Virtual Book Club Archives - The Educators' Spin On It https://theeducatorsspinonit.com Learning Games and Activities Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:58:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/cropped-site-icon-32x32.jpg Virtual Book Club Archives - The Educators' Spin On It https://theeducatorsspinonit.com 32 32 Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Activities https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/chicka-chicka-boom-boom-letter/ https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/chicka-chicka-boom-boom-letter/#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2013/09/chicka-chicka-boom-boom-letter-activities-virtual-book-club.html A fun stamping activity for learning letters with the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Grab some paper and stamps and let’s get started with this fine motor activity for your child. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is one of my most favorite books to start the school year […]

The post Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Activities appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> A fun stamping activity for learning letters with the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Grab some paper and stamps and let’s get started with this fine motor activity for your child.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is one of my most favorite books to start the school year off with for children in early childhood classroom and in your home while working with toddlers and preschoolers.  

It’s all about having fun with the english language and with the alphabet!  It’s also the quickest way to see what letters your child knows and needs to learn.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and Joh Archambault

Chicka Chicka ABC (Chicka Chicka Book, A)

Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 (Chicka Chicka Book, A)

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Activities

Here are several Chicka Chicka Boom Boom letter activities for your child to explore the alphabet. Have fun with your coconut tree!

How to Make a Coconut Tree for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Story

Paper Towel Roll or rolled up brown construction paper makes the perfect tree. Then attach some green palm branches for the palm frawns.  If you have alphabet stickers you can attach them to the tree as you tell the story.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree Letter Stamping

One a light colored sheet of paper have your child glue a brown stem for the trunk of the palm tree and create 3 to 5 green palm tree branches to glue on top of the trunk.  Once the glue is draw encourage your child to stamp with ABC stamps.  

I found mine for $1 at Michaels or the Dollar Spot at Target.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letters Manipulatives

We found a little bag of letters from Creatology at Michaels but any little letters or magnetic letters would be fun to retell the story with.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Snack Time

Using Graham Crackers and Alphabet Cereal or Alphabet Crafts by Cheese It you can create a snack Apples work perfect for the Palm tree Limbs.  Use raisins for the coconuts!

You can also make this delicious Coconut Bread Recipe for Kids!

A fun way to explore Chicka chicka boom boom letter activities with your child.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Song

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom… and More Fun with Letters and Numbers (Scholastic Storybook Treasures)

This is a fun little song created by Scholastic to play in the background while you’re crafting and snacking!  It’s available at Amazon.  Here’s the link Chicka Chicka Boom Boom DVD.  

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Book Cover featured Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

What is your favorite Chicka Chicka Boom Boom letter activity? SHARE

Want more ideas for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom? Try these…

Sidewalk Chalk drawing of coconut tree with letters on it inspired by the book Chicka chicka Boom Boom
Chicka chicka Boom Boom activities for kids
30+ Alphabet Activities for Kids
The post Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Activities appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/chicka-chicka-boom-boom-letter/feed/ 4 The Best Summer Books for Kids https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/best-summer-books-for-kids/ Sun, 18 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/?p=65008 The best collection of Summer Books for Kids to read! Explore fun summer themes through popular children’s books with your child this summer. Plus we’ve included some summer activity and craft ideas too. Let’s get ready for a book-filled summer! Summer Books for Kids Summer for me is a time to READ READ READ with […]

The post The Best Summer Books for Kids appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> The best collection of Summer Books for Kids to read! Explore fun summer themes through popular children’s books with your child this summer. Plus we’ve included some summer activity and craft ideas too.

Let’s get ready for a book-filled summer!

The best collection of summer books for kids.

Summer Books for Kids

Summer for me is a time to READ READ READ with my kids. We make lots of trips to the library and grab all sorts of books to read together. My kids have a chance to pick new things to learn about. They visit familiar and loved books.

We also have the chance to make themed weeks that are full of themed books that we enjoy together. I’ve put together book lists based on these fun summer themes for you. You may also want to explore the America Library Association Summer Reading List.

I’ve collected for you a list of summer themed books that I think you’ll love. You can click in the table of content for each summer book theme to find my top picks of books.

Summer is a time to explore our world and our backyards together. Happy Summer Reading!

Summer Reading Challenge for Kids

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Summer

Welcome the beginning of summer with this adorable books about summer for your child. Summer is a time for swimming, camping, ice cream and outdoor fun with friends and cousins.

ACTIVITY: Take a Summer Virtual Field Trip with kids!

4th of July

Celebrate America’s Independence Day with these patriotic children’s books. Learn about various symbols of America and celebrate the 4th of July with your child.

ACTIVITY: Here’s a delicious 4th of July snack idea the kids can make for their patriotic book fun.

Father’s Day

Father’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June. Here are some heartwarming stories about dads to read together.

ACTIVITY: Make an adorable Father’s Day craft to go along with these books about Dad.

Ice Cream

Summer and ice cream go hand in hand. Here are some delicious stories all about ice cream.

Take a look at our list of the Best Ice Cream Books for kids for more recommendations.

ACTIVITY: Host your own ice cream fun this summer with this ice cream math playdate.

Water & Swimming

Kids and water are like magnets. Here are some fun children’s books that are all about swimming. Are you ready to dive into summer reading?

Explore the best collection of water books for kids here.

ACTIVITY: You can explore these fun water themed activities to expand your water reading.

