12 Best Easter Picture Books

Hello everyone!

Happy Easter! Below are a dozen eggcellent Easter picture books. Some tell the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection and others feature the Easter bunny or Easter egg hunts.

After looking at the book recommendations, don’t forget to check out the Easter-themed crafts (some make cute Easter decorations), math activities, and snacks at the end of the post.

Picture Book Recommendations

The Easter Bunny’s Assistant by Jan Thomas is a lesson in how to color Easter eggs given by the Easter Bunny and his assistant, Skunk. Unfortunately, Skunk gets excited easily, which makes the process a smelly affair. Kids will enjoy this humorous lesson in egg dying.

A Very Happy Easter by Tim Thornborough tells the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection while paying special emphasis on how different people felt. In addition to sharing the Good News about Jesus, the book teaches empathy by asking kids to mimic the characters’ facial expressions and to think about how they felt.

The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs, illustrated by Nancy Munger is about a girl named Maggie who receives a box of dirt from her father with a mysterious plant’s bulb in it. She is disappointed with the gift, forgets about it for a while, and then throws the bulb outside. On Easter morning, she discovers that the bulb has grown into a beautiful lily. On most of the pages a Bible verse shows how Maggie’s story mirrors Jesus’ life on Earth and how God the Father must have felt that the precious gift of His Son was undervalued and unappreciated. And just as God forgives us for our sins, the books ends with Maggie’s father forgiving her for not appreciating his gift sooner.

The Story of the Easter Bunny by Katherine Tegen, illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert tells how the Easter Bunny got his start making eggs and delivering Easter baskets on Easter morning.

Happy Easter, God by Elspeth Campbell Murphy, illustrated by Jim Lewis is a series of poems that celebrate what children love about Easter. Each poem is paired with an illustration and a Bible verse.

That’s My Colt: An Easter Tale by Dandi Daley Mackall, illustrated by Chris Ellison tells the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His death, and His resurrection from the point of view of Matthias, the boy who owned the colt that Jesus rode into Jerusalem.

Turkey’s Eggcellent Easter by Wendi Silvano, illustrated by Lee Harper is about a group of farm animals who want to win an Easter egg hunt prize by finding one of the special eggs, but they can’t participate in the hunt because it is only for children. The animals disguise Turkey different ways so he can find a special Easter egg, but each attempt to get an egg is foiled. The animals’ shenanigans are sure to delight readers of all ages!

God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren, illustrated by Laura J. Bryant is about a father bear telling his daughter about the meaning of Easter and how God gave us Easter so that we could be with Him forever.

Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs by Melody Carlson, illustrated by Jack Stockman tells the story of Jesus from His triumphal entry into Jerusalem through His resurrection from the point of view of a boy named Benjamin, who has an empty treasure box that he fills up with meaningful objects that he finds or is given during key events. Although this book can stand alone, it is designed to be read while children open resurrection eggs.

Last One in Is a Rotten Egg! by Diane deGroat is about Gilbert, Lola, and their older cousin Wally, who is very competitive. At the Easter egg hunt there are two prizes: one for finding the golden egg and one for finding the most eggs. Wally is so determined to win that he steals the golden egg from Lola despite already having the most eggs. Using Wally’s competitiveness against him, Gilbert tricks Wally into dropping all of his eggs. Gilbert returns the golden egg to Lola and wins the prize for finding the most eggs. When Gilbert gives his prize to Wally because it rightfully belongs to him, Wally learns that how you treat people is more important than winning.

Easter Eggs for Anya: A Ukrainian Celebration of New Life in Christ by Virginia Kroll, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport is about a girl named Anya who is sad because her father is fighting in a war and they do not have any eggs to turn into pysanky eggs for Easter. When a fox kills a wild goose that was defending its nest, Anya takes the eggs home, thankful that God has given her eggs for Easter. On Easter morning, the eggs hatch, and Anya finds that God has given her a better gift than pysanky eggs.

