International Youth Day is celebrated every year on August 12, and in 2025, it’s the perfect time to spotlight the creativity, curiosity, and energy of young people around the world. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate and engage with the youth in your community through fun, educational, and inspiring digital content available on Hoopla.
International Youth Day, recognized by the United Nations, is more than just a celebration—it’s a call to action to support young people’s development and amplify their voices. And what better way to celebrate than by exploring books, movies, music, and more that entertain while they educate? We’ve got a great roundup on Hoopla.
What Day Is August 12, and Why Does It Matter?
August 12 is International Youth Day. In 2025, August 12 falls on a Tuesday, making it a perfect weekday to plan activities with kids. The day focuses on issues affecting youth globally, including education, mental health, and digital literacy. It’s also a time to recognize young people’s achievements and help them thrive in today’s world.
Top Picks to Celebrate World Youth Day 2025 on Hoopla
Hoopla offers thousands of free titles for young readers, viewers, and listeners with just a library card. Explore these curated collections for kids and teens that combine learning with fun.
eBooks for Curious Young Minds
Dive into engaging and educational reads that spark curiosity and read-aloud fun:
Peppa Goes Swimming from Scholastic, Inc.: Peppa and George are heading to the pool, but George feels nervous about getting in. Can Mummy and Daddy Pig help him overcome his fear and join the fun?
How to Teach Your Monster to Read by Christianne Jones and illustrated by Katya Longhi: A young child is eager to teach her pet monster to read—but the pressure is too much, and the monster runs off! Undeterred, she follows clues based on word families to track him down.
ARLO by Sophia Gholz: In a world of machines and monotony, ARLO dreams of more. When a storm disrupts factory life, he ventures into the wild—discovering nature, creativity, and the courage to grow in unexpected places.
Family-Friendly Movies That Inspire
Celebrate with a movie night that supports positive messages:
Doozers: Season One: directed by Phillip Stamp: The Pod Squad uses their STEM knowledge to design, create, and innovate!
Night of the Zoopocalypse: directed by Rodrigo Perez-Castro: When a meteor crashes into Colepepper Zoo, it spreads a virus turning animals into zombies. Quirky wolf Gracie and tough mountain lion Dan lead a team of unlikely survivors on a daring rescue mission.
Elmo’s Wonderful World: directed by Ken Diego and Jack Jameson: In this refreshed version of Elmo’s World, Elmo explores topics like kindness, sharing, counting, and dress-up! Smartie, Mr. Noodle, and dog Schmoodle join in the fun.
Youth-Oriented Music to Get the Party Started
Turn up the volume with tracks to make kids dance:
KIDZ BOP 51 (2025): That’s right—51! The unstoppable KIDZ BOP returns with 13 chart-topping hits, reimagined in fun, family-friendly versions. Enjoy favorites like Pink Pony Club, Forever Young, Messy, Abracadabra, and more.
Pokémon X: Ten Years of Pokémon: Did you know there’s a Pokerap? Here’s your chance to belt it out in the minivan, along with 12 other Pokemon hits.
Chipwrecked Soundtrack: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore chirp out the hits from their movie soundtrack.
BingePasses Perfect for International Youth Day
BingePass gives you instant access to entire collections and premium streaming services for a single borrow through your local public library. With BingePass you get unlimited 7-day, free access to binge movies, magazines, books and more with your library card.
Here are three must-try BingePasses for kids and families:
The Berenstain Bears BingePass: by Jan and Mark Berenstain: Snuggle up and explore the charming world of the Berenstain Bears! Join Mama, Papa, Brother, and Sister Bear as they learn life’s lessons about family, friendship, and growing up in their cozy community.
Smile and Learn BingePass: More than 14,000 educator-designed activities for kids aged 3-12, covering school subjects and new skills. It’s personalized, engaging, and supports children with special educational needs.
PBS KIDS BingePass: PBS KIDS creates top educational media and characters for ages 2-8, including Arthur and Caillou.
Expand the Celebration with Audiobooks
For a quiet afternoon (or a quiet car ride!):
Enigma Girls: by Candace Fleming: The compelling and inspiring story of the courageous young women whose determination, skill, and codebreaking at Bletchley Park helped shift the course of World War II in favor of the Allies.
Never Thought I’d End Up Here: by Ann Liang: Leah joins a travel program through China, hoping for escape—not awkward reunions. But when her ex-friend Cyrus shows up, old grudges resurface. As they journey together, revenge gives way to unexpected love and self-discovery.
Totally Popular: by Brigid Martin: Paloma’s life is finally calm—new school, real friends, and even her mom opening up about their family’s psychic gifts. But when reality-TV ghost hunter Rafaela de la Cruz arrives, chaos—and an actual spirit—turns everything upside down.
Comics to Combine Reading and Art
The Cartoonists Club: by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud: Makayla has plenty of story ideas but doesn’t know how to start writing. Howard loves drawing but lacks ideas. Lynda worries about mistakes in her sketches, while Art is eager to explore creativity. Together, they form The Cartoonists Club—a place where kids can learn to create comics and unleash their imagination!
Big Nate: Attack of the Cheez Funk Breath!: by Lincoln Peirce: Snack-loving sixth-grader Nate Wright’s Cheez Doodles cause bad breath, and quitting them turns him into a mess. Plus, he faces a best friend breakup, dance troubles, and a spiky-haired doppelgänger. Can Nate bounce back?
The Fantastic Freewheeler in the Deep End: by Molly Felder and illustrated by Yury Guzman: Drew Daniels, who uses a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, joins the swim team and faces a top competitor. When his rival loses a lucky charm, Drew must decide whether to help or win.
Celebrate, Explore, Learn—All on Hoopla
Celebrate World Youth Day 2025 with a movie night, a read-along, a dance party, or all of those activities. Hoopla has the perfect content for kids to celebrate themselves. This International Youth Day, empower young people through stories, songs, and screen time that makes a difference.
Ready to celebrate? Start exploring today with Hoopla!
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