Ocean

The fun part about summer break is that we have a little more time to travel. One top destination to enjoy is the beach. Here are some fun children’s books about the ocean for your child to explore and learn about sea animals.

There are so many great Ocean Books for kids. We have a large guide to help you find adorable ocean themed books for each sea creature. Explore here…

ACTIVITY: Create your own Ocean Puppet Show or make this open-ended fish art project.

Sharks

Each summer there’s a special week called Shark Week hosted by the Discovery Channel. It’s time to raise awareness of conservation efforts and correct misconceptions about sharks. Here are some great shark books that help kids learn more about these fascinating and important animals of the sea.

Want more? Explore our large collection of Shark Books for Kids!

ACTIVITY: Make a Shark Themed Craft or watch an art lesson about how to draw sharks.

Seashells

There’s something quite magical about summers and exploring the sandy shorelines to discover seashells with your child. There are so many special things our children can learn from shell collecting. Here are a few seashell books that share about this.

ACTIVITY: Make this colorful watercolor seashell craft or play a shell themed literacy game.

Mermaids

With exploring the oceans we enter into the magical world of mermaids. Here are some classic stories for kids about mermaids to read together.

ACTIVITY: You can make your own mermaid necklace or mermaid clothespin craft.

Pirates

Ahoy there! Summer time and beach fun naturally draws our imagatination to pirates. Here are some tales for your little pirate.

ACTIVITY: Make your own pirate book basket filled with activities and fun for summer.

STEM

Take time this summer to explore STEM concepts with your child through books about science, technology, engineering, and math. We’ve picked some of our favorite STEM books for kids.

Want more? Explore this collection of STEM Books for Kids.

ACTIVITY: Get ready to do one of our STEM Challenges for kids.

Balls and Sports

Head outside for summer fun! These books are all about balls! Are you ready for a ball game?

Take a look at the Best Ball Books for Kids! Explore our Summer Olympic Book Picks too!

ACTIVITY:

Juneteenth

“Juneteenth – also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, LiberationDay, and Emancipation Day – is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of African Americans who had been enslaved in the United States. Although the emancipation proclamation was signed almost two and a half years earlier, the news of this important decision didn’t reach Texas until June 19th, 1865.

Now, Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19th and has become a time for celebration. People honor Juneteenth in many ways from parties and parades to memorials and lessons. However it’s celebrated, it’s a time to share stories of resilience, resistance, and liberation, and to uplift Black joy. ” –National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Early Childhood Education Initiative Team.

Here’s a guide for how to talk to kids about Juneteenth from the Smithsonian.

ACTIVITY: Here are four ways to Celebrate Juneteenth with kids.

Alligators

With younger kids having a week filled with fun about a specific animal can be lots of fun. We think alligators are the perfect choice for this. Here are our favorite alligator books for kids.

ACTIVITY: Let’s get crafty after reading these alligator books with a few fun Alligator Crafts and Activities.

Bugs

One step into the backyard and at times it’s a bug zoo for your child. Summer is the perfect time to learn more about insects with your child. Here are our favorite bug books for kids.

You can find our top picks of ladybug books, butterfly books and bee books for more book suggestions.

ACTIVITY: Have some fun with literacy and bugs with this letter bugs craft. You may want to even raise your own praying mantis, ladybugs, or butterflies this summer.

Sun and Solar Energy

Our longest days are in summer which makes it nice to get outdoors with the kids. Summer is the perfect time to learn more about the sun and solar energy with your child. Here’s our top picks of books about the sun.

ACTIVITY: Learn more about sun and solar power with these Solar Science Experiments for kids.

Rainforest

Go on an adventure to the rainforest this summer with these adorable books. Learning about all the life that a rainforest contains can be such fun with your child. Plus ways to learn how to help protect our planet with these precious ecosystems.

ACTIVITY: Take a Virtual Field Trip to the Rain Forest with your child.

Camping

Summertime can be a fun time for families to go camping. Here are some adventures books all about camping for kids. Keep in mind sometimes even the best tents can be a blanket fort inside for summer fun.

ACTIVITY: Let’s set up a tent for camping with these 10 Tent Activities.

Watermelon

Watermelon is such a summer classic! Here are our favorite books about watermelon to read with your child this summer.

ACTIVITY: Go on a Virtual Field Trip to a Watermelon Farm!

Gardening

Gardens are in full growing mode during the summer. It’s the perfect time to plant and learn with your child. Here are our top picks of gardening books for kids. What will you grow in your backyard this summer?

Want more? Take a look at these Gardening Books for Kids.

ACTIVITY: Head to the garden to learn and explore 30+ Garden Activities for Kids.

Art

Summer break is the perfect time to do more art with your child and to learn about famous artists and their famous pieces of art. Here are our top picks of art books for kids.

ACTIVITY: Looking for a few art projects this summer? Try these popular art resources for teaching art to kids.

Cooking

Head to the kitchen this summer with the kids and help your child learn to cook. Here are our top picks of books about food and even some fun recipes for kids to make.

ACTIVITY: Want more ideas for the kitchen? Explore these book inspired recipes for kids and our collection kids recipes for summer fun.

The best collection of summer books for kids.

Building a Summer Library for Your Child

As you head to the library or your local bookstore this summer be sure that you take notice of the books you’re chosen as you build a diverse library. There are so many options available compared to when I started teaching nearly 30 years ago.

