6 Children’s Books on Nature and Science – with Activity Guides!
Sharing books together is a great way to introduce young minds to a diverse range of ideas! This children’s book list features developmentally-appropriate titles for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children, all centered on the wonders of nature and scientific exploration. Through these storybooks, children are immersed in an engaging learning environment that nurtures their curiosity and provides a strong foundation for scientific thinking, math thinking, and more.
To enhance each book-sharing experience, we’ve included an activity guide that is specific to each title on this list. These guides include helpful book-sharing tips and conversation starters, vocabulary words to practice, and easy-to-follow instructions for fun activities you can enjoy using common household items.
Reading, talking, and playing with babies and toddlers expands their vocabulary and comprehension. Engaging in these activities with preschool-aged children helps build critical thinking and self-regulation skills, and much more. Best of all, playing and learning together builds confidence and strengthens loving bonds. Open a book and start exploring today!
Up to my Knees!
Written and Illustrated by Grace Lin
In Spring, Mei is planting a sunflower in her garden. She sprouts the seeds, plants the sprouted seeds into the soil, waters them, and watches them grow. Will the plant grow up to her knees or taller than her?
Age level: 1 – 3
Talking Tip: Mei grows a sunflower in her garden. If you grow something, share with and show your child about what you’ve been growing. If you haven’t grown anything yet, ask your child what they would like to grow.
Future Engineer
Written by Lori Alexander
Illustrated by Allison Black
Did you know babies and engineers have a lot in common? Just like engineers, babies are very curious, ask questions, love to build things, and solve problems!
Age level: 1 – 3
Talking Tip: Engineers design and build. Do you like to build? (Answer your question by talking about whether you like to build and if so, what kinds of things you like to build.)
The Touch Book
Written by Nicola Edwards
Illustrated by Thomas Elliott
This book engages children with the natural world through the sense of touch. In this hands-on book, children can touch a sheep’s fluffy fleece, run their finger along a crinkly piece of corrugated cardboard, and scrape the rough tree bark while learning about the natural world around them.
Age level: 1 – 3
Talking Tip: Look at the cover of The Touch Book. Point out the objects one by one and ask your child to share their observations about their texture.
The Most Magnificent Thing
Written and Illustrated by Ashley Spires
This book is about a girl who sets out to make the ‘most magnificent thing.’ Although she clearly imagines how this thing will look and work, she runs into difficulties translating her vision into reality. After trying and failing (and feeling frustrated) many times, the girl finally manages to get it just right.
Age level: 4 – 6
Talking Tip: In this book, we see how it takes the girl several tries to make the most magnificent thing. What do you think she learned from each time that she tried and failed to make it?
One Little Lot
Written by Diane C. Mullen
Illustrated by Oriol Vidal
This counting book showcases how a community comes together to clean up an abandoned lot and transform it into a community garden. As the garden grows, neighbors and strangers become friends, eventually sharing in a special feast with their harvest bounty.
Age level: 4 – 6
Talking Tip: In this book, an empty lot is transformed into a garden. How does this change happen? If you had a garden, what would you grow?
What Can You Do With a Rock?
Written by Pat Zietlow Miller
Illustrated by Katie Kath
A fun, adventurous story to learn about what rocks can do and where to find them. You can skip them in the pond or stream, drop them to the ground and see where they take you, create art on them, sort them by their color, size, shape, or texture, but most of all, you can share them with your friends and start your own rock collection.
Age level: 4 – 6
Talking Tip: After sharing the book with your child, ask them which activity they want to try that is mentioned in the book? Why did they like that particular activity?
Download our activity guide for What Can You Do With a Rock?
