I liked the alliteration of that title. However, if you are going to read books to your students in the rain, I suggest you have a covered area. It’s hard to read dripping, ripping soggy pages.
Would you like to inspire play and investigations outdoors? Read a children’s picture book!
This month I’ll be sharing some of my favorite books. I have tons of favorites. I LOVE books and especially children’s picture books.
“It’s nice to dig.”
Mac Barnett
One of my favorite picture books for outdoor learning – for all ages – is Sam & Dave Dig a Hole written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen.
If you don’t have a designated digging area in your outdoor learning space, you can read the book to inspire digging in your sandbox. It’s always fun to hide some jewels and treasure in the sandbox or digging area before the kids start digging.
When the children wonder who left the treasure there, I don’t tell them. I let their imaginations do the work. I just keep nodding my head and saying to each of them, “Wow! What do you think? That’s an idea. What do you think?”
So grab a book and head outside. You can get some fresh air, improve literacy skills, develop gross motor and social skills, foster creative thinking and imagination and best of all, HAVE FUN!
Here are a few bonuses, because you have read this far:
Click here to see the book on YouTube.
Click here to see an interview with Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.
Click here to see Jon Klassen explaining how he conveys emotions in the characters he draws.
“There are gems in your yard…the deeper you go the bigger they get. Keep digging!”
Jon Klassen
What books do you like to read to your children or students outside?