Books can be such a fun way to teach and celebrate diversity and explore our world, especially during summer vacation.

Summer Calendar Bundle for Kids. Includes June, July, August Activity Calendars, Summer Themed Book List, Summer Reading Challenge, Summer Virtual Field Trips and Log, First Day of Summer Interviews, Summer Planner and more

Summer Themed Activity Bundle for Kids

This collection of books are a perfect match with our summer calendar for kids. You can download summer activities for June, July and August with this summer activities guide.

This summer bundle includes a Summer Reading Challenge, Printable Summer Book List, Summer Virtual Field Trips and more! Learn more about this summer activity bundle…

The post The Best Summer Books for Kids appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Lacing Letters Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/lacing-letters-inspired-by-very-hungry/ https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/lacing-letters-inspired-by-very-hungry/#comments Sun, 06 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2015/05/lacing-letters-inspired-by-the-very-hungry-caterpillar.html We’re learning about letters today with a little inspiration from author Eric Carle. See how quickly you can create this hungry caterpillar lacing letters activity. Adding an element from a book can create a hands-on opportunity for your child to learn. This month we’re featuring activities by Eric Carle in our Virtual Book Club for Kids.  Here’s what […]

The post Lacing Letters Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> We’re learning about letters today with a little inspiration from author Eric Carle. See how quickly you can create this hungry caterpillar lacing letters activity. Adding an element from a book can create a hands-on opportunity for your child to learn.

This month we’re featuring activities by Eric Carle in our Virtual Book Club for Kids. 
Here’s what we created to share with you.

caterpillar on letter A for lacing caterpillar activity for preschoolers

My preschooler is beginning to share an interest in letters. This activity works with your child on identifying the shapes of letters with straight lines and curves and slanted lines to help them learn to memorize the outlines of letters. Using string and a very hungry caterpillar they work their way around the letters.

Here’s how we made this activity.

Lacing Letters Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Caterpillar Lacing Letters

Objective: to identify letters of the alphabet

Materials:

This post contains affiliate links

Lacing Letters Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Directions

Create outlines of Alphabet Letters in upper case and/or lower case. Here’s a printable version of alphabet letter outlines if needed.

Lacing Letters Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Cover letters with contact paper or packaging tape for stability.
(Or if you have foam letters that are starting to wear down you could punch holes in those)

Create a holes on each alphabet letter for the caterpillar to go through. I would encourage you to do this with your child.

It’s a terrific activity to help build those hand muscles needed for cutting and writing.  Plus you’re acting out the idea of a caterpillar eating the letters.

Cut out circles and attached to mini clothespin to create a caterpillar.

OR

Print and cut out the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Be sure to make a much much much smaller version so that it’s a TINY caterpillar.

Caterpillar Lacing Letters Activity Extensions

When finished the caterpillar(child) sort letters by their characteristics circle, straight lines, slanted lines.

Have your child place the letters in alphabetical order.

Have your child find items from your pretend food collection and sort by letters for caterpillar to eat.

Lacing Letters Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle Book Activities

Here are a few more ideas for activities to go with our featured books by author Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

tips for learning with Eric Carle books
Eric Carle Activities and Crafts for Kids #ericcarle #eduspin

Eric Carle Themed Virtual Book Club Activities

Thank you so much for joining the Virtual Book Club for Kids. We invite you to share any Eric Carle Themed activities that you’re doing with your child or class in the comments below or on our Virtual Book Club For Kids Facebook Page. If you’re joining the fun be sure to tag us and let us know #vbcforkids

PSST….

Don’t forget to grab this fun butterfly alphabet matching game for your butterfly adventures!

Butterfly Alphabet Matching Card Game

Click here for additional butterfly themed activities for kids

Butterfly Balloon STEM Challenge for Kids
Butterfly Books for Kids
Monarch Butterfly learning activities for Kids
The post Lacing Letters Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/lacing-letters-inspired-by-very-hungry/feed/ 14 Waiting For Wings: Butterfly Art Project https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/waiting-for-wings-lois-ehlert-virtual/ https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/waiting-for-wings-lois-ehlert-virtual/#comments Sun, 06 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2012/09/waiting-for-wings-lois-ehlert-virtual-book-club.html Create butterfly art with your child this spring inspired by the book Waiting for Wings. This butterfly art project combines art and science into a creative STEM activity at home or school. Are you ready to make your own Butterfly Art?  We’ve been waiting for Wings! Yes, I really mean it! Each day as we […]

The post Waiting For Wings: Butterfly Art Project appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Create butterfly art with your child this spring inspired by the book Waiting for Wings. This butterfly art project combines art and science into a creative STEM activity at home or school.

Are you ready to make your own Butterfly Art? 

We’ve been waiting for Wings! Yes, I really mean it! Each day as we walk out the door we’re waiting on wings, butterfly wings that it.

We found a very simple flower to grow that attracts butterflies, the Zinnia. There are many other plants too that attract butterflies.

We had the chance to raise our own caterpillars this summer and watch them become monarch butterflies. It’s an experience that every child should watch! Amanda shared her tips for raising caterpillars and attracting Monarch butterflies to your yard.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert

One of my daughter’s most favorite things to do right now is search for butterflies on our walks outside. This is one of my favorite stories about caterpillars and butterflies by Lois Ehlert for your child.