The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross by Carl Laferton, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri tells why Jesus died and rose again. An abridged version of the Garden of Eden, the curtain in the Temple, and Jesus’ life on Earth are given. The book’s focus is that it is good to be with God, but that we are separated from Him by our sin. The book ends with the Good News that because Jesus took our sin away when He died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can be with God again.

Crafts

1. DIY Resurrection Eggs (Preschool through Elementary)
2. Popsicle Stick Cross (Preschool)
3. Tape Resist Easter Cross (Preschool through Elementary)
4. Easy Cross Bird Feeder (Elementary)
5. He is Risen! Empty Tomb Craft (Preschool)
6. He is Risen! Empty Tomb Craft (Elementary)
7. Handprints Easter Lily Bouquet (Preschool through Elementary depending on amount of adult prep)
8. Tin Foil Easter Egg (Preschool through Elementary)
9. Paper Eggs (Elementary)(The English instructions are below the Swedish instructions.)
10. Easter Bunny Headband (Preschool through Elementary depending on amount of adult prep)
11. Foam Cup Bunny (Preschool through Elementary depending on amount of adult prep)
12. Paper Plate Sheep Mask (Preschool)
13. Bubble Wrap Sheep Craft (Preschool through Elementary)
14. Mini Popsicle Stick Chicks (Preschool through Elementary)
15. Spring Chicks Egg Carton Craft (Elementary)

Math Activities

1. How To Make Learning Fun With Jelly Beans (Pre-K through Elementary)
2. Hands On Easter Math (Pre-K through Elementary)
3. Easter Egg Math Activities for Kindergarten {Freebies Included!} (Kindergarten through 1st grade)
4. 16 Spring and Easter Math Ideas (Kindergarten through Elementary)
5. Easter Basket Math Challenge w/ FREE Printables (Elementary)

Snacks

1. Easter Resurrection Rolls
2. Rice Krispies Easter Egg Treats
3. Easter Cross Rice Crispy Treats
4. Peeps Easter Bunny Dirt Cups
5. Decorated Easter Sheep Cookies with Gift Tags to Print
6. M&M Easter Egg Marshmallow Fudge Brownies
7. Empty Tomb Cupcakes with He Is Risen Printable Flags
8. Easter Basket Cookies
9. Empty Tomb Cake
10. Easter Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

12 Snowman Stories for Children and Snowman Enthusiasts

Hello everyone!

For those of you who wanna build a snowman, check out these twelve amazing snowman story books and the lists of themed activities. I love to combine literature with other subjects, so expand the snowman fun with the suggested crafts, math activities and games, and snowman recipes.

In addition to being cute art projects, the snowman crafts make adorable decorations or gifts for relatives and teachers. And if you really want to make the snowman magic come to life, check out the snowman sensory and fine motor activities and the delicious snowman snacks.

I often pair up my picture book recommendations with the activities that best suit them, but since all of the books are about snowmen, this month’s themed projects naturally go with whichever book or books you choose to use.

I hope you and your young snowman lovers have fun experiencing snowmen on multiple academic, sensory, and culinary levels! And if you’re looking for Christmas specific books, crafts, and sensory activities, check out my Christmas books blog post.

Making a Friend by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Alison Friend is about how Beaver, who can make anything with his hands but struggles with knowing how to connect to other animals, makes a friend while making a snowman.

If Picasso Painted a Snowman by Amy Newbold, illustrated by Greg Newbold introduces kids to different artists and their styles by showing how they would draw or paint a snowman.

Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin is about a snowman who is cold and keeps melting as a result of trying to get warm. Thankfully, some kids rebuild him after each failed attempt.

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner offers an imaginative explanation for why snowmen look messy the day after they are built. Obviously, it’s because of all the fun things that snowmen do at night!

The Most Perfect Snowman by Chris Britt is about a snowman who is outcast by the other snowmen because he was not given a nose or clothing. Children give him what he is missing and declare him to be the perfect snowman. However, it’s not until he gives his treasured gifts to someone who needs them more that he truly becomes the perfect snowman.

Snow Dude by Daniel Kirk is the snowman version of “The Gingerbread Man.”

Snowzilla by Janet Lawler, illustrated by Amanda Haley is about a little girl who builds a ginormous snowman with her family and how she finds a solution to the town’s polarized reaction to her having such a large snowman in her yard.

