It's spring! Or as this homeschool mom thinks of it, spring book season!
So many of us are relieved to have made it through this winter and reap the rewards of longer days, warmer weather, outdoor grilling, maybe some backyard camping, and of course, flowers that start peeking through the earth.
Book lover that I am, I always use this opportunity to spring clean our bookshelves too, and add some new children's books about spring. It's just one of the ways we learn about nature together, and always an enjoyable one.
So this year, I'm planning to grab some of these newer children's books about spring from our library, to pique their curiosity and excitement before we head outdoors, and maybe see if any are worth buying so we can read them over and over, in any season..
The Wisdom of Trees
The trees outside our windows are just starting to wake up after a long winter, and I'm completely fascinated by the revelations (to me, at least) about the ways they work together, in The Wisdom of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom by Lita Judge (Amazon, Indiebound). There's a reason this is a #1 new release for children right now!
My kids might think trees or pretty or enjoy swinging from them, and they know how photosynthesis generally works. But my goodness, the complex ways they communicate with each other (yes, really!), work together to protect their saplings, and thrive on diversity are mind-blowing and this new children's book about spring just brings it to life beautifully..
Veggie Power
My kids like to help me in the garden each spring, so we excitedly flipping through the pages of the beautifully illustrated new book Veggie Power by Annette Roemer and Olaf Hajek (Amazon, Indiebound) we received from the publishers for review. Each page highlights one or more vegetables and tells interesting facts about the food...or fun tidbits related to the food. Like, did you know there would be no James Bond movies without broccoli? Producer Albert Broccoli, that is. Ha.
Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature
I feel like it's getting harder to convince our kids to take time to just go out and explore nature with no agenda (or assignment or grades), which is why I love the new book about spring for kids. Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams and Freya Hartas (Amazon, Indiebound), It doesn't give kids activities to go and do; instead, it captures in lovely illustration 50 moments that happen, whether we see them or not. Bees pollinate flowers. Rainbows appear behind clouds. Sunflowers turn their big faces to track the sun.
Chances are, after flipping through this one your child will be inspired to catch some of these moments happening themselves.
Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up
Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up by Sean Taylor and Alex Morss, and illustrated by Cinyee Chiu (Amazon, Indiebound) is such a lovely celebration of the season, I'm so excited to have found it. Told from the perspective of a child, the story describes the first warm day after winter that her family goes out to prepare their garden, and how excited the children are for the work to be done.
I particularly like that in the back, there is a section of non-fiction information to encourage your child to explore and learn even more about nature in springtime than they might get from a single picture book.
Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids
For my last recommendation for a new 2021 book about spring for kids, I've got one that will really get them outside. And you too!
If you'd like to get more hands-on in nature with your kids, but you aren't exactly a naturalist yourself, then Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids by Kristine Brown (Amazon, Indiebound) is a fantastic starting point. And not as dry as you might think from the title -- though the illustrations should give you a sense of how engaging it is.
The book is divided into 5 subjects — sky, ground, water, bugs, and animals — and includes 20 lessons, activities, and journal prompts for you to work through together. It's a fun, active way to learn about nature alongside your kids, and if you're looking for homeschooling projects or educational ideas around science that get them outside, you could absolutely use this book as a school science text with younger kids.
Related: 9 more wonderful children's books to help you welcome spring
This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission from certain purchases to help support the work we do at no additional cost to you. You can find all these books at Amazon, your local library, our our favorite, your local independent bookstore/ Indiebound. 5 wonderful new children's books about springThe Wisdom of Trees
The trees outside our windows are just starting to wake up after a long winter, and I'm completely fascinated by the revelations (to me, at least) about the ways they work together, in The Wisdom of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom by Lita Judge (Amazon, Indiebound). There's a reason this is a #1 new release for children right now!
My kids might think trees or pretty or enjoy swinging from them, and they know how photosynthesis generally works. But my goodness, the complex ways they communicate with each other (yes, really!), work together to protect their saplings, and thrive on diversity are mind-blowing and this new children's book about spring just brings it to life beautifully..
Veggie Power
My kids like to help me in the garden each spring, so we excitedly flipping through the pages of the beautifully illustrated new book Veggie Power by Annette Roemer and Olaf Hajek (Amazon, Indiebound) we received from the publishers for review. Each page highlights one or more vegetables and tells interesting facts about the food...or fun tidbits related to the food. Like, did you know there would be no James Bond movies without broccoli? Producer Albert Broccoli, that is. Ha.
Related: 11 fun and easy flower crafts for kids to make this spring.
Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature
I feel like it's getting harder to convince our kids to take time to just go out and explore nature with no agenda (or assignment or grades), which is why I love the new book about spring for kids. Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams and Freya Hartas (Amazon, Indiebound), It doesn't give kids activities to go and do; instead, it captures in lovely illustration 50 moments that happen, whether we see them or not. Bees pollinate flowers. Rainbows appear behind clouds. Sunflowers turn their big faces to track the sun.
Chances are, after flipping through this one your child will be inspired to catch some of these moments happening themselves.
Related: Free spring coloring pages. Use all the colors!
Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up
Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up by Sean Taylor and Alex Morss, and illustrated by Cinyee Chiu (Amazon, Indiebound) is such a lovely celebration of the season, I'm so excited to have found it. Told from the perspective of a child, the story describes the first warm day after winter that her family goes out to prepare their garden, and how excited the children are for the work to be done.
I particularly like that in the back, there is a section of non-fiction information to encourage your child to explore and learn even more about nature in springtime than they might get from a single picture book.
Related: Get dirty this summer with 52 cool gardening project for kids
Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids
For my last recommendation for a new 2021 book about spring for kids, I've got one that will really get them outside. And you too!
If you'd like to get more hands-on in nature with your kids, but you aren't exactly a naturalist yourself, then Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids by Kristine Brown (Amazon, Indiebound) is a fantastic starting point. And not as dry as you might think from the title -- though the illustrations should give you a sense of how engaging it is.
The book is divided into 5 subjects — sky, ground, water, bugs, and animals — and includes 20 lessons, activities, and journal prompts for you to work through together. It's a fun, active way to learn about nature alongside your kids, and if you're looking for homeschooling projects or educational ideas around science that get them outside, you could absolutely use this book as a school science text with younger kids.