As you read it the butterflies and flowers seem to pop right out of the page and into your imagination. We had so much fun reading this story for the Virtual Book Club for Kids and creating our own butterfly art.

As every page was turned my 1 year old tickled with delight as she found the caterpillars and butterflies. I love how at the end she also included background information for older children to learn the science behind many of her books.

The books Planting a Rainbow and Growing Vegetable Soup are good examples of this too to read with your child.

Butterfly and Flower Prints. Here is a fun flower and butterfly craft to paint at home with any age group. We gathered some recycled items to make the prints.

Butterfly Art Project for Kids

Materials Needed

  • white paper
  • many colors of paint
  • bubble wrap
  • smaller plastic container
  • toilet paper rolls
  • pencil tip

Once you gather your recycled pieces it’s time to create! Encourage your child to create the flowers for the butterflies to come and get nectar from to eat.

As my one year old says… “butterflies eat” as they land on the flowers. Then it’s time to get another sheet of paper.

Butterfly Resist Painting

We call this our magical butterfly painting.Your child will love it! Plus it’s nice to recycled what you already used for the above project.

Materials needed

  • many colors of paint
  • bubble wrap
  • tubes or rolls
  • pencil tip
  • tray

Place tape or glue stick lightly onto the back of the butterfly and have your child them wherever they want to on the paper.  Then use the paint to create prints all over the paper. 

Once it’s dry have your magicial butterfly moment and peel off the butterflies. 

We then added the face together for fun.  I loved the giggles that came from my daughter when she was surprised.

Once you’re finished you can enjoy an edible butterfly life cycle snack.

Here’s our special Zinnia’s in our yard that attracts butterflies. 

Butterflies Activities for Kids

Looking for more butterfly activities for kids? Try out these…

Butterfly Balloon STEM Challenge for Kids
lego carle
Monarch Butterfly learning activities for Kids
Purple and red flowers in pot to attract butterflies

Click Here for MORE Lois Ehlert Activities

The post Waiting For Wings: Butterfly Art Project appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/waiting-for-wings-lois-ehlert-virtual/feed/ 8 Madeline Math Activity with Flowers https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/Madeline-inspired-math-activity-with-flowers/ https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/Madeline-inspired-math-activity-with-flowers/#comments Fri, 04 Apr 2025 01:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2015/11/madeline-math-activity-with-flowers.html Explore a charming Madeline-inspired math activity with flowers that helps kids practice counting, patterns, and number recognition through hands-on fun. Plus a fun step by step tutorial for how to create paper flowers with your child.  Finding ways to encourage our children to think of others is a social skill we focus on teaching our […]

The post Madeline Math Activity with Flowers appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Explore a charming Madeline-inspired math activity with flowers that helps kids practice counting, patterns, and number recognition through hands-on fun. Plus a fun step by step tutorial for how to create paper flowers with your child. 

Finding ways to encourage our children to think of others is a social skill we focus on teaching our children.

Colorful spiral paper flowers in yellow pot made by kids

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon

This months’ book Madeline gives an opportunity to talk with your child about expressing concern for a loved one and sending them well wishes from your heart. We are enjoying the classic book Madeline and putting a special flower spin on the lesson from it.

Are you ready to count to twelve in this precious story?

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

Listen to: Read Aloud of Madeline

Madeline Flower Activity for Math

There are twelve girls in the story Madeline, you see it over and over again.  It’s the perfect time to talk about a dozen. There are two times you talk about a dozen with either eggs or flowers. I thought it might be a lot of fun for the kids to recreate a dozen with flowers.  

In the story, there is a part where all of the girls bring flowers to Madeline in the hospital.

Flower Counting Game and Craft for Preschoolers

It’s something we want to teach our kids to do when someone is not feeling well to brighten their day.  Plus giving flowers is a way to show someone you are thankful for them, perfect for this time of year.

So let’s create some spiral paper flowers!

Madeline Math Activity with Flowers. Plus a creative way to teach kids to share their well wishes to others during this time of thanks.

Materials

  • 12 Sheets of Colorful Scrapbook Paper
  • Hot Glue {adult tasks}
  • Scissors
  • Paper Straws
  • Vase or Container
  • Glass Beads

Directions to Make

1. Cut out 12 circles from the scrapbook paper. Create a template and your child can trace out the circles. Make the circle around 7 inches in diameter.

2. {Adult Task} Warm up glue gun or use heavy craft glue.

Madeline Math Activity with Flowers. Plus a creative way to teach kids to share their well wishes to others during this time of thanks.

3. Using scissors cut out a spiral from the outside to the inside of the circle. Leave enough of the circle to glue the rolled paper onto.

4. Starting from the outside tightly roll the paper following the spiral cut all the way to the middle of the circle.

Rolling Paper to make Paper Flowers with Kids

5. Allow paper to unroll slightly to create flower shape to sit on remaining circle.

6. **Adults** then use hot glue to place on the remainder circle and attached the formed flower from the paper that’s been rolled.

Madeline Math Activity with Flowers. Plus a creative way to teach kids to share their well wishes to others during this time of thanks.

7. Once glue is cool on each flower attach to the paper straw using the hot glue.

Once you make your first few flowers it gets pretty easy. Making paper flowers is something I’ve done with years with my kids and even when I was a kid. If you need more help with making your flowers search out on Pinterest Spiral Paper Flower Tutorial.  

