Spring has sprung, the snow is melting, the rain is falling, flowers are growing, and eggs are hatching! Here is a list of some of wonderful books that are fun and educational that you and your child will love.
(You can always find these books at your local library for free. However, if you choose to purchase them, you can support your local bookstores (and this blog) from the affiliate links below.)
Is it Winter, or is it Spring?
This adorable and beautifully illustrated book will challenge your kiddos to know the difference between winter and spring. Even though it is nearly winter, little bear is already looking for spring. After a long cold Maine winter, I can definitely relate to this little bear looking forward to spring!
Storms
When storms roll through it can be especially scary for little ones. It will comfort them knowing what is happening, what to do to prepare, and that it will end. In scary situations, Mr. Roger’s (and Daniel Tiger) would encourage viewers to, “Look for the helpers.” When the storm ends you can ask if your child can find the helpers. You can talk about firefighters, police officers, and other service providers that come to the rescue and help clean up after a storm.
Positive Perspectives
The little boy in this book loves everything about the rain, his galoshes, the puddles, and pretending to be a frog. However, a grumpy old man couldn’t be more annoyed by the rain. This beautifully simple book does a good job of paralleling the boy and old man’s opposite reactions to the same rainy conditions. A little change in perspective can make all the difference between a good day and a bad one. This is also a great book to review the types of clothes you should wear when it rains.
Beautiful Photographs
From flower buds to butterflies this poetic book has vivid and inviting photos that will grab your attention. This book shows all the exciting bursts of color and life that arrive with the season.
Springing Full of Energy
This is another great book by April Pulley Sayre, that will help get your kids moving and hop all the extra energy out (Oh, who are we kidding, toddlers have endless energy!) If your bouncy child is having trouble focusing, this book may come in handy (for a few minutes at least). You could sing to the book if you like. It is based off of the “If your happy and you know it,” song.
Life Cycles
“First the Egg,” by Laura Vaccaro Seeger is a very popular and award winning book for many reasons (Although, they have scientifically proven the chicken came first…just saying). Each page has a cutout that creates the image for what comes next. This is an all around a great book.
St. Patrick’s Day
I must admit, it was difficult to find a St. Patrick’s Day/Irish heritage book that I felt could make the list. This one however, checked all the boxes (It was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.) In this book, the leprechauns start with a parade that ends with a feast. It has a great overview of several elements in Irish culture without being too wordy or scary. Your wee ones should enjoy this one!
A Colorful Holi Holiday
Holi is becoming popular in western culture because of the fun colorful festivities. Your child will enjoy learning about this Hindu spring festival that is described in this story. It is also great for reviewing the colors! Check out these free Holi Coloring sheets from ThePlayfulIndian.com. Want to make Holi powder? Check out this recipe from Little Passports.
Habitats
This beautiful book is a great read for Earth Day. It covers all the wonderful habitats that a wide range of creatures call home. Our earth is very special indeed.
Feelings
This special Earth day book does a great job of personifying earth’s feelings. It helps children learn the importance of having empathy for our earth. You can also review lots of different feelings and/or discuss how the illustrations show how the earth is feeling.
Alliteration
This book is great for learning about the “ck” sound. The book opens with, “One day a cream-colored” butterfly laid an egg on a cabbage leaf.” It is also great for reviewing the butterfly life cycle.
More Books To Check Out!
