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Share this When the Leaf Blew In Storybook Extension to help early learners understand this classic fall story!

When the Leaf Blew In Printables for Kids

September 15, 2020 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

These When the Leaf Blew In printables are a fun way to extend this classic fall story with early learners!

Fall is just around the corner!

And that means it’s a great time to break out some classic kids’ books about fall. 

One of our favorites is “When the Leaf Blew In”, a sweet sequencing story that describes how one leaf blowing into a barn set off a chain reaction that involved all the animals on the farm.

So to extend this story, we whipped up some fun When the Leaf Blew In printables for early learners!

Fun When the Leaf Blew In Storybook Extension

Read on to see how to get your copy of these early learning printables for preschool and kindergarten!

And for more fall reading fun, check out our printable Fall Reading Journal kids can use this autumn!

Share this When the Leaf Blew In Storybook Extension to help early learners understand this classic fall story!

When the Leaf Blew In Printables for Kids

To use these When the Leaf Blew In printables, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are included in this post. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer Paper
  • Pencils
  • A copy of the book “When the Leaf Blew In” (optional)
Printable Activities for When the Leaf Blew In

This set of early learning printables includes:

  • A printable picture and word matching activity
  • A printable line tracing activity
  • Counting by ten flashcards
  • A printable word tracing activity
  • A printable story sequencing activity
  • And a full answer key!
When the Leaf Blew In Printables for Kids

Start by sharing the story with the kids.

Be sure to let them take time to look at the pictures. (They’ll be helpful hints for the activities.)

Fall Playdough Mats
When the Leaf Blew In Counting by Ten Flashcards

Kids can practice counting by ten with these leaf counting by ten flashcards!

When the Leaf Blew In Line Tracing Activity

They can trace the path of the leaf as it blew through the barn!

Printable When the Leaf Blew In Word Tracing Activity

They can also practice handwriting by tracing simple words from the story.

When the Leaf Blew In Sequencing Activity

And, since the leaf disrupted the day of so many different farm animals, kids can match up the animals with the order in which they appeared in the story.

Printable When the Leaf Blew In Sequencing Activity

Be sure to use the answer key to check your child’s responses!

Scroll down to get your copy of our When the Leaf Blew In printables!

Check out these other fall learning activities!

This fun and easy leaf matching file folder game is a fun color recognition activity for little ones!
Practice telling same and different objects apart with these same or different leaf worksheets!
These kids' books about leaves are packed with gorgeous illustrations - perfect for reading this fall!

 

 

 

To get your copy of The Blowing Leaf Storybook Extension, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!

When the Leaf Blew In Storybook Extension

> When the Leaf Blew In Storybook Extension <

These 20 apple preschool books make wonderful read aloud selections for fall in early learning classrooms!

20 Engaging Apple Preschool Books for Kids

July 30, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Looking for some fun and engaging apple preschool books to share with early learners?

You’ve come to the right place!

Below, I’ve listed 20 preschool apple book selections that are sure to make an upcoming apple or fall unit into a learning activity your students will love!

20 Engaging Apple Preschool Books

These are filled with lovely illustrations and simple stories that make them a perfect fit for preschool classrooms.

If you’re homeschooling preschool-aged children, these are also great to add to your library reading list or your home library.

Read on to see the full list!

And, don’t miss my super easy Apple Coffee Filter Craft for kids to make!

These 20 apple preschool books make wonderful read aloud selections for fall in early learning classrooms!

20 Engaging Apple Preschool Books for Kids

We’ve always used lots of picture books during the preschool years. And, since apples are such a popular early childhood theme, we’ve shared some of these during preschool as well.

If you love any of these in particular or your class loves one or two, let me know which ones!

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

1. Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr. Seuss

2. Apples by Gail Gibbons

3.How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro

4. Apples for Everyone by Jill Esbaum

5. Hello, World! How Do Apples Grow? by Jill McDonald

6. Apple Picking Day! by Candice Ransom

7. Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

8. Apples, Apples, Apples by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

9. Applesauce Day by Lisa J. Amstutz

10. 5 Little Apples by Yusuke Yonezu

20 Apple Preschool Books for Kids to Read

11. The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons

12. Apples! (Celebrate Fall) by Erika L. Shores

13. Apples for Little Fox by Ekaterina Trukhan

14. Pinkalicious! Apples, Apples, Apples! by Victoria Kann

15. Apples Grow On a Tree by Mari Schuh

16. Max & Mo Go Apple Picking by Patricia Lakin

17. Pat the Bunny: At the Apple Orchard by Golden Books

18. Apple Countdown by Joan Holub

19. Eat ‘Em Ups: Apples! by Gail Tuchman

20. Let’s Go Apple Picking! by Lori Haskins Houran

Want to expand your apple lesson or unit? Keep reading for more apple learning fun!

Apple Puzzles Quote Box Ad

Fun Preschool Apple Themed Snacks

Nothing rounds out a fun apple preschool books read-aloud time like adding an apple-themed treat at snack time. Try some of these ideas!

  • This cute Shrek Apple Snack is a fun addition to a class or family movie showing.
  • Serve these neat Crunchy Apple Boats for a fun and healthy snack.
  • These Silly Apple Monsters are so adorable for little ones to make and eat!
  • Need an apple snack but don’t have any apples? Try these Graham Cracker Apple Snacks instead.
  • These Sea Turtle Apple Snacks feature friendly goldfish too!

With plenty of apple activities, these apple preschool books, and a fun apple preschool snack, you can put together a preschool apple unit your students will love.

Take a look at these other apple early learning ideas!

This printable apple same and different lesson is a fun way to help early learners practice visual discrimination skills!
Use these apple shape sorting worksheets to help early learners practice recognizing the four basic shapes with a fun fall theme!
This printable apple life cycle sequencing activity is perfect for helping students learn how apples grow! Use it at science centers or in morning tubs!

Share these summer books for kids with little ones during read aloud time!

50 Fun Summer Books for Kids to Read

June 23, 2020 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Summer reading is a great way to avoid the summer “slide” with your kids.

And there’s no better way to get them into a book than to choose one that’s summer-themed!

Today I’m featuring 50 summer books for kids that feature familiar characters, funny storylines, and gorgeous illustrations.

After all, when a story is engaging, kids are more likely to feel interested in what happens.

50 Fun Summer Books for Kids

Plus, they’re more likely to reread them on their own – which is one of the best ways to build a love of reading.

These children’s books about summer make wonderful choices for an upcoming family road trip, book club, or summer reading program.

Read on to see the full list.

And, don’t miss our printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks too!

Share these summer books for kids with little ones during read aloud time!

50 Summer Books for Kids

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1. To the Beach!