If you want to get a little bit fancier Check out on Amazon a Cricut and the Flower Shoppe Cartridge.

Madeline Math Activity with Flowers. Plus a creative way to teach kids to share their well wishes to others during this time of thanks.

How to Play Madeline Flower Game

Once your spiral paper flowers are complete it’s time to play! Take the flowers and encourage your child to place them into the container. To help them flowers stand up you can place glass beads or rocks at the bottom.  If you’re hosting a book club you could even have the kids recreate the scene in the story where they bring the flowers in one by one.

Flower Math Game for Kids inspired by the book Madeline

Create a Number out of your extra scrapbook paper for your child to match the flowers to as they arrange them building up to number 12.

Create Math Facts for your child to solve using the flowers for older kids.

Madeline Math Activity with Flowers. Plus a creative way to teach kids to share their well wishes to others during this time of thanks.

Join the Virtual Book Club for Kids

The Virtual Book Club Bloggers have created many activities for you to use with the book Madeline. Go visit and check them out and Pin to your Virtual Book Club Pinterest Board.

Madeline Book Themed Activities for Kids

Thankful flowers inspired by the book Madeline

You’re invited to join our Virtual Book Club by sharing your Madeline Themed Activities on our Virtual Book Club Facebook Page!  

You may also enjoy these flower inspired activities…

Pink Flowers planted inside of painted cinder block
10 Flowers to Grow with Kids
Flower Themed activities for preschoolers with playdough, paint, flowers and more.

The post Madeline Math Activity with Flowers appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/Madeline-inspired-math-activity-with-flowers/feed/ 3 10 Frog Activities for It’s Mine by Leo Lionni https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/its-mine-by-leo-lionni-leo-lionni/ Tue, 25 Mar 2025 22:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2013/06/its-mine-by-leo-lionni-virtual-book-club-for-kids.html Discover 10 creative and educational frog activities inspired by Leo Lionni’s It’s Mine!—perfect for teaching young children about sharing and cooperation through crafts, songs, science, and imaginative play.​ This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. It’s Mine Frog Activities We’re featuring books by Leo Lionni for the Virtual Book Club for Kids . Have a little […]

The post 10 Frog Activities for It’s Mine by Leo Lionni appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Discover 10 creative and educational frog activities inspired by Leo Lionni’s It’s Mine!—perfect for teaching young children about sharing and cooperation through crafts, songs, science, and imaginative play.​

Frog Activities for Kids

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.

It’s Mine Frog Activities

We’re featuring books by Leo Lionni for the Virtual Book Club for Kids .

Have a little fun with the book It’s Mine with these playful frog activities for your child!

We chose to share the book It’s Mine by Leo Lionni. With a 6 and 2-year-old at home and lots of playdates in our future this summer I thought it might be a great way to really talk about sharing with and considering others.  

It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni

Reinact the Story together

We used our little exercise equipment in the backyard to reenact the story, any object you had step on work, even a towel on the flower or a small circle. 

Make a Frog Headband

It’s fun to dress in character while you’re reenacting a story. We created these adorable frog headbands by  My Little 3 and Me

Frog Themed Toss Game for Preschoolers with Pipe Cleaner Bugs

Remodel Sharing

We practiced sharing things and saying please and thank you. Of course, we talked in our froggy voices to make the game a little bit more fun!  You could also make this adorable Frog Toss Game to Retell the Story.

You can also make your own Frog with LEGOS!

Frog Measurement/ Frog Cycles/Frog Painting  

Megan from Coffee Cups and Crayons has tons of fun activities about frogs that inspired us all week long!  You can make these pool noodle frogs art project too.

Frog Counting

Using plastic frogs we practiced counting them with my youngest and then my oldest practiced her fact families. You can also play this Small World Play Frog Game with Water Beads.

Frog cut out for frog activities for kids

Frog Songs

Five Green and Speckled Frogs and The Little Green Frog are always fun to sing. A Frog Went a Dancing is a cute one from Kindermusik too! Here’s a fun Craft from Rainy Day Mum to go along with Five Green and Speckled Frogs.  

Learn to read with LEGO with sentence strips

Frog Hunting

We took a look around our yard to search for frogs!  Since we live in Florida there are quite a few options for us to find, even Toads! If you don’t have any real ones around you could always use the toys ones, they Dollar Tree usually has them.

Exploring Tadpoles for Summer Science with Kids

Science Fun with Frogs

We were fortunate to have had rain around the same time so we ventured out to the nearby pond and collected some frog eggs and watched them grow together. 

Frog Journal

Keep a Journal of the changes you observe while watching the tadpole or frogs

There are so many fun ways to learn with frogs and the book It’s Mine by Leo Lionni. If you’re looking for more book inspired activities, we encourage you to join our Virtual Book Club for Kids.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Frog Themed Books for Preschoolers

Here are some additional frog books that we enjoyed reading with this Frog Game.