The Snowman and the Snowdog based on characters created by Raymond Briggs is about a boy whose dog died shortly after they moved to a new house. On Christmas Eve, the boy finds a photo of another boy standing beside an amazing snowman, and he decides to build his own snowman and a snowdog. The three of them spend Christmas Eve flying around the world and competing in the Snowman’s Annual Downhill Race at the North Pole.

The Smiley Snowman by M. Christina Butler, illustrated by Tina Macnaughton is about three friends who build a smiling snowman. The next day, the snowman looks sad, and the friends try to make him feel better.

Tinyrannosaurus and the Bigfootosaurus! by Nick Ward is about a young T-rex and his friends building a Bigfootosaurus out of snow and then accidentally mistaking a real (and not amused) Bigfootosaurus for their snowman.

Martin MacGregor’s Snowman by Lisa Broadie Cook, illustrated by Adam McCauley is about a boy who desperately wants to build a snowman. In his impatience for it to snow, he tries different, creative ways of making a snowman (like dumping flour on his younger sister and gluing cotton balls to his dog) that get him in trouble.

A Really Good Snowman by Daniel J. Mahoney is about an older brother who wants a little time away from his younger sister and her constant desire to “help” him. But when she demonstrates that she is not yet old enough to compete in the snowman building competition by herself, he sacrifices his chance of winning to help her build a snowman.

Crafts

1. Cotton Ball Snowman (Preschool through Elementary)
2. Egg Carton Snowman (Elementary)
3. Marshmallow Snowman (Preschool through 2nd grade)
4. Melted Snowman (Elementary)
5. Puffy Snowman Painting (Pre-K through Elementary)
6. Snowchildren (Preschool through Kindergarten)
7. Snow Globe Snowman (Preschool through Elementary depending on amount of adult prep)
8. Snowman Christmas Card (Preschool through Elementary depending on amount of adult prep)
9. Snowman Paper Plate Masks (Preschool through 2nd grade depending on amount of adult prep)
10. Snowman Puppets (Pre-K through Elementary)
11. Snowman Suncatcher (Preschool through Elementary)
12. Toilet Paper Roll Snowman (Elementary)

Math

1. Christmas Pattern Blocks (Preschool through Kindergarten – There are two snowman patterns.)
2. Counting Snowballs (Pre-K through 1st grade)
3. Five Little Snowmen Felt Story And Math Activity (Preschool through Kindergarten)
4. It’s Snowing Angles! (Elementary)
5. Snowman Addition Fun (Pre-K through 1st grade)
6. Snowman Counting File Folder Game (Pre-K through 1st grade)
7. Snowman Fractions (Elementary)
8. Snowman Math Activities (Elementary – The Last Snowman Standing Game was my favorite of the activities.)
9. Snowman Place Value Worksheets (Pre-K through 2nd grade)
10. Snowman 20 Frames Math Game (Kindergarten through 2nd grade)
11. Temperature Snowman Melting Sequencing Cards (Pre-K through 2nd grade)
12. Winter Math Activities With Printable Snowflake Number Circles (Preschool through Kindergarten)

Sensory and Fine Motor Activities

1. DIY Fake Snow for Sensory Play (Preschool through Pre-K)
2. Magnetic Snowman (Preschool through Pre-K)
3. Make A Snowman Fine Motor Activity (Preschool through Pre-K)
4. Snowman Activity Tray (Preschool through Pre-K)
5. Snowman Sensory Bottle (Preschool through Pre-K)

Snacks

1. Banana Snowmen
2. Chocolate Pretzel Snowman
3. Deconstructed Snowman Popcorn
4. Marshmallow Snowman
5. Snowman Brownie Bites
6. Snowman Dessert Dip
7. Snowman Oreo Cookie Balls
8. Snowman Pudding

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

Autumn Books that Celebrate the Season’s Bounty and Beauty

Hello everyone!

