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Preschool Homeschool Reading List

September 30, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Reading is a huge part of our homeschool. Huge. The kids spent time reading literally every single day. Based on my experiences in life, I think that the most important part of a good education is learning to love reading. Think about it: If you love to read, you can truly learn anything you want, whenever you want!

Naturally, we try to start our kids out with daily reading at a very young age. So, since Piglet is starting preschool this year, we’ve put together her preschool homeschool reading list. Look out for activities to go along with these stories in the coming months!

Image c/o: Andy-pix / depositphotos

Preschool Homeschool Reading List

1. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

2. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae

3. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

4. The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems

5. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals

6. Stone Soup by Marcia Brown

7. The Mitten by Jan Brett

8. The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola

9. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

10. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

11. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

12. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

13. Press Here by Herve Tullet

14. Corduroy by Don Freeman

15. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

16. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

17. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

18. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

19. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle

20. Curious George by H.A. Rey

21. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

22. Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff

23. Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry

24. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

Don’t miss these other book lists for kids!

Get more ideas for raising readers on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

Our Third Grade Homeschool Reading List

September 23, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When I was in elementary school many years ago (I have no intention of saying how many years ago), I remember third grade as being a kind of pivot point in my early education. In our first grade reading and second grade reading classes, we read lots of books, but they were mostly easy readers and a few small chapter books.

In third grade, though, our reading levels jumped quite a bit and I started to read books that really stayed with me. I can even remember some of the read-aloud sessions we had in the classroom. (You know the ones where you have to sit cross-legged on the floor around the teacher? Those.)

So I wanted to introduce my third grader to some of those same classic children’s books, while introducing him to some newer works that are just as good. Here’s a look at the third grade homeschool reading list we’re using for this school year!

Image c/o: kwanchaidp / Deposit Photos

Our Third Grade Homeschool Reading List

Our plan is to read one of these each month and do some activities. As we work through the list, we’ll be sharing our ideas with you all!

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl – Here are some Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ideas and activities you might enjoy!

3. Ramona Quimby, Age 8

4. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

5. The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

7. El Deafo by Cece Bell

8. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

9. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

10. Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

11. Frindle by Andrew Clements

12. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

Do you have any favorites that you read with your kids in third grade? Share your suggestions in the comments!

Check out these other homeschool reading lists!

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

50 Gorgeous Fall Books for Kids to Treasure

August 22, 2016 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

Can you smell it? That’s the smell of fall in the air!

Fall is my absolute favorite season of all. The air gets cooler, the leaves start to turn colors, and you just feel like baking delicious food and snuggling up with family. It’s beautiful.

So what better time is there to read gorgeous picture books with the kids? Get your kids ready for the autumn with these 50 beautiful fall books for kids! They’re packed with lovely illustrations and heartwarming stories children will love!

There are a TON of ways to make fall into a learning experience with children. Check out this list of 50 free fall printables for kids and pick up a set of our free Leaf Identification Flashcards or our Fall Printable Reading Journal for Kids!

BONUS! Want to keep track of all the fall books for kids you read this autumn? Grab the printable fall booklist for kids further down in this post!

50 Gorgeous Fall Books for Kids to Treasure

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Raising readers is an important part of our homeschooling journey. We want our kids to be able to read, not just for school, but for life.

Since fall is such a cozy season for families, I thought these beautiful fall books for kids would be awesome to share with you all. I hope you love them as much as we do!

1. I See Fall Leaves: First Step Nonfiction – Observing Fall by Mari Schuh
2. Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley
3. Little Critter: The Fall Festival by Mercer Mayer
4. Jump Into Fall! by Gareth Llewhellin
5. Fall Walk by Virginia Brimhall Snow
6. The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. by Kate Messner
7. Poppleton in Fall by Cynthia Rylant
8. I Watch Fall Harvests: First Step Nonfiction – Observing Fall by Mary Lindeen

9. I See Fall! by Charles Ghigna
10. Hello Kitty, Hello Fall! by Sanrio
11. Fall Leaves by Don L. Curry
12. Fall is For Friends by Suzy Spafford
13. It’s Fall! (The Four Seasons) by Celeste Bishop
14. Animals in Fall (Preparing for Winter) by Martha E.H. Rustad
15. How Do You Know It’s Fall? (Rookie Read-About Science) by Lisa M. Herrington
16. Peppa’s Windy Fall Day (Peppa Pig) by Scholastic

