[February] Picture books for 3-year-olds with themes of Setsubun and winter
February, when the cold truly sets in, is a season that brings a sense of winter, with snowfall piling up and the arrival of Setsubun.
Children attending daycare are surely looking forward to events themed around playing in the snow and Setsubun.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of picture books for three-year-olds perfect for February.
We’ve picked a wide range—from stories that capture the feel of winter to tales featuring oni (ogres) as the stars of Setsubun.
From timeless classics loved across generations to buzzworthy new titles, we’ve gathered a variety to help you choose read-alouds for February.
Be sure to check them out!
- [February] Recommended picture books for 2-year-olds: Books that evoke winter and Setsubun
- [For 3-year-olds] Recommended Picture Books to Read in March
- [February] Recommended picture books for 4-year-olds: Works that let children feel winter at preschool
- Picture Books to Read in February [For 5-Year-Olds]
- [For 3-Year-Olds] Recommended for January! A Collection of Exciting and Heartwarming Picture Books
- [For 3-Year-Olds] Recommended Picture Books for Spring | Exciting and Thrilling Reads
- [For 2-year-olds] Let's read together! Recommended picture books for March
- [For Age 4] Must-Read in January! Picture Books to Enjoy Winter
- [For 2-year-olds] Recommended picture books to enjoy reading in January
- [Picture Books] Savor the fun of words: A special feature on recommended onomatopoeia picture books
- [Quiz] A Collection of Quizzes You Can Use in February Childcare
- [February] Picture books for 1-year-olds: books that evoke winter and Setsubun
- [For 2-year-olds] Enjoy spring-recommended picture books with your children
[February] Picture books for 3-year-olds themed around Setsubun and winter (41–50)
Mocchiin
Let me introduce the picture book “Mocchiin,” packed with the fun and deliciousness of mochi.
The first page shows a mochi-pounding scene using a mortar and pestle.
It also teaches various tasty ways to enjoy mochi, such as with seaweed, kinako, and natto.
The adorable illustrations feature mochi with little faces, and the vertical page layout beautifully expresses mochi stretching.
When children hear the countdown—3, 2, 1—they’ll likely say “Mocchiin!” and strike a stretching pose along with the mochi.
Just imagining it is absolutely adorable, isn’t it?
The mountain bathhouse
The picture book “Yama no Ofuroyasan” is set in a mountain bathhouse.
All sorts of animals come to the bath in the mountains—monkeys, wild boars, and… huh? Even a snowman shows up! You can’t help but worry: won’t it melt if it gets in the hot water? So, what will happen to the snowman? The surprising secret of the bath at the end is delightful, and you’ll finish the story with a smile.
It’s a perfect book to read aloud before a cozy winter bath.
Yuki
This is a snow-themed picture book written in gentle, conversational language.
The snow, drawn with shadows against a white background, looks so realistic you can almost feel its texture.
Soft, pure white snow… Is it cold? Will it melt? Children will surely want to touch and find out.
It’s a book that delights the senses and captures the spirit of winter—perfect to add to your winter read-alouds.
Even children who haven’t seen snow yet will be gently introduced to its scenery and feel through these pages.
snow play
On a cold winter morning, when children look out the window and see the snow has piled up, they get excited, don’t they? This picture book lets parents rediscover that sense of excitement and enjoy it together with their children.
The story begins when Little Pig looks out the window in the morning and sees that snow has fallen.
On snowy days, it’s thrilling to think about what kinds of games to play outside.
Snowball fights, sledding, building snowmen—many activities come to mind, but what did Little Pig choose to do? It might be nice to ask children what games they’d like to play when it snows.
When the snow stops
A heartwarming story about a parent and child rabbit, perfect for winter reading.
It’s snowing that day, so they can’t go outside, and the father can’t make it home.
The little rabbit is alone at home with its mother.
They decide to skip their shopping trip and spend time indoors playing cards and relaxing together.
Then, on a night when the snow lets up, they step outside for a little while to play in the snow.
A quiet winter tale portraying a special time shared between parent and child.
Why not read it during a precious moment with your own child? This gentle world is sure to soothe your heart.
snowball
The picture book Snowball, featuring the adorable Tottoru rolling snow, is utterly charming.
One morning, Tottoru notices that snow has fallen and makes a small snowball.
Then he starts rolling it over the snow, and the snowball grows bigger and bigger.
Before he knows it, he’s reached the top of a hill—and the snowball tumbles down.
What will happen to the snowball? The exciting turn of events will surely make children’s hearts race.
It’s a perfect read-aloud for winter that conveys the joy of playing in the snow.
The Land of Snowmen
The picture book on the next page, Snowman Country, begins with Hop making a snowman.
Hop names the snowman “Pepe.” Pepe has to return to the country of snowmen.
Because Hop loves Pepe, he asks to go to the snowman country together.
It’s a very heartwarming story.
It’s also recommended to enjoy the story while talking with children about what the snowman country might be like.