With Easter past and so many kids on spring break, it is finally starting to feel like Spring around here. As we contemplate what to plant in the garden and dust off the grill, I have started stocking up on Springtime books at the library. Â Below are some of our favorite kids books for Spring and they can all be found on our Good Reads for Kids Pinterest board. Plus a fun outdoor activity to try as the days get warmer from our Summertime board.
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And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano echoes the impatience that many of us feel while waiting for the weather to turn warm and the earth to turn green. A young boy plants some seeds in his garden and then checks on them every day, only to find that the earth remains brown. He begins to worry that they will never sprout, but one day, suddenly, it is spring! The last pages of this book perfectly capture the jubilant beauty of a fresh spring morning.
The Bear wants More is part of the delightful Bear series of books by Karma Wilson which begins with
The Bear Snores On. In
The Bear Wants More, Bear wakes up from his winter’s sleep with a huge appetite. His friends help him seek out the tastiest foods to fill his tummy, but when his feast is over, will he still fit in his den? A good book for introducing the concept of hibernation to little ones. We also enjoyed looking for different signs of spring on each page (green shoots, crocuses, butterflies, buds on the trees, etc.).
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Although this book never actually uses the word “spring”, the classic tale
Make way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey is a wonderful springtime read. Reading about the ducks as they prepare for their babies and then lay and incubate the eggs is a great introduction to spring animal behavior. Besides, it is one of the most popular picture books of all time for a good reason – kids love it!
Nikki McClure has long been one of our favorite illustrators with her gorgeous paper cut illustrations so I was delighted to discover her book
Mama, Is it Summer Yet?, about a child waiting for signs of spring and then summer. The book starts in the cold winter with a child looking longingly out the window as his mittens dry on the radiator. Each page creeps closer and closer to summer with the weather turning warmer and the sun shining brighter. Flowers start to bloom, swallows build nests and the garden begins to sprout until, finally summer arrives with strawberries and a dip in the pool.
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The days have just begun to warm up here in Colorado and we still often awake to cold temperatures, and even snow! But we take advantage of every moment of sunny weather by getting outside to bask in the warmth. I perused the Pi’ikea Street
Summertime board on Pinterest to find a warm weather activity. Yesterday, I made some of this sidewalk paint from
 aprettycoollife.com for my daughter to try out and it was a big hit. She was getting a little bored with her sidewalk chalk so the paint made a nice change. I would definitely recommend using foam brushes, as they dripped less than regular bristle paintbrushes and retained the paint better.
Happy Spring! We hope you are enjoying the wonderful weather as much as we are!