Be sure to check out below the additional frog themed activities to go along with our featured Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids book The Wide-Mouthed Frog (A Pop-Up Book) by Keith Faulkner.

virtual book club for kids

Here are some additional activities your child may enjoy…

Frog Themed Toss Game for Preschoolers with Pipe Cleaner Bugs
Children's Book List of tops books to read for the Virtual Book Club for Kids
LEGO pond animals with learning to read word cards
The post 10 Frog Activities for It’s Mine by Leo Lionni appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Creative Carrot-Themed Activities for The Carrot Seed https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/love-books-carrot-seed/ https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/love-books-carrot-seed/#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2025 09:30:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2012/04/the-carrot-seed-activities.html Looking for a fun way to bring the classic book The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss to life? These hands-on, carrot-themed activities will engage your child in learning through gardening, cooking, reading, math, and sensory play! This week, as part of the Virtual Book Club for Kids, we’re diving into The Carrot Seed and exploring […]

The post Creative Carrot-Themed Activities for The Carrot Seed appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Looking for a fun way to bring the classic book The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss to life? These hands-on, carrot-themed activities will engage your child in learning through gardening, cooking, reading, math, and sensory play!

This week, as part of the Virtual Book Club for Kids, we’re diving into The Carrot Seed and exploring fun, educational ways to extend the story beyond the pages.

The Carrot Seed Book Activities for Kids

This post contains an affiliate link to amazon. All opinions are my 100% own.  

Growing and Learning with Carrots

We’ve gathered a variety of activities—from planting carrots in the garden to making carrot-themed snacks and crafts. Whether you’re looking for a simple science experiment, a creative kitchen project, or a fun math lesson, these ideas will keep your child engaged while reinforcing the themes of patience and perseverance found in The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

Carrots in the Garden

Growing Carrots with Kids

Want to try growing your own carrots at home? It’s easier than you think! Check out our How to Grow Carrots guide for step-by-step instructions.

Carrots in the Kitchen

Carrot Playdough

We made homemade orange playdough as part of our carrot-themed fun! My 5-year-old helped find a recipe, write down the ingredients, and measure them out. Although our no-cook playdough didn’t work as planned, it became a great lesson in problem-solving as we adjusted and cooked it anyway. In the end, she loved seeing how we could make playdough orange!

More fun carrot-themed recipes to try:

Reading, Writing & Science with Carrots

  • Writing Practice: Have your child write down the ingredients for your playdough or another carrot-themed recipe.
  • Retelling the Story: Encourage your child to retell The Carrot Seed in their own words.
  • Mini Carrot Book: Create a small book where your child can illustrate and describe the steps of growing a carrot.
Carrot Fraction Activity for Kids

Math Fun with Carrots

  • Carrot Fact Families – Use small carrots or pictures of carrots to practice addition and subtraction.
  • Carrot Fractions – Cut real carrots into halves, thirds, or quarters to explore fractions in a hands-on way.
  • Carrot Measuring – Measure objects using baby carrots instead of a ruler!
  • Counting by 2’s – Practice counting by ones and twos with a fun carrot-themed counting activity from Making Learning Fun.
Carrot Math Activity with Playdough

Playtime with Carrots

  • Playdough Carrot Fun – Shape playdough into carrots and pretend to plant them.
  • Carrot Sensory Box – Fill a bin with dried beans or rice and hide small toy carrots inside for a fun digging activity.
  • Carrot Crafts – Get creative with carrot-themed art projects!
Growing Playdough Carrots with Kids

Bringing The Carrot Seed to Life!

By combining storytelling with hands-on activities, your child will deepen their understanding of The Carrot Seed while having fun with learning. Which activity will you try first?

Let us know in the comments how you bring The Carrot Seed to life in your home!

You may also enjoy these activities with your child…

Tiny Seed Lesson Plan with Printables
Growing Peas with Kids Includes Printable Garden Journal from The Educators' Spin On It
The post Creative Carrot-Themed Activities for The Carrot Seed appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/love-books-carrot-seed/feed/ 8 100+ Eric Carle Activities and Crafts for Kids! https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/join-fun-with-eric-carle/ https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/join-fun-with-eric-carle/#comments Sat, 01 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2012/06/join-the-fun-with-eric-carle.html Eric Carle is a beloved author of colorful picture books for kids. Here are several Eric Carle Activities to do with your child. One of the easiest ways to connect with his books is to encourage children to paint their own versions of his colorful characters. Here are a few ways to create art, games, and activities […]

The post 100+ Eric Carle Activities and Crafts for Kids! appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Eric Carle is a beloved author of colorful picture books for kids. Here are several Eric Carle Activities to do with your child. One of the easiest ways to connect with his books is to encourage children to paint their own versions of his colorful characters.

Here are a few ways to create art, games, and activities inspired by Eric Carle.

Eric Carle Activities and Crafts for Kids #ericcarle #eduspin

Learning about authors and connecting with them can be one of the greatest ways to teach your own child about becoming a writer and inspire them to read!

We’re celebrating one of our favorite authors…ERIC CARLE! Here’s your chance to learn about Eric Carle with your child and see how much fun you can have as you’re inspired by his imagination!

Eric Carle Resources for Author Study

Image Credit: Eric Carle.com

Happy Birthday Eric Carle! Eric Carle was born on June 25, 1929. He died a few weeks before his 92nd birthday on May 23, 2021. He was a popular American author, designer, and illustrator of children’s books.

His picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first published in 1969, has been translated into more than 66 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. It’s the bestselling children’s book of all time.

A self-described “picture writer,” Eric Carle wrote and illustrated more than 70 books for young children, selling more than 170 million copies.

Eric Carle Interviews

The Official Eric Carle Web Site

Eric Carle has his own website that I encourage you to visit. There is a special portion that shares videos of how he created his pictures.