17. Fall Leaves (My First Hello Reader) by Mary Packard
18. Leaves Fall Down: Learning about Fall Leaves by Lisa Bullard
19. Counting on Fall (Math in Nature) by Lizann Flatt
20. I Love Fall! (A Touch and Feel Board Book) by Allison Inches
21. It’s Fall (Celebrate the Seasons) by Linda Glaser
22. Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka
23. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
24. Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
25. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro

See more gorgeous fall books for kids and score your free printable fall booklist on page 2!

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25 Kids’ Books about Camping

August 19, 2016 by Selena Robinson 5 Comments

Are you planning a camping trip this year? Get your kids excited for the trip with these fun kids books about camping!

Honestly, I’ve never been camping. My parents weren’t really outdoor-sy and, frankly, the thought of sleeping outdoors doesn’t thrill me either.

But my kids have said that they want to try it, so the hubs and I agreed to rent a cabin in the woods as a first step in that direction. Our trip is next week, so these books are right on time!

One of the things I’m looking forward to the most is just spending some quiet time with the family without outside distractions.

No hectic schedules, no other commitments, no working – just chill family time. If you’re a camping expert, please share your tried-and-true tips for making it an awesome outing!

And if you’re looking for more beautiful kids’ books for your family, don’t miss this list of beach books kids will love!

25 Kids’ Books about Camping

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.1. Maisy Goes Camping: A Maisy First Experience Book

2. The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book: 448 Great Things to Do in Nature Before You Grow Up

3. Flat Stanley Goes Camping

4. S is for S’mores: A Camping Alphabet

5. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters

6. Curious George Goes Camping

7. Camping Catastrophe! (Ready, Freddy #14)

8. Camp Daze Mad Libs

9.Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems

10. Camping Fun Sticker Activity Book

11. When We Go Camping

12. Peppa Pig and the Camping Trip

13. The Berenstain Bears Blaze a Trail

14. Claire’s Cursed Camping Trip

15. Humphrey’s Creepy-Crawly Camping Adventure

16. The Kids’ Campfire Book: Official Book of Campfire Fun

17. Camp Out!: The Ultimate Kids’ Guide

18. Fred and Ted Go Camping

19. Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping

20. A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee

21. Llama Llama Loves Camping

22. Good Night, Campsite

23. A Campfire Tail

24. Froggy Goes to Camp

25. 1, 2, 3 – Make a S’more With Me

Don’t miss these other book lists for kids!

This post is part of the Camping Kids Unit Study roundup! Click over to read more camping themed posts!

Camping Writing Worksheets – My Joy-Filled Life
Camping Hacks for Kids – FrogMom
Homemade Firestarters – Schooling a Monkey

Books about Dolphins for Kids

July 28, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve been learning about dolphins lately and I wanted to add a few more great books about dolphins for the kids to enjoy.

So – here are several books about dolphins for kids that are filled with fascinating facts, beautiful pictures, and learning ideas to help your children get to know these marine mammals!

If you want to try more ocean-themed learning resources for your kids, check out our list of 25 beach crafts and our roundup of summer books for kids!

Books about Dolphins for Kids

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1. Dolphins – Step Into Reading!

2. How to Speak Dolphin in Three Easy Lessons

3. Everything Dolphin: What Kids Really Want to Know about Dolphins

4. In My Ocean

5. Amazing Dolphins (I Can Read Level 2)

6. Dolphins: Amazing Pictures & Fun Facts on Animals in Nature

7. Hope for Winter: The True Story of a Remarkable Dolphin Friendship

8. How to Speak Dolphin

9. Dolphin Baby!

10. Dolphins at Daybreak (Magic Tree House #9)

11. Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again

12. National Geographic Kids: Everything Dolphins

13. I Can Read: Dolphin

14. National Geographic Readers: Dive, Dolphin!

15. Smithsonian: Dolphins

16. Sharks and Dolphins: A Compare and Contrast Book

17. DK Readers Level 1: Diving Dolphin

18. Do Dolphins Really Smile? (Penguin Young Readers, Level 3)

19. Amazing Animals: Dolphins

20. Wild Sea Creatures: Sharks, Whales, and Dolphins! (Wild Kratts)

Learn even more about dolphins with our Dolphins Unit Study!