2. Pool

3. Summer Days and Nights

4. Should I Share My Ice Cream?

5. The Night Before Summer Vacation

6. Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag

7. Puppy Pool Party! An Underwater Dogs Adventure

8. Summer

9. Curious George and the Ice Cream Surprise

10. Penguin on Vacation

11. Bats at the Beach

12. The Whale in My Swimming Pool

13. I See Summer

14. Ice Cream: The Full Scoop

15. Peppa Pig and the Great Vacation

16. Beach House

17. McElligot’s Pool

18. Let It Shine

19. The Scoop on Ice Cream

20. The Night Before Summer Vacation

21. Daisy Dawson at the Beach

22. Down by the Cool of the Pool

23. Summer is Here

24. Ice Cream Soup

25. Arthur’s Family Vacation: An Arthur Adventure

50 Summer Books for Kids

26. Beach Bungle (Olive & Jay Book 1)

27. The Mystery of the Purple Pool (The Boxcar Children Mysteries #38)

28. A Fabumouse Vacation for Geronimo (Geronimo Stilton)

29. Mouse’s First Summer

30. Froggy Goes to Hawaii

31. Daniel’s Day at the Beach (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood)

32. Pool Party Puzzler (Nancy Drew Clue Book)

33. How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer

34. Ice Cream Summer

35. Pictures from Our Vacation

36. Corduroy Goes to the Beach

37. Leo Can Swim

38. One Crazy Summer

39. Summer Wonders

40. Last Day Blues (Mrs. Hartwell’s Classroom Adventures)

41. Dancing Dinos at the Beach

42. First Time at the Pool

43. Summer Treasure (Robin Hill School)

44. Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star

45. How I Spent My Summer Vacation

46. Biscuit’s First Beach Day

47. Martha Speaks: Pool Party

48. The Night Before Summer Camp

49. Mama, Is It Summer Yet?

50. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Vacation

Summer Books for Kids

Get ready for more summer fun with these other learning ideas!

This printable multiplication by four game is a fun way to practice times tables!

Learn about what sharks eat to live in this fun shark food chain file folder game!
These printable summer reading challenge bookmarks are a fun way to keep kids reading during summer!

These books about lighthouses for kids make wonderful read alouds over the summer! Share some with young readers this year!

20 Fun Lighthouse Books for Kids

May 26, 2020 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

15 Childrens Lighthouse Books

I grew up in Southern Georgia near Savannah, so I’ve been to Tybee Island many times in my life.

The Tybee Island Lighthouse always made me wonder about what it’s like to keep a lighthouse.

As a child, I thought it would be boring and lonely. Now that I’m older, I think I’d love the peace and quiet.

Having kids will do that to you. 

But lighthouses are still fascinating structures for children to explore and these lighthouse books for kids are a great way to introduce them to young ones!

20 Books about Lighthouses for Kids

These children’s lighthouse books feature non-fiction selections, as well as learning activities and mystery stories that kids will love!

Read below to see the full list. And, for more fun beach reading picks, take a look at our list of beach books for kids too!

These books about lighthouses for kids make wonderful read alouds over the summer. Share some with young readers this year!

20 Fun Books about Lighthouses for Kids

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1. The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge

2. The Lighthouse Family: The Storm

3. The Lighthouse Cat

4. North American Lighthouses Coloring Book

5. The Boxcar Children: The Lighthouse Mystery

6. The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch

7. Lighthouse Seeds

8. Lighthouses for Kids: History, Science, and Lore with 21 Activities

9. Safely to Shore: The Story of America’s Lighthouse

10. Abbie Against the Storm: The True Story of a Young Heroine and a Lighthouse

Books about Lighthouses for Kids

11. Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue

12. The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter

13. One Lighthouse, One Moon

14. Birdie’s Lighthouse

15. The Lighthouse of Souls

16. Hello Lighthouse

17. Lighthouses of North America

18. The Lost Lighthouse

19. One Lighthouse, One Moon

20. The Lighthouse

Childrens Lighthouse Books

Get more ideas to explore beaches with your kids below!

The Best Beach Books for Kids

25 Beach Crafts for Kids

Learn about the science of beaches plus get fun math, language, and geography practice in this printable beach unit study!

Get more ideas for learning about lighthouses from these educators!

Visiting the Point Arena Lighthouse with Children from Crafty Mama in ME

Lighthouse Printable Number Sequencing Puzzle for Preschool from Schooling a Monkey

Cupcake Liner Lighthouse Craft from Play Dough & Popsicles

Marblehead Lighthouse Marblehead, OH from Something 2 Offer

Lighthouse Word Search from Tales of Education at Home

20 Kid-Friendly Lighthouse Hikes around the World from FrogMom

These printable summer reading challenge bookmarks are a fun way to keep kids reading during summer!

Printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks for Kids

May 25, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Summer is a wonderful time to read as many books as you can stand.

I know. It’s how I spent pretty much every summer growing up.

We’ve always encouraged our kids to read as much as possible, but they tend to read by themselves in their own rooms.

So – to help them stretch out and read with each other and to try new works, we’re using these printable summer reading challenge bookmarks this year!

Fun Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks

These are simple (and fun!) ways to motivate kids to read new books with new people this summer.

And you can get a set free!

Read on to get your copy. And, for more fun with summer reading, check out our Sweet Reads! Ice Cream Literacy Kit!

These printable summer reading challenge bookmarks are a fun way to keep kids reading during summer!

Printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks

To use this printable summer reading challenge, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer Paper
  • Paper trimmer or scissors
  • Laminator (optional)
Printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmark for Kids

The printable includes one sheet with five identical bookmarks.

We have four children, so I wanted them each to have their own. Plus an extra one for me to join along.

Printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks for Kids

These are really simple to use.

Just print the sheet (as many copies as you need). Then use a paper cutter to divide them into individual bookmarks.

If you like, you might want to laminate the sheet before handing the bookmarks out. They’ll hold up better that way.

Printable Summer Reading Challenge for Kids

As you can see, each bookmark lists 14 different ways to read this summer.

There are new places to read, new types of books to try, and new people to read books to.

Summer Reading Bookmark for Kids

Hold your own summer reading program by setting a date for kids to check off all of the items on their bookmarks.

Be sure to hand out a prize or have a simple party to celebrate!

Scroll down to get your free Printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks!

Take a look at these other fun literacy activities!

This hands on short vowel sounds activity is so fun for building early phonics skills! Add it to your literacy centers for engaging phonics practice!
Help early writers practice naming colors and writing complete sentences with this donut colors sentence writing activity! Perfect for literacy centers!
Pick up this printable ice cream reading log for kids to keep little ones reading this summer! This printable reading kits with printable bookplates, a printable summer reading log, and printable coloring bookmarks!

To get your copy of these printable summer reading bookmarks for kids, click the image or the link below to download them to your computer!

Printable Summer Reading Challenge BookmarkPrintable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmark

>>> Printable Summer Reading Bookmarks <<<

Introduce kids to the helpers in your town with these kids' books about community helpers! Great for read-aloud time with early learners!

20 Community Helpers Books for Kids to Read

November 12, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Community helpers are such an important theme in early childhood education. 

After all, it’s important for children to learn how their local community works and who provides the services we all rely on each day.

So when you’re ready to teach a community helper theme in class, make sure to use some of these community helpers books for kids as part of your read aloud time!

20 Books about Community Helpers for Kids

These community helpers picture books are excellent sections!

They’re all beautifully illustrated and they feature simple explanations of each helper’s role in town. 

Read on to check out the selections below! And, for more ways to study community helpers, check our our Spanish community helpers printable lesson!

Introduce kids to the helpers in your town with these kids' books about community helpers! Great for read-aloud time with early learners!

20 Community Helpers Books for Kids to Read

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

If you decide to read any of these with your students, I’d love to hear which ones were your favorite!