Eric Carle Blog

Go Visit Eric Carle’s Blog

Eric Carle’s Photo and Video Gallery

Visit The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

This post contains affiliate links

Listen to Eric Carle read The Very Hungry Caterpillar

“With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates—will they be friendly?”

Eric Carle

If there was one author to keep on your child’s books shelf, I personally feel it should be Eric Carle. From the colors to the word selection they are stories that children are drawn to and that they can easily start to read on their own.

Here are some of my favorite Eric Carle books.

Eric Carle Activities for Kids 

LEGO inspired Very Hungry Caterpillar
Ladybug crafts for preschoolers and toddlers including The Grouchy Ladybug printables
  • Painting a Bug

Sometimes it’s the simplest activities that help connect your child to a book. We created some bugs in response to reading Eric Carle’s Books.

My daughter had so much fun and really discovered her creative side by painting the paper first with watercolors and then cutting the papers to create her own insect creations. The featured image in from our school in a group project.

We love our Stories for All Seasons by Eric Carle. Inside it contains Rooster’s Off to See the World, A House for Hermit Crab and The Tiny Seed.

It’s a great collection to have all in one storybook too.

Eric Carle Activity Ideas for The Tiny Seed
  • The Tiny Seed Activity

Planting Zinnia seeds and dreaming up our own The Tiny Seed story can be fun. Retelling a story can be so much for fun when it’s with a real object. Every year we save our blossoms from our zinnias and replant the and share them with friends.

This year I had my daughter create her own story about the tiny seed and where she thought it would drift off too. I wonder what your child could imagine would happen to a tiny seed?

Be sure to grab our free printable unit for The Tiny Seed: Math Fun

30+ Ideas for Eric Carle Playdate

The World of Eric Carle Top Products for Kids


COME JOIN THE FUN WITH ERIC CARLE

Now comes the fun part! How do you bring the magic of Eric Carle into your home? We’ve joined up with some of our favorite bloggers to create a fantastic Resource of Eric Carle Activities for your child.

Click on the link to view the 100+ Eric Carle Activities for Kids  

Eric Carle Videos for Kids to Watch

Additional Author Studies

We invite you to join our Year Long Virtual Book Club for Kids featuring different Authors and Themes each week! We provide free weekly planners for you and your child!

Join our Book Club for Kids!  Learn more about our Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids! 

The post 100+ Eric Carle Activities and Crafts for Kids! appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/join-fun-with-eric-carle/feed/ 10 30 Ways to Have Fun with The Lorax by Dr. Seuss https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/30-ways-to-have-fun-with-lorax-by-dr/ https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/30-ways-to-have-fun-with-lorax-by-dr/#comments Sat, 01 Mar 2025 15:30:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/2013/02/30-ways-to-have-fun-with-the-lorax-by-dr-seuss.html Explore the popular book with 30+ Lorax Activities for Kids. Start by creating your own handprint truffula trees inspired by the popular book by Dr. Seuss called The Lorax. With just a few supplies and your hand, you can invite your child into this colorful world that teaches our children to take care of the […]

The post 30 Ways to Have Fun with The Lorax by Dr. Seuss appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> Explore the popular book with 30+ Lorax Activities for Kids. Start by creating your own handprint truffula trees inspired by the popular book by Dr. Seuss called The Lorax.

With just a few supplies and your hand, you can invite your child into this colorful world that teaches our children to take care of the earth.

Here’s how to make your own handprint truffula trees!

Handprint Truffula trees from The Educators' Spin On it

Click here for more DR. SEUSS ACTIVITIES

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.

There is one author that no childhood would ever be the same without. This author would be Dr. Seuss! His creative mind has kept children reading for decades through the 44 books he’s written!

February’s Virtual Book Club Author is Dr. Seuss and we are so excited to bring you more than 30 Ideas to go along with his books!

We’re focusing on one special book called The Lorax by Dr. Seuss with our children. We’ve been working on Acts of Kindness and I think this book ties right into those same goals.

Want more ideas? Explore our ultimate collection of book activities for kids!

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Handprint Truffula Tree Forest

Handprint Truffula Trees inspired by Dr. Seuss's Book The Lorax

Materials Needed for HandPrint Truffula Tree

Handprint Truffula Trees inspired by Dr. Seuss's Book The Lorax

Directions for Handprint Truffula Tree

1. Start by using Water Colors to create the Sky and Ground

Handprint Truffula Trees inspired by Dr. Seuss's Book The Lorax
Handprint Truffula Trees inspired by Dr. Seuss's Book The Lorax

2. Handprint Truffula Tree by using yellow and black paint to create the stems of your trees with your finger only, no paint on the palm or thumb.

Handprint Truffula Trees inspired by Dr. Seuss's Book The Lorax
Handprint Truffula Trees inspired by Dr. Seuss's Book The Lorax

3. Add the tops using DIY Stamps by attaching a foam sticker to a recycled lid. Just simply cut out the desired shape first then dip in paint and stamp.

4. Draw your Own Lorax using this printable and video to learn how to make your own Lorax.

5. Then attach your Lorax and words to your dry paper full of truffula trees.

Handprint Truffula Trees inspired by Dr. Seuss's Book The Lorax

We had so much fun making our own Truffula Trees and the Lorax. We decided to print out the quotes from the book too to remind us of the important of making a difference.