It’s September, which means that the autumnal equinox is almost upon us, and one of my favorite seasons will soon begin! There are so many things I love about fall: changing leaves; apple, pumpkin, and harvest festivals; corn mazes; hay rides; and hot apple cider. And I’m sure sports fans are counting down the days until football season starts.

Since autumn is full of so many changes and colors, the season easily lends itself to art, science, and, my favorite of all, stories! Below, I have raked some fantastic picture books about fall into two piles: fiction and nonfiction. After each book recommendation, I have written a type of activity (i.e. Crafts, Games, Math Activities, and Science Experiments) and a number; these correspond to the activities at the end of the post that I think best go with each book.

Fiction

Who Loves the Fall? by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Judy Stead shows many people enjoying fall activities. The illustrations carry the theme and are well supported by the minimal rhyming text. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity, or Science Experiment for Preschool through 1st Grade.)

Hocus Pocus, It’s Fall! by Anne Sibley O’Brien, illustrated Susan Gal shows the changes that occur in the fall. Each spread shows the starting point for a plant or animal; then open the flap and the autumn change is revealed…like magic. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity or Science Experiment for Preschool through 1st Grade.)

Wonderfall by Michael Hall has a poem on each spread about a different aspect of fall. Each illustration includes the same tree which shows the season’s progression through the state of its leaves. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, 5, or 12; Games 1, 3, 4, 10, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, 3, or 6)

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert is about Leaf Man being blown away by the wind. The narrator speculates about where Leaf Man might be. While the narrator guesses about where the wind might take Leaf Man, leaves create the scenery that the narrator describes. This book would pair well with a leaf craft. (Crafts 3, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Fall Is for Friends by Suzy Spafford is about two autumn-loving friends trying to get the leaves to fall off the trees. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 10, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

A Fall Ball for All by Jamie A. Swenson, illustrated by Chiara Fedele is about nature throwing a windfall ball for all the forest animals. The animals delay their migration and hibernation plans to attend. There is excitement leading up to the ball, and afterwards, everyone has the food they need for the winter. (Crafts 6, 9, or 12; Games 1, 5, 6, 7, or 8; Math Activities 1, 2, or 3; Science Experiment 6)

Counting on Fall by Lizann Flatt, illustrated by Ashley Barron combines math with nature during the autumn. This book is ideal for children in Kindergarten through second grade. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, 7, or 12; Games 1, 3, 4, 5, or 9; Math Activities 1, 3, 4, or 5; Science Experiments 1, 2, 3, or 6)

Hello, Fall! by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Lucy Fleming is about a granddaughter and grandfather enjoying a fall day together. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9; Games 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, or 12; Any Math Activity; Any Science Experiment)

Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant, illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard is about a leaf named Leif who is afraid that falling will hurt. He comes up with multiple ways to keep himself from falling or to catch himself, but none of them work, and he throws them off his branch. When he finally falls, he lands on his pile of discarded ideas instead of bumping his head on the ground. The underlying themes of determination paying off and failure leading to success are great lessons for children. (Crafts 3, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke is about a young fox named Fletcher who is worried that his favorite tree is sick. He tries to help the tree by collecting its fallen leave and reattaching them. In the end, Fletcher’s attempts to make the leaves stay on the tree fail, but he comes to understand that his tree is alright. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein is about a family’s annual tradition of making applesauce throughout the autumn. At the back is a recipe for homemade applesauce. (Crafts 6 or 7; Games 6, 7, or 8; Science Experiment 5)

Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White, illustrated by Megan Lloyd is about a woman named Rebecca Estelle who hates pumpkins. When a pumpkin falls off a truck and splats in her yard, she buries it so she won’t have to touch or look at it. The next year, the pumpkins aggressively grow until they take over her entire front yard. Not wanting to waste food, she bakes the pumpkins into treats and carves the shells into jack-o’-lanterns to give to her neighbors. Rebecca Estelle has such a good time with her neighbors, that she decides to plant pumpkins the next year. (Crafts 8 or 9; Games 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10; Math Activities 1, 2, or 3; Science Experiment 4)