1. Helpers in My Community by Bobbie Kalman

2. Whose Hands Are These? by Miranda Paul

3. Whose Hat Is This? by Sharon Katz Cooper

4. Look for the Helpers (adapted) by Alexandra Cassel

5. Career Day by Anne Rockwell

6. Jobs Around Town by Stan and Jan Berenstain

7. Let’s Meet a Police Officer by Gina Bellisario

8. Let’s Meet a Doctor by Bridget Heos

9. Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook

10. When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic

Community Helper Books for Kids to Read

Fun On the Farm Bundle TPT Ad

11. Whose Tools Are These? by Sharon Katz Cooper

12. Delivering Your Mail by Ann Owen

13. Night Night, Sleepytown by Amy Parker

14. Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten by Joseph Slate

15. Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry

16. Busy People: Construction Worker by Lucy M. George

17. My Visit to the Dentist by David Lee

18. Teachers in My Community by Bridget Heos

19. Let’s Meet a Firefighter by Gina Bellisario

20. When I Grow Up by Mercer Mayer

Did you love these community helpers books for kids? Take a look at these other booklists for young readers!

These gorgeous children's books about composers are a perfect addition to a music history lesson!

These cozy bedtime books for toddlers are the perfect way to share a bedtime story with your little ones!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists for Kids to Read - Perfect for Black History Month!

See more great books for children on my Must Read Books for Kids Pinterest board!

These books about community helpers for kids are great for teaching little ones about the jobs in the community!

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Share a trip into space with the kids when you read these amazing books about the solar system together! These would make perfect read alouds for a solar system unit!

25 Awesome Books about the Solar System

June 17, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We just posted a fun solar system unit study a couple of weeks back, so while there are a few weeks of summer left, I thought I’d share some wonderful books about the solar system for kids of all ages!

I love videos and technology, but there is just nothing like turning the pages of a book with your child. It’s indescribable. 🙂

So, when it comes to learning, I will always come back to books, which is why I love these solar system books for kids.

25 Awesome Books about the Solar System for Kids

These solar system stories are filled with gorgeous illustrations, fun facts, and awesome activities that kids will love! They’d make a wonderful addition to a space or solar system unit.

Read on to get the full list. And for more ways to learn about outer space, take a look at All About the Solar System – a printable science unit for elementary grades!

Share a trip into space with the kids when you read these amazing books about the solar system together! These would make perfect read alouds for a solar system unit!

25 Awesome Books about the Solar System for Kids

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1. National Geographic Kids: First Big Book of Space

2. There’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System (The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library)

3. Space Encyclopedia: A Tour of Our Solar System and Beyond (National Geographic Kids)

4. Hello, World!: Solar System

5. Smithsonian: The Planets (DK Books)

6. Solar System Scratch and Sketch: An Activity Book for Inquisitive Artists and Astronauts of All Ages

7. Chasing Space: Young Readers’ Edition

8. Let’s Explore the Solar System (Planets)

9. The Planets in Our Solar System (Let’s Read and Find Out Science)

10. What’s Out There?: A Book about Space

11. The Magic School Bus 3-D: A Journey Through the Solar System

12. The Everything Kids’ Astronomy Book: Blast Into Outer Space with Stellar Facts

13. Astronomy: The Solar System (Super Smart Science)

Solar System Books for Kids to Read

14. A Journey Through Space

15. Exploring the Solar System: A History with 22 Activities

16. 13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System (National Geographic Kids)

17. Scholastic Reader Level 2: Solar System

18. Our Solar System: Revised Edition

19. Smart Kids Space: For Kids Who Really Love Space!

20. Let’s Explore the Solar System (Planets)

21. Astronomy for Kids: How to Explore Outer Space with Binoculars, a Telescope, or Just Your Eyes!

22. A Trip Into Space: An Adventure to the International Space Station

23. Basher Basics: Space Exploration

24. First Space Encyclopedia: A Reference Guide to Our Galaxy and Beyond

25. Space Kids: An Introduction for Young Explorers

Kids Books about the Solar System

After sharing these amazing books about the solar system with your family, don’t miss these other planetary posts!

This fun solar system-themed edible playdough is a perfect sensory activity for summer!

Help kids learn about the members of our solar system with these printable solar system flashcards! These would be wonderful for a space unit study!

Want more great book lists for kids? Check out my Reading for Kids board on Pinterest!

These incredible books about the solar system are a wonderful way to introduce kids to our planetary neighbors! These would be great for a space or solar system unit!

Pick up this printable ice cream reading log for kids to keep little ones reading this summer! This printable reading kits with printable bookplates, a printable summer reading log, and printable coloring bookmarks!

Ice Cream Printable Summer Reading Log

May 29, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Summer is here!

It’s been a very long wait. Very, very, very long. Really felt like last winter was the longest in history.

We try to keep our kids learning and reading over the summer, but even that can get a little boring if we’re not careful.

So, I thought they’d have a little more fun keeping up with their progress with a cute ice cream printable summer reading log and I’m sharing it with all of you today!

Ice Cream Printable Reading Log and Summer Reading Kit for Kids

This summer reading set is so fun for tracking books and pages read, labeling books with your kids’ names, and keeping up with where the kids left off in their reading.

Read on to see how to get your copy free! Woohoo!

And, for more ice cream-themed activities for kids, take a look at our printable Ice Pop Patterns Math Activity!

Pick up this printable ice cream reading log for kids to keep little ones reading this summer! This printable reading kits with printable bookplates, a printable summer reading log, and printable coloring bookmarks!

Ice Cream Printable Summer Reading Log

To use this ice cream printable summer reading log, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Cardstock
  • Colored pencils
  • Child-safe scissors

Printable Ice Cream Reading Log for Kids

This printable literacy kit contains four activities for little readers!

 

 

Ice Cream Themed Printable Reading Log

The printable reading log is an awesome way to track what kids read over the summer. They can fill in the date, the book they’re reading, the length of time they read, and the number of pages covered.

You can print as many of these summer reading logs as you need to keep up with all of the books your kids read.

The kit also contains eight bookplates that kids can use to label their special books. If you have several kids (like I do), this is a must. Cuts down on the “she took my book!” complaints.

Printable Coloring Bookmarks for Kids

And, if you’re a bookworm, you already know the vital importance of bookmarks.

So this literacy kit includes eight of them for kids to use as they read!

Ice Cream Printable Coloring Bookmarks for Kids

Four are color and four feature line art so kids can color the bookmarks themselves!

Ice Cream Themed Summer Reading Kit for Kids

If you’re a teacher, these printable summer reading log activities would be awesome for take-home packets too!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Ice Cream Printable Summer Reading Log!

Check out these other literacy ideas for students!

These printable phonics flashcards are excellent for helping early readers practice sounding out vowels and consonants! Great for literacy centers too!

Practice reading sight words this summer with these fun summer sight word flashcards! Great for building reading fluency before the new school year!

Help early readers learn to rhyme with these fun rhyming word puzzles!

Printable Ice Cream Literacy Kit for Kids

See more ways to encourage literacy on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

 

 

 

Keep kids reading this summer with this printable summer reading log! This fun ice cream themed printable reading log for kids is so fun for summer reading!

To get your copy of this printable Ice Cream Summer Reading Log, click the image or the link below to head over to my Teachers Pay Teachers store and score it free!

Printable Summer Reading Log for Kids

>> Ice Cream Printable Reading Kit <<<

 

 

These 20 fun books about ice cream for kids are so fun for summer reading!

20 Fun Books about Ice Cream for Kids

May 8, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

10 Kids Books about Ice Cream

We’ve been featuring a lot of summer fun lately – and what says “Summer” better than ice cream?

Nothing.

Nothing says “Summer” better than ice cream.

