Spring: the season of rebirth, renewal, and playing outside! After the dark chill of winter, it’s almost impossible not to be excited about welcoming spring’s arrival. The weather is finally warm enough for long hikes and bike rides, the flowers are covering the earth in blankets of gorgeous colors, and we’re making our way towards Summer Vacation. While everyone is surely feeling the enthusiasm in the air, it can’t be denied that children are feeling it more than anyone else. The pandemic has taken away a lot of the joys and beautiful experiences of being a child during this time of year. Spring and summer of 2020 was surely the worst of it, as children couldn’t go play in the parks or swim in community pools without feeling hyper aware of social distancing from their friends and consistently re-applying hand sanitizer. Although mask wearing, social distancing, and hand sanitizer usage is still a point of vigilance this spring, it is somewhat less detracting of childhood joy. Firstly, we’ve been experiencing pandemic protocol for over a year, and kids are now much more used to it than they were a year before. Secondly, as vaccination rates continue to climb and more children are making their way back to school in-person, there is a greater sense of “light at the end of the tunnel”. Whereas last Spring, the sense of uncertainty as to where our future was headed diminished the excitement of this beautiful season, we now have hope to rely on. With all that in mind, this spring is definitely something to celebrate. What better way to commemorate this historic spring season than with a proper Book Bears celebration! You guessed it- a list of children's books to welcome new growth and all the fun that longer, warmer days can bring.
The Spring Book by Todd Parr
Todd Parr never disappoints. Use this cheerful title to mark non-denominational spring days on your calendar–from International Women’s Day to April Fool’s, Mother’s Day, Earth Day, and Memorial Day. Read it, and then, as Todd says, “Go roll down some hills! Happy spring!”
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak
Part of a gorgeous trilogy of seasonal titles, this book explores nature’s signs of the changing season! This is a wonderful book to read before going on an outside adventure with your child, and ask them to point out all of the Spring symbols that they see in their own backyard.
Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up by Sean Taylor and Alex Morss
This is one of the sweetest spring books for kids. With details only a child could capture, the narrator recounts an early spring day in the backyard garden. With its background information about plants and animals, it’s a great science resource, too!
Robins!: How They Grow Up by Eileen Christelow
This adorable story is full of information about robins, which is one of the most emblematic signs of spring. The author’s note shares that this book was prompted by the author’s own experiences observing a robin family in her garden shed! It will definitely inspire children to learn more about the habits of these birds and their beautiful bright blue eggs.
The Spring Visitors by Karel Hayes
In this newest installment to the Visitors series, the bear family wakes up from a long, cozy hibernation to enjoy wet and muddy spring fun. The story will have kids chuckling, and it definitely will encourage them to go roll in the mud puddles!
Spring for Sophie by Yael Werber
Who hasn’t felt like Sophie, who is dejectedly staring out the window at the snow and bored with indoor activities? In this story, her parents implore her to use each of her senses to detect small signs of a new season to come. This sweet book will teach kids how each of their five senses can be used to experience the joys of Spring!
It’s not easy to know that this Spring will not be full of close-contact playdates and mud pile hugs. However, these books will bring children a sense of contentment and hope, knowing that hopefully next spring, they will stomp in rain puddles with their friends. In order to make this Spring seem a little more normal and a little less lonely for children, we have to amp up the excitement! Let them bury their noses into wonderful Spring books, and then take them outside to smell the crisp cool air!
Commentaires