Nonfiction

Hello Autumn! by Shelley Rotner gives an overview of the many things that happen in the fall: changes in the weather and leaves, harvest, holidays, and how animals get ready for winter. The short text and large photos make this an excellent book to read aloud to three to eight year olds. The larger print also makes this a good book for more advanced young readers to read on their own. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity, or Science Experiment for Preschool through 2nd Grade)

Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre is an overview of how leaves change throughout the fall, starting with a goodbye to summer green, transitioning to the many colors seen on the trees, and ending with the leaves beginning to decompose. The sparsity and rhyme of the text makes this a good book to read to two to five year olds. (Crafts 1 or 4; Games 3, 4, or 11; Math Activities 4 or 5; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Awesome Autumn: All Kinds of Fall Facts and Fun by Bruce Goldstone is a great book to read to five to eight year olds. It gives an overview of the many changes that happen during autumn and presents facts about why and how those changes occur in a concise and easy-to-understand way. At the end of the book are instructions for several simple autumn crafts. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity, or Science Experiment for Elementary)

Summer Green to Autumn Gold: Uncovering Leaves’ Hidden Colors by Mia Posada explains how leaves change colors in the fall. The text and illustrations work together beautifully to explain the concept. This book is ideal for four to eight year olds; however, I would also read it with older students if they are struggling to understand how chlorophyll works. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Jill Esbaum shows how pumpkins grow, that there are many different types of pumpkins, and some of the ways pumpkins are used. This is an excellent book to read to four to eight year olds, and the larger print makes it a good book for more advanced young readers to read on their own. (Crafts 8 or 9; Games 5, 6, 7, or 8; Math Activities 1, 2, or 3; Science Experiment 4)

The What Happens in Fall? Series by Mari Schuh is designed for beginning readers to read on their own.

• Animals in Fall
• Apples in Fall
• Fall by Emily C. Dawson (This book is part of the Watching the Seasons Series.)
• Harvest in Fall
• Leaves in Fall
• Pumpkins in Fall
• Weather in Fall

The Fall Field Trips Series by Lisa J. Amstutz is designed for beginning readers to read on their own. At the back of each book are directions for how to make a simple, theme-related craft.

• Let’s Go to the Apple Orchard
• Let’s Go to the Harvest Festival
• Let’s Go to the Nature Center
• Let’s Go to the Pumpkin Patch

The Fall’s Here! Series by Martha E. H. Rustad, illustrated by Amanda Enright is ideal for reading to Kindergarteners through 2nd graders. At the back of each book are directions for how to do a theme-related activity.

• Animals in Fall: Preparing for Winter
• Fall Apples: Crisp and Juicy
• Fall Harvests: Bringing in Food
• Fall Leaves: Colorful and Crunchy
• Fall Pumpkins: Orange and Plump
• Fall Weather: Cooler Temperatures

Crafts

1. Scissor Skills Fall Tree Craft (Preschool or Elementary depending on amount of adult prep)
2. Tissue Paper Tree (Elementary)
3. Leaf People (Preschool or Elementary)
4. Leaf Rubbing Collage or Leaf Rubbing Activity: Art & Science Project (Preschool or Elementary – Leaf rubbings often work best when the veins are up.)
5. Leaf Book (Elementary)
6. Apple Print Craft (Preschool)
7. Apple Tree Numbers Craft (3 year olds through 1st grade depending on amount of adult prep)
8. What’s Inside a Pumpkin Craft (Preschool or Elementary)
9. Paper Strip Pumpkin (Elementary)
10. Paper Bag Scarecrow (Preschool or Elementary)
11. Popsicle Stick Scarecrow (Elementary)
12. Cinnamon Acorn (Preschool through 2nd grade)