It’s true that ice cream is a favorite with kids everywhere, but it’s also an opportunity to learn! It’s just a super fun subject to learn about.

To make your summer reading a blast, check out our list of books about ice cream for kids to find some great ice cream-themed stories to read with your children!

20 Books about Ice Cream for Kids

These are so fun for summer reading!

Turn ice cream into an educational opportunity with our printable ice cream shape sorting activity!

And for more ways to make this summer an awesome one with the kids, try this list of 50 summer crafts you can make!

These 20 fun books about ice cream for kids are so fun for summer reading!

20 Fun Books about Ice Cream for Kids

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

1.Ice Cream: The Full Scoop by Gail Gibbons

2.Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis

3.Splat the Cat: I Scream for Ice Cream by Rob Scotton

4.Should I Share My Ice Cream? (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems

5.Stick Dog Dreams of Ice Cream by Tom Watson

6.Curious George and the Ice Cream Surprise by H.A. Rey

7.The Ice Cream King by Steve Metzger

8.Ice Cream for Breakfast (Richard Scarry’s Great Big Schoolhouse) by Erica Farber and Huck Scarry

9.Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star by Kevin Henkes

10.Curious About Ice Cream by Smithsonian

Cool Books about Ice Cream for Kids

11. Isaac’s Ice Cream Tree by Angela Henderson

12. Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star by Kevin Henkes

13. Milk to Ice Cream (Rookie Read-About Science) by Lisa M. Herrington

14. The Scoop About Ice Cream (History of Fun Stuff) by Bonnie Williams

15. The Ice Cream Shop: A Steve and Wessley Reader by Jennifer E. Morris

16. Ice Cream Cones for Sale by Elaine Greenstein

17. The Ice Cream Mystery (The Boxcar Children Mysteries) by Gertrude Chandler Warner

18. Gorilla Loves Vanilla! by Chae Strathie

19. Is It Warm Enough for Ice Cream? by DK Publishing/a>

20. Dragons Love Ice Cream by Brett Fowler

Read some of these fun books about ice cream for kids to share with your children over the summer!

Did you love these fun books about ice cream for kids? Don’t miss these other ice cream activities!

Ice Pop Pattern Building Activity

This fun ice cream themed shape sorting activity for kids is so cool for practicing shape recognition!

For more tips to make your kids into readers, check out my Reading for Kids board on Pinterest!

This post is part of The Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists by iHomeschool Network! Click over to read tons of awesome booklists shared by my fellow homeschooling bloggers!

ReadingLists

Summer is almost here and now is a wonderful time of year to read about ice cream with the kids! Share some of these books about ice cream for kids this year!

Reading Charlotte's Web with your kids? Bring the story to life with this fun Charlotte's Web craft little ones can make!

Charlotte’s Web Craft for Kids: Fun Floating Spider Craft

March 14, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Charlotte’s Web is one of the books that I automatically associate with childhood. I listened to it read aloud in elementary school (third grade, I think) and I read it myself so many times I lost count.

When our six-year-old and I started reading it as part of our BookShark Level 1 curriculum, she discovered that she loved it just as much as I did. Some things never change.

So I thought it would be fun to make a quick and easy Charlotte’s Web craft that she could enjoy and that’s how we came up with this floating spider craft!

Make this easy Charlotte's Web craft when you finish the story with your little ones!

This only took us a few minutes to make and it gave us a chance to get outside and play. It’s perfect for early grades.

See how to make your own below! And, for more fun with book-themed crafts, check out our Farm Paper Bag Puppets based on Big Red Barn!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Reading Charlotte's Web with your kids? Bring the story to life with this fun Charlotte's Web craft little ones can make!

Charlotte’s Web Craft for Kids: Fun Floating Spider Craft

We’ve been working our way through BookShark Level 1 with our first grader this year and we’ve gotten to read so many wonderful children’s books the past few months.

I have to admit, though, that when I opened the box and saw Charlotte’s Web in there, I did a little leap for joy.

BookShark Level 1 Read Aloud Books

If you’ve read the book, you probably remember that Charlotte’s egg sac finally hatches and all of her babies venture out into the world. When Wilbur (the pig) sees them shoot out silk and sail off on the wind, he starts to panic.

Three of them end up staying near him and…(I’m going to stop before I retell the entire book.)

Making a Charlotte's Web Craft with Kids

Anyway, the idea of spiders sailing off on the wind is what helped us come up with this simple craft.

To make this easy Charlotte’s Web craft, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • White basket coffee filter
  • Single hole punch
  • Polyester string
  • Plastic spider ring

Simple Charlotte's Web Craft for Kids

What we’re basically making is a spider wearing a parachute. Easy peasy!

To make this, use a hole puncher to punch a hole in each side of the coffee filter. You want the holes to be directly across from each other.

I made one hole on the left and the other directly across on the right. Then I turned the filter around and did the same thing again to have four holes in all.

Simple Charlotte's Web Craft

Then cut about a three foot length of string and cut that into four equal pieces. Thread one piece of string through each hole in the filter.

Connect opposing sides by typing the left and right side strings together with a simple knot. Leave about an inch or two loose at the end. Turn the filter around and do the same thing again. You should end up with four strings tied into two.

Charlotte's Web Craft for Kids

Then you just tie each of the tied strings around the spider and you’re done!

Make sure that the length of string is even on all sides. If the spider isn’t hanging directly beneath the filter’s middle, it won’t float.

Also – you want the weight of the spider to be evenly distributed. We tied one set of strings together around the front and the other together around the back.

Making a Charlotte's Web Craft

All that’s left to do is take it outside…

Easy Charlotte's Web Craft to Make with Kids

…and watch it float!

Easy Charlotte's Web Craft for Kids

You don’t have to throw it or anything. If you hold the filter open and up, the spider should float gently to the ground.

Making a Simple Charlotte's Web Craft

Super neat!

I think Charlotte would be proud.

If you’re looking for a literature-rich homeschool curriculum, I cannot recommend BookShark enough. We have had so much fun reading classic stories, and learning about the vocabulary, history, and science behind them this year.

Take a look at the different BookShark levels to find which one is best suited for your child! And don’t forget to request your free catalog!

Turn a classic story into a craft with this simple floating spider Charlotte's Web craft for kids! So fun for read-aloud time!

If you loved this Charlotte’s Web craft, check out these other simple crafts you can make with your family!

These adorable farm animal paper bag puppets are such a fun way to learn about barnyard animals with the kids!

Make this easy spring toilet roll butterfly craft with your kids! So fun and simple for little ones!

Make this sweet coffee filter pig craft with the kids for an easy art project!

And for more ways to add crafting to your homeschool day, follow my Simple Crafts for Kids board on Pinterest!

Read and count at the same time with these adorable counting books for kids! These are perfect for early learners!

20 Adorable Counting Books for Kids

February 11, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning to count is one of the most important skills for early learners. After all, until you learn to count, you won’t be able to tell that your sibling got more cookies than you.

Which, if you ask any three-year-old, is one of the world’s greatest injustices.

We loved using manipulatives and printables to help our kids learn to count. But another wonderful resource for teaching counting is storybooks. And that’s why I wanted to share this list of adorable counting books for kids!

20 Adorable Counting Books for Kids to Read

This list is full of cute kids’ books about counting that help children learn to count by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s – all the way to 100! They’re perfect for building literacy skills and math fluency at the same time.

Read on to see which counting books made the list! And for more practice with counting, check out our free printable Toy Counting to 100 flashcards!