We typed out “I am the Lorax. I speak for the Trees.” and “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” by Dr. Seuss. We talked about ways that we can care for our trees.

Are you ready! We’re sharing different ways to explore The Lorax with Kids Crafts and Activities! We’ve used our teacher and mama eyes to find you the best printables, learning activities, playtime fun, snacks, party Ideas, crafts and videos.

30+ Lorax Themed Activities for Kids featured at The Educators' Spin On It

30+ Lorax Crafts and Activities

Lorax Printables for Kids 

Lorax Learning Activities

Lorax Playtime Ideas for Kids 

Lorax Snack time Ideas

Lorax Themed Toys and Games for Kids

Don’t have time to make your own. Get this Lorax Cake topper or cupcake toppers to add to any food item you’re serving. Or just add this Dr. Seuss Hat made for food items!

Lorax Party Ideas

Lorax Crafts for Kids 

We’ll leave you with a little video clip of Let It Grow with scenes from the movie The Lorax. Look for for ideas for planting with kids coming this spring!

Lorax Videos

There are so many ways to have fun with The Lorax with your child! Which one will you try first? Dr. Seuss has inspired many more activities, crafts and game for us. Take a peek below for 10 Ways to explore Dr. Seuss.

earth day activities for kids
the Ultimate List of Books Activities for Kids!
Cat in the Hat inspired Alphabet Fishbowl Game with ABC Sticker Mat

For more Dr. Seuss Ideas visit
10 Ways to Explore Dr. Seuss

The post 30 Ways to Have Fun with The Lorax by Dr. Seuss appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/30-ways-to-have-fun-with-lorax-by-dr/feed/ 13 The Ultimate List of Book Activities for Kids https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/ultimate-list-of-book-activities-for-kids/ Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:00:00 +0000 https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/?p=55284 The ultimate collection of activities to use with popular children’s books! These picture book activities for Kindergarten and Preschool are fun and easy to do! Grab your favorite children’s book and let’s READ! At The Educators’ Spin On It, we’ve been sharing with you fun and easy Book Activities with our Virtual Book Club Weekly […]

The post The Ultimate List of Book Activities for Kids appeared first on The Educators' Spin On It.]]> The ultimate collection of activities to use with popular children’s books! These picture book activities for Kindergarten and Preschool are fun and easy to do!

Grab your favorite children’s book and let’s READ!

At The Educators’ Spin On It, we’ve been sharing with you fun and easy Book Activities with our Virtual Book Club Weekly Plans for many years! These have made quite a collection of popular children’s books and book extensions to do with them.

They are now all available in one spot in this ultimate list of book activities for kids.

These books and activities are perfect to use for these popular book events:

You’ll find a variety of popular children’s books and many of your favorite children’s authors including Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, Julia Donaldson, Laura Numeroff, Mo Willems, Mem Fox, and more.

Are you a member of our Virtual Book Club for Kids? Why not, it’s free! Join today!

100+ Picture Book Activities for Kids

This collection of popular picture books for children shares our top picks for books and book activities to go along with them. Individually this guide shares with you 100+ books as well as several themed book lists for you to explore and read with your child.

We’re not alone in our love for these children’s books, you can find many of them on lists like 100 Children’s Books to Read in a Lifetime from Amazon Editors or 100 Favorite Books For Young Readers from NPR.

Child reading in a tent

These featured books were my children’s favorite in our home with my 3 children as well as in my Kindergarten classroom year after year. We put together fun book activities to go along with these popular books for tons of un and learning inspired by BOOKS!

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type  by Doreen Cronin

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Corduroy by Don Freeman 

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds 

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

The Easter Egg by Jan Brett

Five Little Pumpkins  by Dan Yaccarino

Fish Eyes by Lois Ehlert

Freight Train by Donald Crews

Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Brown Wise

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

The Gruffalo by Julie Donaldson

A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle

Hopper by Marcus Pfister

How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow  by Monica Sweeney

If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff

It’s Mine by Leo Lionni

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert 

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves  by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

Little Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

Maggie’s Chopsticks by Alan Woo

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Mouse Count by Ellen Stohl Walsh 

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh

No David by David Shannon 

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman

Penguin and Pinecone by Salina Yoon

Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean

Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt

Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems

Shubh Diwali! by Chitra Soundar and Charlene Chua

Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Ten Little Rabbits by Virginia Grossman and Sylvia Long

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Time for Bed by Mem Fox

Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming

Touch the Art: Make Van Gogh’s Bed by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo

Toy Boat by Randall de Seve

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle

The Wide-Mouthed Frog (A Pop-Up Book) by Keith Faulkner

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert

Weezer Changes the World by David M. McPhail

Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough

 Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

The Wooden Camel by Wanuri Kahiu

mom reading christmas book to children with santa hats on

Christmas Themed Book Activities

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth 

Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht

Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Merry Christmas, Mouse!  by Laura Numeroff

Children at library for summer readying

Themed Children’s Book Lists

Adult reading books for children

Books by Month

Take these book extension activities to create your preschool lesson plans and picture book activities for kindergarten. Many of these stories we included as part of our after school activities at home.

100+ After School Activities for Kids
Join our free Virtual Book Club for kids featuring weekly themes, books and activities for kids ages 2-5. Includes weekly planners just for you and your child!
Easy Recipes for Kids for Popular Children's Picture Books
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