Games

1. The Squirrel Game: “Let the kids pretend they are squirrels gathering nuts for the winter. Give each a small paper bag, then toss out several unshelled nuts onto the floor and let the kids race to see who can collect the most. Older and younger children should be separated for this game. Another way to play this game, (if you have a way to corral a large quantity of leaves) is to hide nuts beneath a large pile of leaves and give the kids a set amount of time to find as many nuts as they can.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 18.) (Preschool or Elementary)
2. Dress a Scarecrow and Run: “Stock up on over-sized plaid shirts, goofy pants, floppy hats and any other clothing that a scarecrow might wear. Make piles containing one of each item. The number of piles is determined either by the number of kids or teams participating. Line up kids and let the game begin! The children run to the pile, put on the outfit, and dart back to the starting line. If doing it as a team game, they then switch the outfit with their teammate–who run out and back. First team with their last team member dressed as a scarecrow wins.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 9.) (Elementary)
3. Parachute Leaf Toss: “Take a sheet, or a parachute. Gather real leaves, fabric leaves, or paper leaves. Place them in the middle of the sheet. Gather around the sheet and have the children lift the sheet slowly and then quickly to see how all the leaves ‘float.'” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 16.) (Preschool or Elementary)
4. Leaf Blow Game: “Have a leaf race! In this, the children blow a leaf across a table with a straw. The first one across is the winner.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 3.) (four year olds through Elementary)
5. Gourd Ring Toss: “Assign different point values to different sizes of gourds, pumpkins, or dried Indian corn.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 8.) (Preschool or Elementary)
6. Apple-Apple Pumpkin: “Just like duck-duck-goose—Play Apple, Apple, Pumpkin! Same game with fall flair.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 13.) (Preschool or Elementary)
7. Pumpkin Rolling (Can also do with apples): “Divide children into two or more teams. Have a start line and turnaround line, 20 ft apart. The first child in each line rolls a pumpkin from the start line, to the turn-around line and back. The next person does the same, etc. The first team to have everyone play wins!” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 21.) (Preschool or Elementary)
8. Pass the Pumpkin Relay (Can also do with apples): “Line up into 2 teams. The first person passes the pumpkin OVER his/her head to the next person in line. The next person passes the pumpkin UNDER his/her legs to the next person, and so on. When you get to the end of the line the last person runs up to the front and starts it all over again. Whoever has the first person that was in line at the beginning of the game— in the back of the line WINS.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 23.) (Preschool or Elementary)
9. Bountiful Harvest Board Game (Elementary)
10. Autumn Charades Game (Elementary)
11. Fall Color Wheel Scavenger Hunt (Preschool through 2nd grade)
12. Sensory Nature Scavenger Hunt (Elementary)

Math Activities

1. Super Simple Pumpkin Seed Counting Activity (Preschool through Kindergarten)
2. Pumpkin Geoboard Stem To Try This Fall (Preschool through 1st grade)
3. Pumpkin Stem Challenge Your Preschoolers Will Love (Preschool through 1st grade)
4. Preschool Math: Graphing Fall Leaves (Preschool or Elementary depending on how the adult adapts it)
5. Leaf Measurement and Sorting Activity (Preschool or Elementary depending on how the adult adapts it)
6. Leaf symmetry lesson combining math and art (Elementary)

Science Experiments

1. Science for Kids: Exploring How Water Travels Through Leaves (Preschool or Elementary)
2. How Do Leaves Breathe? A Simple Science Experiment for Kids (Preschool or Elementary)
3. Science Experiment: Why Do Leaves Change Colour? (Preschool or Elementary)
4. Pumpkin Oobleck With A Real Pumpkin (Preschool or Elementary)
5. Apple Oxidation Science Experiment (Preschool or Elementary)
6. Hibernation Science Lesson (Preschool or Elementary)

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

Math Stories

Disclosure

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Hello everyone!

Math can be a terrifying subject for some students. I liked it well enough, until Geometry (twitch, twitch). For those students who do not have a pleasant association with math, try some of these fun stories as a less threatening experience with the subject. And for those students who adore math, give them a read that combines story and mathematics.

I found so many amazing math books that I divided my recommendations into two groups: Math Stories and Math Practice. The books in the Math Stories section are stories where math plays a crucial role in the plot. The books in the Math Practice section are books that present problems in fun ways for students to solve.

After reading some of the books, engage your young readers in some of the fun math activities I’ve included at the end of this post.

Math Stories

Goodnight, Numbers by Danica McKellar, illustrated by Alicia Padrón shows numbers one through ten in everyday life. Suggestions for how to get the most educational value out of the book are listed on the last page.