Read and count at the same time with these adorable counting books for kids! These are perfect for early learners!

20 Adorable Counting Books for Kids

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1. Anno’s Counting Book – by Mitsumasa Anno

2. Counting with Tiny Cat – by Viviane Schwarz

3. So Many Bunnies: A Bedtime ABC and Counting Book – by Rick Walton

4. Counting with a Ladybug – by DK Publishing

5. One Gorilla: A Counting Book – by Anthony Browne

6. Sheep Won’t Sleep: Counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s – by Judy Cox

7. Each Orange Had 8 Slices – by Paul Giganti, Jr.

8. 100 Bugs!: A Counting Book – by Kate Narita

9. Counting Our Way to Maine – by Maggie Smith

10. What Can You Spot?: Counting – by Max and Sid

See even more counting books for kids below!

Counting Books for Kids

11. On the Launchpad: A Counting Book about Rockets – by Michael Dahl

12. Push, Dig, Scoop!: A Construction Counting Rhyme – by Rhonda Gowler Greene

13. Ten Apples Up On Top! – by Dr. Seuss

14. How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? – by Jane Yolen

15. Counting with Frida: A Bilingual Counting Book – by Patty Rodriguez

16. Curious George Learns to Count from 1 to 100 – by H.A. Rey

17. Butterfly Colors and Counting – by Jerry Pallotta

18. Counting Kisses: A Kiss and Read Book – by Karen Katz

19. 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo: A Counting Book – by Eric Carle

20. 12 Ways to Get to 11 – by Eve Merriam

Pick up these adorable counting books for kids to help early learners practice counting and literacy skills!

Did you love this list of super cute counting books for kids? Don’t miss these other early math learning activities!

These printable ladybug math activities are perfect for sharing with the kids this spring!

Sidewalk Chalk Outdoor Math Game

Early learners will love learning to count with these fun pirate printable counting puzzles for numbers 1-10!

Get even more ideas for teaching early math on my Math Mania Pinterest board!

Help your early learner practice rhyming and creative writing with this simple Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity!

Simple Green Eggs and Ham Inspired Poetry Activity

February 4, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Since we’ve been working through BookShark Level 1 with our youngest, we’ve gotten to read plenty of wonderful stories. When I looked at the bookshelf and noticed we had yet to read Green Eggs and Ham, though, I wanted to jump for joy.

As a child, I read The Cat In the Hat first. But Green Eggs and Ham is, by far, my favorite Dr. Seuss book. I love it so much.

With the help of our BookShark program, we turned this classic story into a simple Green Eggs and Ham poetry activity. My first grader loved it!

Easy and Fun Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity for Kids

Take a look at how we extended this story into a super easy creative writing lesson! And for more practice with ELA, don’t miss our printable Construction Contractions Language Arts lesson!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Help your early learner practice rhyming and creative writing with this simple Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity!

Easy Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity for Kids

To do this simple Green Eggs and Ham poetry activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Green printer paper
  • Black marker
  • White Posterboard or Giant Wipe Off Index Card
  • Dry Erase Marker (only needed if you’re using the wipe off index card)

Green Eggs and Ham Writing Activity

We began by reading Green Eggs and Ham. Our little one read it to me while I sat and looked on. She found the story and the illustrations hilarious.

Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity

At one point, after Sam-I-am offered the green eggs and ham again, she actually said “He just told you he doesn’t like it!”

Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity for Early Grades

In our BookShark Level 1 lesson, the curriculum guide encouraged us to work on writing our own poem based on a food that we would not like to eat.

So I pulled out our giant laminated index card and started a couple of sentences. Then it was up to our first grader to fill in the blanks with her own ideas for yucky food and where she wouldn’t eat it.

Simple Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity

Then I thought it would be a little more fun to let her write her answers on some “green eggs” of our own. So I just cut out some wiggly shapes from green paper.

Hands On Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity

She started by choosing a strange food color – “gold”. Then the food she added was noodles. Incidentally, she’d just had noodles for lunch that day. It’s entirely possible she was trying to tell me something.

When we started thinking of words that rhymed with noodles, she got to “doodles” and decided that would work.

Writing Poetry with Green Eggs and Ham

Then it was time to think of a place she wouldn’t like to eat her strange food. She choose “at home”.

Which definitely made me think she was trying to tell me something.

Poetry Writing with Green Eggs and Ham

And, naturally, if you won’t eat them at home, then you won’t eat them with a gnome either.

Poetry Writing Activity with Green Eggs and Ham

And her rhyme was done!

I asked her what she thought the lesson of the story was. She said “Don’t say you don’t like something just because it looks weird. You should try it.”

Score! Now let’s see if she remembers that little lesson the next time I serve dinner.

This Green Eggs and Ham poetry activity was just one of the activities in BookShark Level 1 for this book. Take a look at BookShark’s curriculum to see more ways you can use it to bring stories to life with your kids!

Check out these other reading activities for children!

These When the Leaf Blew In printables are a fun way to extend this classic fall story with early learners!

Do your active learners resist reading? Here are four ways to get them to start reading for fun!

Use these Harry the Dirty Dog printables for kids to help early learners learn more about this classic story!

And see more ways to make story time fun on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists for Kids to Read - Perfect for Black History Month!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists

January 24, 2019 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

My youngest son is obsessed with making things. He’s built a working fishing pole, a wobble racer, and even a 3-D paper basketball playset, complete with players who actually shoot the ball into the hoop.

We’ve always encouraged our kids to learn about their history, so I thought it would be cool for him to read some books about black inventors and scientists. That way, he learns about history and he finds out that other people like him have had big ideas that they turned into real things that helped society.

Talk about a self-esteem boost!

Share these fascinating books about black inventors and scientists with the kids!

I wanted to share these storybooks with all of you because we’ve enjoyed reading them. (Some are even in our home library.) But they’d also make excellent choices for a STEM unit or a Black History Month lesson. In our family, we like to read about them all year.

Read on to see these inspiring black inventor books for kids. And for more black history lessons, don’t miss our We Got Jazz unit study! It’s packed with over 120 pages of black history for elementary grades!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists for Kids to Read - Perfect for Black History Month!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists

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1. Garrett Morgan: Historically by Maria Mas

2. What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

3. Katharine Johnson (You Should Meet) by Thea Feldman

4. Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton

5. What Are You Figuring Now? A Story about Benjamin Banneker by Jeri Ferris

6. Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed

7. National Geographic Readers: George Washington Carver by Kitson Jazynka

8. Vision of Beauty: The Story of Sarah Breedlove Walker by Kathyrn Lasky

9. What If There Were No Black Folks? A Story About African-American Inventors and Pioneers by Toni Abasi Hill

10. Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists for Kids

We Got Jazz

11. The Man Who Invented the Lawn Mower: And Other Inspirational Black American Inventors and Their Inventions by Christopher Davis, Jr

12. All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine by Monica Kulling

13. The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath by Julia Finley Mosca

14. Lewis Latimer: Black Americans of Achievement by Winifred Latimer Norman

15. Great Black Heroes: Five Brilliant Scientists by Lynda Jones

16. The Woman Who Invented Weaving by Christopher Davis, Jr

17. Gary and the Great Inventors: It’s Laundry Day! by Akura Marshall

18. Black Pioneers of Science and Invention by Louis Haber

19. Look What Brown Can Do! by T. Marie Harris

20. Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? by Patrice McLaurin

Learn about some of the incredible black makers and inventors in history with this list of fascinating books about black inventors and scientists!