Don’t miss these other kids’ book lists!

And be sure to follow our Reading for Kids board on Pinterest for more great book lists!

Picture Books about Hawaii

July 18, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

My three-year-old has really gotten into reading lately. Which is a wonderful thing!

She loves looking at pictures and tracing her fingers under the words. Of course, she’s making up her own story or reciting some from memory, but that’s okay. She’s pre-reading and I’m thrilled!

We’ve been studying about the beach a lot lately, so I thought we’d take a look at a gorgeous book we received from my brother: Pulelehua and Mamaki. Since the story takes place on Hawai’i, I thought I’d round up some other beautiful picture books about Hawaii that are fun for kids to explore!

Picture Books about Hawaii

Pulelehua and Mamaki is the story of a Mamaki tree that serves as the home to a Kamehameha butterfly named Pulelehua. A butterfly mother laid her egg on one of the tree’s leaves and that caterpillar grew up to become Pulelehua.

Later, when Pulelehua lays an egg, she chooses the same Mamaki tree to watch over her baby. And when her egg hatches, grows into a caterpillar, and transforms into a full-grown Kamehameha butterfly, Mamaki the tree promises to watch over it too.

It’s a truly lovely story filled with native Hawaiian terms and absolutely beautiful illustrations.

As part of the Read Around the World Summer Series, I’m sharing my book summary below!

Be sure to check out the wonderful multicultural kids’ books that have been reviewed this summer!

While I’m sharing my appreciation for Pulelehua and Mamaki, I thought I’d mention a few other picture books about Hawaii that are gorgeous for children to read!

Want to spend more time learning about the beach with kids? Try these learning ideas!

Get more ideas for making reading fun with my Reading for Kids board on Pinterest!

Books about Turtles for Kids

June 28, 2016 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago, we shared a Turtles Unit Study. So I thought I’d keep the fun going with a list of fun books about turtles for kids that you and your little ones will love reading together!

Naturally, any booklist about turtles has to include little Franklin. 🙂 But there are also a few contemporary classics and some non-fiction selections in the list too! If I missed any of your favorites, let me know in the comments!

Books about Turtles for Kids

Learn more about turtles for kids with our Turtles Unit Study!

Plus, get our Tiny Turtles Prewriting Pack – free!

Want more books for children? Follow my Reading for Kids board on Pinterest!

25 of The Best Beach Books for Kids

June 10, 2016 by Selena Robinson 5 Comments

Summer’s here and we’re getting into a “beachy” frame of mind around here.

I’m from Florida and I absolutely adore the beach, so for this book roundup, I decided to feature the best beach books for kids!

There are books for toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary-aged kids to look at, read, and enjoy.

What I love about these books is that they focus on the beach itself, not just stories that take place there. So, if you’re doing a beach unit soon, these are excellent reading choices!

If your kids enjoy reading these, check out some other summer reads, including some cool ice cream books for kids!

25 of the Best Beach Books for Kids

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1. At the Beach by Anne Rockwell

2. Beach by Elisha Cooper

3. Hello Ocean by Pam Muñoz Ryan

4. Beach Day by Karen Roosa

5. Curious George Goes to the Beach by H.A. Rey

6. Hide and Seek Harry at the Beach by Kenny Harrison

7. Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach by James Dean

8. If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach – Don’t! by Elise Parsley

9. Llama, Llama, Sand and Sun by Anna Dewdley

10. A Day at the Seashore by Kathryn Jackson

11. Fancy Nancy: Sand Castles and Sand Palaces by Jane O’Connor

12. How Will We Get to the Beach? by Brigitte Luciani

13. Duck and Goose Go to the Beach by Tad Hills

14. Beach Baby by Laurie Elmquist

15. On My Beach (Felt Finger Puppet Board Books) by Sara Gillingham

16. Beach Bugs: A Sunny Pop-Up Book by David A. Carter

17. Ladybug Girl At the Beach by David Soman

18. Daniel’s Day At the Beach (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) by Becky Friedman

19. Biscuit’s First Beach Day by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

20. Clam-I-Am!: All About the Beach (Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library) by Tish Rabe

21. Daisy Dawson At the Beach by Steve Voake

22. Beach House by Deanna Caswell

23. A Beach Tail by Karen Williams

24. Scaredy Squirrel At the Beach by Melanie Watt

25. Beach Day by Karen Roosa

Need more beach fun? Don’t miss these posts!