Ten Magic Butterflies by Danica McKellar, illustrated by Jennifer Bricking shows different combinations that equal ten. Suggestions for how to get the most educational value out of the book are listed on the last page.

Math Fables: Lessons That Count by Greg Tang, illustrated by Heather Cahoon contains ten rhyming fables that each focus on a number: one through ten. Each fable shows different combinations that equal the featured number.

Give Me Half! by Stuart J. Murphy, illustrated by G. Brian Karas shows fractions, specifically halves.

Twinderella: A Fractioned Fairy Tale by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Deborah Marcero shows fractions, specifically halves.

Full House: An Invitation to Fractions by Dayle Ann Dodds, illustrated by Abby Carter shows fractions, specifically sixths.

One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi shows doubling.

Zero the Hero by Joan Holub, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld shows properties of the number zero.

One Riddle, One Answer by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Linda S. Wingerter shows properties of the number one.

Mouse Math Series illustrated by Deborah Melmon

• Albert the Muffin-Maker by Eleanor May
• Mice on Ice by Eleanor May
• A Mousy Mess by Laura Driscoll
• Albert Adds Up! by Eleanor May
• Albert Starts School by Eleanor May
• If the Shoe Fits by Jennifer Dussling
• Albert Doubles the Fun by Eleanor May
• Albert Helps Out by Eleanor May
• Bravo, Albert! by Lori Haskins Houran
• Where’s Albert? by Eleanor May

The Mouse Math Series is geared towards preschool through second grade students. There are more books in the series. I only listed the ones that I thought best combined math and story.

Sir Cumference Series by Cindy Neuschwander, illustrated by Wayne Geehan

• Sir Cumference and the First Round Table
• Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi
• Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland
• Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone
• Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter
• Sir Cumference and All the King’s Tens
• Sir Cumference and the Viking’s Map
• Sir Cumference and the Off-the-Charts Dessert
• Sir Cumference and the Roundabout Battle
• Sir Cumference and the Fraction Faire
• Sir Cumference Gets Decima’s Point

The Sir Cumference Series is geared towards elementary students, but this way of presenting math concepts could also help middle or high school students who need to have the information presented in a different way.

Math Practice

Bedtime Math Series by Laura Overdeck, illustrated by Jim Paillot

• Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late
• Bedtime Math: This Time It’s Personal
• Bedtime Math: The Truth Comes Out
• Bedtime Math 2: This Time It’s Personal

The Bedtime Math Series gives mini scenarios and then asks three questions per scenario. The questions are for different ability levels. These books can be used with children in preschool through late elementary.

Animal Math Series published by Gareth Stevens Publishing

• Counting Lions by Adeline Zubek
• Fractions with Fish by Maeve Sisk
• Odd and Even with Otters by Rory McDonnell
• Shapes with Sheep by Mary Grace Osburn
• Sorting with Snakes by Mary Rose McDonnell
• Tell Time with Turtles by Melissa McDonnell
• Two-Digit Numbers with Tadpoles by Mary Grace Osburn
• Using Money at the Zoo by Mary Grace Osburn
• Word Problems with Wolves by Rory McDonnell

The Animal Math Series combines science and math by presenting fun facts about animals and using those animals to teach math concepts. The large print and short sentences makes this a perfect series for beginning readers. There are more books in the series. I only listed ones that included multiple math questions.

Activities

1. “20 Exciting Math Games for Kids to Skyrocket New Math Skills On-The-Go” by Marcus Guido (This article lists online and in-person math games for 1st-8th graders.)
2. “30 Active Math Games and Activities for Kids Who Love to Move” by Jill Staake (This article lists movement math activities and games that are perfect for elementary students.)
3. “15 Math Games in 15 Minutes or Less” by Natalie Lorenzi (The math games in this article are appropriate, or can be adapted, for Pre-K through 8th graders. The games are sorted by the length of time it takes to play each game: 5, 10, or 15 minutes.)
4. SplashLearn (This website offers free online math games for K-5th graders. Parents and teachers can create free accounts that allow them to monitor their child’s or students’ progress.)

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.