Did you like this list of books about black inventors and scientists? Check out these other history learning ideas!

Teach kids about the royal history of Africa with this African Kingdoms printable African history unit study!

Does it really matter how you teach history to your children? See why learning how to teach history with a timeline can bring history to life for young learners!

This jazz history unit is a perfect black history unit study for music class!

See even more activities on my Living History for Kids Pinterest board!

African Kingdoms History Unit

Do you want to raise readers? Learn how to teach your child to read in just seven steps!

How to Teach Your Child to Read In 7 Easy Steps

December 10, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning to read is one of the most important and celebrated milestones in education. And with good reason! If you can read, you can do anything else you want in life.

If we want our kids to become readers for life, though, we have to start teaching them to love reading while they’re young.

There are a lot of excellent books on how to teach your child to read, but after raising four readers in our family, I’ve learned that teaching a child to read doesn’t have to be a complicated event.

How to Teach Your Child to Read In 7 Steps

When you’re first starting out, though, it can definitely seem overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure where to start. Here are seven simple steps for teaching your child to read you can use, no matter where you’re at in your parenting journey.

And if you want even more ways to make reading enjoyable for children, check out these tips for encouraging your active kids to read for fun!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Do you want to raise readers? Learn how to teach your child to read in just seven steps!

Teach Your Child to Read in 7 Steps

Images c/o: monkeybusiness & wavebreakmedia / depositphotos

Practice Patience

Patience is a must when you’re teaching a child to read. Every child masters concepts at their own pace, so your little one might not be on the same level as the kid down the street who is a year younger.

Start introducing a new skill and, if your child is resistant or doesn’t seem to be getting the lesson, table it and try again another day. Keep things light and fun to help them grow their love for reading.

Master the Alphabet

Kids can’t learn to read without understanding the components of a word, so it is important to help them get a solid grasp the alphabet. Begin with the letters that are most familiar to them, particularly those within their name, and teach them one at a time.

Show them how to identify the letters and talk about the sounds that they make. They’ll quickly begin to understand how they come together to form words.

Keep Phonics Simple

When your child has a grasp on the alphabet, start introducing basic phonics. Don’t worry about all of the exceptions to the phonics rules at first. Stick with beginning letter sounds, short vowels, and long vowels.

Once your child can remember these phonic sounds, you can explain that there are words that follow their own rules and save those lessons for when they have a better grasp on the basics. Basic word sounds and common blends are all they need at this early stage.

Begin Introducing Sight Words

Common words that appear frequently in writing are called sight words. These are often hard to sound out or don’t follow typical phonics rules.

By helping your child to identify these words, even before they are technically “reading” them, they will be able to string together sentences a little more easily. Be sure to emphasize spelling as you’re teaching these words to maximize the impact of the lessons.

Make Reading Together a Conversation

An easy way to build reading comprehension is to discuss what you read along with your child.

As you read together, talk about the plot of the book and why the events took place. Help them to understand the possible emotions of a character and guess what might happen next.

Over time, kids will start to attach meaning to the words they read, especially when they understand the context, and their comprehension skills will blossom.

Find Everyday Opportunities to Make Reading a Game

As you go through your day, play simple games that will help build your child’s reading skills. For example, go on a letter scavenger hunt during your trip to the grocery store by finding the alphabet in order on package labels.

Or as you’re driving around town, have them find words that begin with a certain letter on the signs that they pass. Then challenge them to spot words they’ve recently learned while you’re out running errands.

As you actively seek these teachable moments, you’ll find that they are everywhere!

Use a Book-Based Curriculum

One of the best ways to teach your child to read is to use a homeschooling curriculum that is literature-based. We’re using BookShark with our youngest child this year and it is wonderful for building reading fluency, comprehension, and interest.

A Selection of BookShark Readers for Kids

Books are involved in the reading, history, geography, and science lessons, so our first grader spends most of her learning time reading different kinds of literature, including fiction, first readers, instruction manuals, reference books, and more.

Instead of thinking of reading as a separate school subject, BookShark weaves it into everything a child is learning, which is wonderful practice for reading for life.

With these suggestions, you too will be able to teach your child to read in 7 steps! Remember, each child is different. Some learn to read at three, others at six, still others later on.

The speed at which your child learns to read is not important, though. What matters is that they learn to love reading, whenever they begin.

If you make reading part of their everyday experience and use a program like BookShark to include reading in every school subject, you’re sure to raise bookworms of your own!

Don’t miss these other tips for reading with kids!

Do your active learners resist reading? Here are four ways to get them to start reading for fun!

This printable fall reading journal for kids is a simple way to help children analyze the stories they read!

Ready to get your little one reading? This simple kindergarten homeschool reading list features early readers kids will love!

And see more ideas for teaching literacy on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

This printable fall reading journal for kids is a simple way to help children analyze the stories they read!

Printable Fall Reading Journal for Second Grade

August 6, 2018 by Selena Robinson 9 Comments

Free Fall Reading Journal for Second Grade

Reading is a huge part of our homeschooling experience. I’m a bookworm and nothing would make me happier than to raise four little bookworms of my own.

In second grade, one of the objectives is for children to learn to retell the main idea and details of a story. So I put together a printable reading journal for second grade with a cute fall theme! Read on to see how we used them and to get your own!

Get kids into reading and analyzing what they read with this printable fall reading journal!

These would be wonderful for introducing kids to book reports, since you can use them to help students identify author, story, setting, and character. But they’re also a nice introduction to creative writing!

By the way, be sure to check out our second grade reading list for some awesome children’s book recommendations!

This printable fall reading journal for kids is a simple way to help children analyze the stories they read!

Fall Themed Printable Reading Journal for Second Grade

In first grade, Pooh really grew in his independent reading. I want to make sure that he keeps reading for fun this year, but we also want to make sure that he understands what he reads and can explain it to others. Enter a reading journal!

To use these printables, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links provided for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer paper
  • Pencil

Reading Journal Printable for Kids

On the cover page is a spot for kids to write their names on their journals.

Printable Fall Reading Journal for Kids

The journal includes one cover page and eight journal prompts: two to be used each week.

Fall Reading Journal Pages for Kids

The first prompt asks students to identify the title of the book, the author, the main character, the setting, the problem, and the resolution. Identifying problem and resolution are the stepping stones to analyzing plot.

Fall Printable Reading Journal

On the second prompt page, kids can express their opinions about what they’ve read by explaining what they liked and didn’t like about the story.

They can also flex their creative writing muscles by rewriting the story’s ending their own way.

Printable Reading Journal for Kids

Since there are four journal sets in the product, you can use this reading journal for an entire month.

Printable Kids Reading Journal

Simply print it three times to cover the entire fall season! If you use the journal each month for three months, kids will have read and analyzed 12 stories!

How to Use a Reading Journal for Second Grade

Here’s a look at the reading journal for second grade in action.

Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade

For this activity, my second-grader decided to read The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food. One of my favorites from childhood, too. 🙂

Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade

After reading the book, Pooh started working on his journal. Since we’re just beginning second grade, I don’t mind letting him look back at the story to recall details for his journal pages.

As the year progresses, though, my goal is for him to remember the details on his own. I think as we use the journals more often, he’ll get an idea of what to look for as he reads.

Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade

Scroll down to get your copy of our Fall-Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade!
Check out our book recommendations for elementary-aged kids!

First Grade Reading List Homeschool Picks

Our Homeschool Second Grade Reading List

Help your third grader love reading with this third grade homeschool reading list!

Plus, get more tips for raising readers on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of our Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade, pick up our 2nd Grade Learning Bundle! This product, along with three other second-grade learning resources, are inside!

Click the image or the link below to check out the 2nd Grade Learning Bundle in our Store!

>>> 2nd Grade Learning Bundle <<<

Visit these sites for more journal activities for 2nd graders:
Apple Writing Prompts and Papers from Sallie Borrink Learning
Roll It and Write! Journal Activity for Kids from School Time Snippets
from Sugar Aunts
Heart to Heart Journals from Still Playing School
Digital Journaling with Kids from Rainy Day Mum
30 Free Journal Prompts for September from Life Over C’s
Connecting Science and Writing from Planet Smarty Pants

Back to Homeschool Helpers

This post is part of the Back to Homeschool Helpers roundup! Stop by to see all the wonderful homeschool resources you can grab for free below!

Tal (Blessed Grove)
Heather (Fearless Faithful Mom)
Christel (Perfectly Blended & Blessed)
Michelle (With the Huddlestons)
Sharla (Minnesota Country Girl)
Misty (Many Seasons of Motherhood)
Joy (Beanpost Farmstead)
Terri (Our Happy Medium)

Do your active learners resist reading? Here are four ways to get them to start reading for fun!

4 Easy Ways to Encourage Free Reading with Active Kids

July 9, 2018 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

We all know that reading is (probably) the most important skill a child should learn. Without reading, you can’t really do, well, anything.

But we don’t just want our kids to read because they have to. We want them to read because they want to. And that means making free reading an important part of every day.

The issue, though, is that kids who are on the active side might not be that interested in reading, especially for pleasure. And that’s why I’m sharing four easy ways to encourage free reading with active kids!

How to Get Your Active Kids to Read for Fun!

Try these simple tips to get your active learners reading! They’ve genuinely worked for our active kids, even our children who have ADHD!

Need more great kid lit suggestions? Check out our list of 100 memorable picture books for preschoolers too!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Do your active learners resist reading? Here are four ways to get them to start reading for fun!

4 Ways to Encourage Free Reading for Active Kids

Images c/o: get4net & FarmVeldman / depositphotos

1. Make reading time extra special.

If your active kids are resistant to reading on their own, turn reading time into an extra special occasion. Get out sleeping bags, build an indoor fort (using a table and a bedsheet), and let the kids read by flashlight while they’re “camping out”.

Or make reading into a high tea occasion. Have the kids dress up in their fanciest clothes, make tea and scones, and let them take turns reading a few lines in their most elegant speaking voices.

The key is to turn reading into entertainment, instead of just sitting down and looking at words. After a couple of occasions, they’ll want to know what happens next in one of the stories and ask to read more before your next special reading time.

2. Start a family reading challenge.

Get the whole family involved in reading by creating a short family reading challenge. Draw a bar graph on a piece of posterboard and hang it in the family room. Tell the kids that once the family finishes reading a certain number of books that month you’ll throw an ice cream party.

Be sure to fill the graph up as each book is completed. Before you know it, the kids will be begging to go to the library to get books of their own.

3. Choose stories with lots of pictures.

A book with lots of text can be intimidating to anyone, even grown-ups. So active kids who have little interest in reading need plenty of visual input to keep their interest. Picture books are a great way to get kids interested in stories and how they develop.

Once your active children are interested in following stories in general, they’ll be more open to chapter books and larger works. You might even try an illustrated version of a complex book, such as a graphic novel adaptation of a classic, and then let them read the original work to compare the two.

4. Use a book-based homeschool curriculum.

A simple way to encourage free reading with active kids is to use a homeschool curriculum that is centered on books. We’re using BookShark with our youngest child this year and the entire program is based around classic children’s books.

Our first book for our history lesson this year is Charlotte’s Web, which my first-grader is thoroughly enjoying. She never wants to stop reading when we reach the end of our assigned portion for the day. That’s always a good sign. 🙂

We’re also reading The Usborne Book of Peoples of the World, as well as Mother Goose Rhymes and Favorite Poems of Childhood. And that’s just for history!

How do you encourage free reading with your active kids? Have you been able to turn your wiggly little ones into readers? Share your tips!

See more resources for reading with homeschoolers below!

Ready to get your little one reading? This simple kindergarten homeschool reading list features early readers kids will love!

These picture books for preschoolers include classic stories and modern titles for parents to share!

Fun Math Books for Middle School

Follow my Reading for Kids Pinterest board for even more literacy tips and resources!

Help early readers learn to rhyme with these fun rhyming word puzzles!

Rhyme Time! Printable Rhyming Literacy Puzzles for Kids

February 19, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

My little one has taken to reading much quicker than I imagined.

I hoarded so many books for learning to read with the specific intention of using them with her. And then she never needed a single one. Go figure.

One thing that has been a little difficult for her to grasp, though, is rhyming.

My oldest child, also an early reader, grasped the concept right away. This child, though, needs a little more help.

So I thought I’d make a few sets of rhyming literacy puzzles to help her practice reading rhyming pairs and matching them up!

Rhyming Word Pair Puzzles

And because I love my readers, I’m sharing them with you too! Read on to see how to get your set to use with early readers too!

By the way, if you want to share great children’s literature with your young ones, don’t miss this list of 100 picture books for preschoolers! All of our favorites are on that list!

Help early readers learn to rhyme with these fun rhyming word puzzles!

Printable Rhyming Literacy Puzzles

To use these rhyming literacy puzzles, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer Paper
  • Laminator
  • Scissors

Printable Rhyming Word Puzzles

This printable pack includes eight different rhyming pairs.

I wanted to keep the concept as simple as possible, so all of the words rhyme and they all end with the exact same spelling.

No tricky stuff!

Printable Rhyming Puzzles

Kids can find the matching words by sounding out the ending sound or spotting the similar letter endings.

Learning to Recognize Rhyming Word Pairs

Then just fit them together!

Printable Rhyming Word Puzzles for Kids

These are set up so that they can be used with kids who are reading or pre-readers!

So there are sets of rhyming words with the printed words and the pictures and then sets with the pictures only.

Matching Rhyme Pairs with Kids

My little one had a ball with them! One step toward rhyming literacy!

Scroll down to get your set of our printable Rhyming Literacy Puzzles!

Try these other early literacy activities!

Practice letter and number literacy with these winter alphabet and number playdough mats!

Help your preschooler love reading with this preschool homeschool reading list!

These cupcake letter puzzles are such a cute way to practice recognizing uppercase and lowercase letters!

See more fun ways to get little ones reading on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of our printable Rhyme Time! Literacy Puzzles, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!

Rhyming Word Puzzles

>>>Rhyme Time! Rhyming Word Puzzles – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

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These beautiful African American story books for kids feature wonderful characters for children to explore!

31 Beautiful African American Story Books for Kids

January 29, 2018 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

Read these wonderful African American story books for kids with your little ones!

As a mom to four African American children, I’ve been hard pressed to find great kids’ books that feature black characters (at least in our local library). They’re there, but it’s hard to find them, unless you have a few author names to start with.

I strongly feel it’s important for my kids to “see” themselves in what they read, especially when it comes to reading about history or receiving positive messages about themselves.

