"Let me see what Spring is like on Jupiter and Mars"

Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra

Spring is almost here (March 20!) Reader,

Spring is a beautiful time of year celebrated by cultures all over the world. Celebrations take form as the new year, tales of good triumphing over evil, and agriculture. Many of them will be observed in your own town.

I picked out 5 festivals you could probably attend in your city. After you read this, just search name of festival + your city + kids

Holi: Festival of Colors

• Date: March 4, 2026 (we just missed it, but this is easy to recreate at home!)
• Get the chalk out and decorate the sidewalk!. Holi is a beautiful spring time holiday celebrated on the full moon. Most prominent in India, Holi is a Hindu festival. The overarching themes are good triumphing over evil. People fill the streets and throw pigmented powder everywhere. Each color has a different meaning. If you have an artistic child, this is a great holiday to inspire them. Here's a kid friendly article to share.

Eid al-Fitr

• Dates: March 19 - 20, 2026
• Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. It is a joyful celebration focused on gratitude, generosity, and spending time with family and community. Children often receive small gifts, wear new clothes, and enjoy special sweets and meals. Families also give to charity during this holiday, making it a great opportunity to talk with kids about kindness and helping others. There will certainly be a festival in your area to celebrate! Here's an article to read with your child​

Nowruz: Persian New Year

• Date: March 20, 2026 (lasts 13 days)
• Nowruz (meaning New Day) celebrates the Persian New Year, it always falls on the spring equinox. This holiday originates with the Zoroastrian religion, but is also celebrated secularly throughout Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and more. A fun tradition to try is Haft-Sin, where families decorate the table with 7 items beginning with S like sprouts (sabzeh) and dried fruit (senjed). More on the tradition here.​

Buddhist New Year / Songkran

• Dates: April 13-15
• This holiday takes many forms, but links back to the Buddhist New Year. Celebrated in Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Myanmar this spring time holiday is beautiful and fun. In Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand part of the festival includes water celebrations, where people splash water on each other in the streets. Perfect excuse for a water balloon fight! Here's an article about the Thai New Year.

Earth Day

• Date: April 22, 2026
• Earth Day is a global day focused on protecting our planet. It began in the United States in 1970 and is now celebrated around the world. It’s a wonderful opportunity to talk with kids about caring for nature and the environment. Families might plant flowers, pick up litter in their neighborhood, start recycling, or spend time exploring outdoors together. Here are some Earth Day articles. ​

What's New?

🖍 Speaking 2026: One of my favorite ways to support families is through speaking engagements! I'm filling out 2026 with private workshops at preschools, nonprofits, and businesses. Want me to come speak to your community? Just respond to this email!

Upcoming Story Times: I'll be reading at story times around Charlotte, NC this spring. Come enjoy these free events! Great for kids age 0-6

• The Batch Maker Story Time: Sat April 11 from 10am - 11am at The BatchMaker Bakery
• Betty's Bookworms: Fri April 17 from 9:30 - 10am at Betty by Moxie Boutique

Things I Love (contains affiliate links)

💪 Strong: I started strength training classes and immediately learned that my cushy running shoes will not work in a gym. Everyone I talked to recommended these sneakers. Marked 20% off they come in tons of colors and fit like a glove.

🦋 Cutesy Indoor Crafts: Remember Klutz activities from your childhood? They still make the cutest craft (this kids sewing activity is precious) and all the nostalgic crafts from your childhood (cat's cradle anyone??). Have fun!

❌ No!: Last week at story time I read this story to a group of toddlers. I had never seen a group of 2 year olds connect so deeply with a story. I immediately sent it to one of my fav toddler friends, who also had the same reaction. If your baby is stuck saying NO to everything, this story could be your breakthrough.

Are you celebrating a special spring holiday? Let me know!