This post is part of the Beach Unit Study blog hop! Check out more awesome beach posts below!

Beach Letter Find Printables from 3 Boys and a Dog

Ocean Books for Kids from The Jenny Evolution

Songs About The Beach from Tales of Education at Home

5 Ways to Learn at the Beach from The Usual Mayhem

Beach Scavenger Hunt Printable from CraftCreateCalm

“At the Beach” Emergent Reader from The Letters of Literacy

Sand Pail and Shovel Alphabet Match from The Kindergarten Connection

Beach Letter Dot Printables from Living Life and Learning.com

Colorful Sand Paintings from Schooling a Monkey

Sand Science Experiment from iGameMom

15 Things to Do at the Beach with Kids from FrogMom

Easy Egg Carton Sea Creatures from Homeschool Preschool

Beach Mystery Bag from Bambini Travel

Printable Beach Bingo Cards from Year Round Homeschooling

Beach Pail 1-20 Number Recognition from Something 2 Offer

Homeschool Unit Studies: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Unit Study

May 14, 2016 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Springtime is an excellent season to talk about weather. Spring pretty much has it all: cold weather in the beginning, windy days, thunderstorms, light drizzles, rainbows, sunshine, and (down here in the South) high temperatures!

Since one of our family movie night features last year was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, we made it into a weather unit featuring the story and weather activities! Check out our Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs unit study – one of our fun homeschool unit studies!

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Unit Study

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Of course, we started by reading the story Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett.

As you probably know, the book features a tall tale told by a grandpa about a town called Chewandswallow – where food literally rained down from the sky. At first, everything was nice and predictable, but something awful happened and the town became deluged with food that drowned, crushed, and ruined everything. People had to escape on stale pieces of bread. It was pretty rough. 🙂

Since the book centers on the concept of weather, we decided to start our unit with some simple weather charting. I got this simple weather observation chart from the Notebooking Nook. (It’s free!)

On the chart, you can note the forecast for each day of the upcoming week.

Then you do a comparison to see if the actual weather is close to the forecast.

Ours ended up being pretty close. What I really like about this chart is that you can use actual temperature readings, weather words, or just let the kids draw pictures. It’s easy to adapt it for everyone’s level.

We also started talking about some common weather phenomena. These resources are super handy:

After our discussion about weather, we watched the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

And that sparked a lively discussion about how books often differ from their movie versions. The movie was wayyyy different, but still good. Plus, it featured a wonderful message for young girls to be comfortable with themselves, even if they’re “nerdy”. I loved it.

Of course, you can always make spaghetti and meatballs with your kids. 🙂

For more weather learning fun, check out these weather lessons for kids!

And to learn more about what makes up a town, grab our Spanish community word flashcards!

Don’t miss all of our other unit study resources on Pinterest!

Get more ideas for learning about weather from these great bloggers!

DIY Weather Binoculars – Adventures of Adam

Books about Weather for Kids – Craft Create Calm

Cloud Formations Tracking Log – Teach Beside Me

Free Weather Chart – Kiddy Charts

Traveling to Countries with Tropical Weather with a Toddler – Maria Magdalena Living Ideas

This post is part of the Movie and a Big Idea linkup from iHomeschool Network! Click over to read more movie-themed activities for kids!

Fun Frog Books for Preschool

May 13, 2016 by Selena Robinson 13 Comments

Are you planning a frog homeschool unit study for your kids soon? Be sure to add in reading! And this roundup of fun frog books for preschool is awesome for helping little learners practice reading skills, learn about frogs, and have fun at the same time!

I’m also sharing lots of frog unit study resources from my fellow bloggers that are perfect for rounding out a frog unit! Read on to grab them!