, and he doesn't understand what's happening.
The story is a gentle way to introduce preschoolers to the changing seasons while following Fletcher as he discovers that the tree is okay.
After reading activity: Take a fall nature walk and look for trees at different stages of changing color.
We're Going on a Leaf Hunt
Three friends head into the mountains in search of colorful fall leaves.
The repetitive rhythm makes this a fun book to read aloud, and it can easily inspire your own leaf hunt afterward.
See how many different colors, shapes, and sizes of leaves your child can find.
Learning idea: Sort collected leaves, count them, compare sizes, or use them for a fall art project.
Fall Weather: Cooler Temperatures
If you're looking for a nonfiction option to add to your fall book basket, this one introduces children to the seasonal changes happening around them.
Kids can learn more about cooler temperatures, changing seasons, and the ways animals prepare as colder weather approaches.
Learning idea: Keep a simple weather chart for a week and compare the temperature each day.
The Scarecrow
The animals know to stay away from the old scarecrow until an unexpected little visitor needs his help.
This beautifully illustrated story goes beyond leaves and pumpkins and introduces themes of kindness, friendship, and helping others.
It's a nice choice when you want to mix seasonal reading with a conversation about character and kindness.
Talk about it: Ask kids why helping someone else can sometimes lead to an unexpected friendship.
A Very Big Fall
Birch, Oak, and Maple are enjoying life in the trees until the autumn winds begin to blow.
Each leaf responds differently to the changes happening around them, making this a fun story for talking about fall as well as how we handle something new.
After reading activity: Find leaves from different kinds of trees and compare their shapes and colors.
Fall Leaves: Colorful and Crunchy
Why do leaves change during fall?
This nonfiction picture book introduces young readers to what happens to leaves as the seasons change. Kids can learn about leaves growing, changing colors, and eventually falling from the trees.
Pair it with a nature walk so kids can look for some of the changes they saw in the book.
Learning idea: Make a leaf collection and see how many different colors you can find.
Turn Your Fall Books Into a Simple Preschool Theme
You don't need a complicated lesson plan to turn a good book into a learning activity.
Pick a fall story, read it together, and then choose one simple activity that connects to what you've read. You might:
- Go on a leaf hunt.
- Sort leaves by color, shape, or size.
- Count acorns or pinecones.
- Paint or make leaf rubbings.
- Visit an apple orchard or pumpkin patch.
- Keep track of the changing weather.
- Draw a favorite part of the story.
- Talk about how animals prepare for winter.
Even a quick walk around the backyard after reading a book about leaves gives kids a chance to connect what they've heard in the story with what they can see happening outside.
More fun fall goodies:
- Fall Cake Mix Cookies with M&Ms
- 45 Fun and Creative Fall Writing Prompts for Kids
- Fall Pumpkin Patch Wreath Craft
- Bulletin Boards for Fall
- Fall Pumpkin Coloring Pages