So – without further ado – here are 31 African American story books for you and your kids to explore this school year! The books are geared toward kids aged 3 to 12 and include fiction, historical fiction, and nonfiction selections.

If you enjoy these stories, check out our list of must-read black history books for kids!

These beautiful African American story books for kids feature wonderful characters for children to explore!

 31 African American Story Books for Kids

Affiliate links provided below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

1. The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill

2. The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles

3. Tommy Traveler in the World of Black History by Eloise Greenfield

4. Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkney

5. The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

6. Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn

7. I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

8. Julian’s Glorious Summer by Ann Cameron

9. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

10. Miami Jackson Gets It Straight by Patricia McKissack

11. The Buried Bones Mystery by Sharon M. Draper

12. Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book by Muriel and Tom Feelings

13. STAT: Standing Tall and Talented #1 by Amar’e Stoudemire

14. Donovan’s Word Jar by Monalisa Degross

15. I’m a Pretty Little Black Girl! by Betty K. Bynum

African Kingdoms Unit Study

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These cozy bedtime books for toddlers are the perfect way to share a bedtime story with your little ones!

Cozy Bedtime Books for Toddlers

December 14, 2017 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

10 Bedtime Books for Toddlers
Cozy Bedtime Books for Toddlers and Parents to Share

We have a very active little one in our family. She’s running around learning everything she possibly can. But, because she’s so excited about what’s she learning to do, getting her to settle down for bed has become a bit of problem. Every time I walk her into her room at night, she says “I want to get up in the morning, Mama.” Every. Single. Time. 🙂

So I thought I’d look for some bedtime books that would help her settle down and get ready for sleep. Today, I’m sharing a roundup of adorable bedtime books for toddlers!

If you and your little one enjoy these stories, be sure to check out my list of the absolute best picture books for three-year-olds!

These cozy bedtime books for toddlers are the perfect way to share a bedtime story with your little ones!

Bedtime Books for Toddlers

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1. The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

2. The Goodnight Train by June Sobel

3. Kiss Good Night by Amy Hest

4. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

5. Time for Bed by Mem Fox

6. A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

7. Clifford’s Bedtime by Norman Bridewell

8. Bedtime in the Meadow by Stephanie Shaw

9. If Animals Kissed Good Night by Ann Whitford Paul

10. Snuggle Up, Sleepy Ones by Claire Freedman

See even more cozy bedtime stories for toddlers on the next page!

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These gorgeous children's books about composers are a perfect addition to a music history lesson!

Children’s Books about Composers

November 28, 2017 by Selena Robinson 16 Comments

10 Children's Books about Composers - Look! We're Learning!

We’re getting into our study of classical music in our homeschool lessons, so we’re sharing children’s books about composers! These are perfect for circle time stories or unit study resources, especially if you want your kids to learn more about the music and the lives of these musicians.

While there are classical composers in this list, there are also kids’ books about modern composers, including the great Duke Ellington! If you enjoy these stories, be sure to check out the Duke Ellington unit in our ebook “We Got Jazz”!

These gorgeous children's books about composers are a perfect addition to a music history lesson!

Children’s Books about Composers

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

One of the most interesting things about many classical composers is that they often began their musical careers while they were still children. Mozart began composing at the age of five. Five! That’s some serious inspiration for kids who are interested in music. 🙂

Some of the activity books include coloring books and unit studies about composers. In fact, Stories of the Great Composers is one of the resources we’re using in our homeschool curriculum this year!

Picture Books about Composers

  1. The Extraordinary Music of Mr. Ives: The True Story of a Famous American Composer – Joanne Stanbridge
  2. George Frederic Handel – Mildred Clary
  3. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – Anna Harwell Celenza
  4. Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince And His Orchestra – Andrea Davis Pinkney
  5. Secret Lives of Great Composers: What Your Teachers Never Told You about the World’s Musical Masters – Elizabeth Lunday
  6. Sebastian: A Book About Bach – Jeanette Winter
  7. The Other Mozart: The Life of the Famous Chevalier de Saint-George – Hugh Brewster
  8. Becoming Bach – Tom Leonard
  9. The Story of the Orchestra: Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, Music, and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! – Robert Levine
  10. Why Beethoven Threw the Stew (And Lots More Stories About the Lives of Great Composers) – Steven Isserlis


Books about Composers for Kids to Read

Nonfiction and Activity Books about Composers

  1. Stories of the Great Composers – June Montgomery & Maurice Hinson
  2. Getting to Know the World’s Great Composers: Ludwig Von Beethoven – Mike Venezia
  3. Great Composers Coloring Book – John Green & Paul Negri
  4. Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? – Yona Zeldis McDonough & Carrie Robbins
  5. Duke Ellington: His Life in Jazz – Stephanie Stein Crease
  6. World of Composers: Verdi – Greta Cencetti
  7. Peter Tchaikovsky: Getting to Know the World’s Great Composers – Mike Venezia
  8. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Anna Harwell Celenza
  9. 18th Century Superstar: Mozart (Time for Kids Nonfiction Series) – Georgia Beth
  10. Johannes Brahms: Getting to Know the World’s Great Composers – Mike Venezia

Learn about music history as a family with these gorgeous children's books about composers!

Do you have any favorite resources for introducing classical composers to kids? Do you have any suggestions for great children’s books about composers? Let us know in the comments!

If you enjoy these stories, check out our other ideas for teaching music and art to homeschoolers!

Mozart Composer Study for Kids

Art Study Coloring Books for Middle Schoolers

And don’t miss your chance to learn more about introducing kids to jazz with our We Got Jazz unit study ebook! It’s packed with over 120 pages of music history and activities about jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and more!

We Got Jazz eBook - Look! We're Learning!

For more tips to make your kids into readers, check out my Reading for Kids board on Pinterest!

Want to get more ideas for making homeschooling fun? Sign up for our email newsletter to get plenty of homeschool tips and resources in your inbox!

This post is part of The Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists by iHomeschool Network! Click over to read tons of awesome booklists shared by my fellow homeschooling bloggers!

ReadingLists

These owl books for kids feature gorgeous pictures and illustrations for learning about these nocturnal flyers!

20 Beautiful Owl Books for Kids

October 17, 2017 by Selena Robinson 5 Comments

We’ve had fun studying about nocturnal animals and one of those animals is…the owl! There are owls here in Georgia, but we hardly ever see them because they’re up when we’re asleep. 🙂

Since we’ve been talking about animals that are night “owls” (get it?), I rounded up some beautiful owl books for kids that we can share together. If you’re studying owls this fall, check out these storybooks and nonfiction books for some awesome owl facts!

Owl Books for Kids to Read

If you love these, don’t miss our list of bear books for kids as well! And for a fun craft project, see how to make a cute coffee filter owl craft with the kids!

These owl books for kids feature gorgeous pictures and illustrations for learning about these nocturnal flyers!

Owl Books for Kids:

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1. Owls by Gail Gibbons

2. Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan

3. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

4. National Geographic Readers: Owls by Laura Marsh

5. Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton

6. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

7. Exploring the World of Owls by Tracy Read

8. The Barn Owls by Tony Johnston

9. Owl at Home (I Can Read Level 2) by Arnold Lobel

10. Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor

Fall Playdough Mats

See the rest of the list on page 2!

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Hi! I'm Selena, an A.D.D. mom married to an A.D.D. husband. We're parenting two kids with A.D.D., one with A.D.H.D., and an energetic elementary learner.
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