Spring is such a fun time of the year in my classroom! Not only are the kids so much more independent, but I also get to teach some of my favorite units! Butterflies, flowers, baby animals… what’s not to love? So today I’m sharing my top favorite spring read alouds for kindergartners during the month of April!
When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes
This book is how I kick off my spring units. We listen to the story and make an anchor chart together of things that happen when it changes from winter to spring. I like to compare it with what they notice in their own neighborhoods.
Books About Insects
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This is my all-time favorite children’s book. The illustrations are colorful and bring the story to life. It’s an absolute must-read for any kindergarten classroom in the spring. You will find no shortage of activities that go along with the story from writing, drawing, sequencing, and more. It’s also an engaging read aloud all by itself.
The Very Impatient Caterpillar
This story is also about a caterpillar who changes into a butterfly. It introduces some important vocabulary like metamorphosis and chrysalis. The main character is quite impatient, leading to some silly moments in the book. But also leads into a great conversation about the butterfly life cycle.
Books About Rain and Weather
This adorable little book is perfect for teaching the water cycle. It reads like a narrative so it’s easy to keep students engaged in the story. The illustrations are wonderful for young students.
This book is simple, but adorable! It talks about what you can do when it rains outside… or when it’s “worm weather!”. I love using it to work on recognizing rhyming words with my kids.
Books About Flowers and Plants
How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan
If you are planting seeds in your classroom this is a must-read! It talks about many different types of seeds (not just flowers) and the differences in how long it takes to grow. I love to incorporate this book into a plant experiment in my own classroom each spring!
I am a sucker for a good Eric Carle book and this one is just delightful for spring. The illustrations are captivating and ties in well with a lesson on the plant life cycle.
Books About Animals
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Frog by Lucille Colandro
Who doesn’t like a There Was an Old Lady… book? They are silly and there is one for just about every major season or holiday. My students always love guessing what she will burp up at the end. If you need a fun activity to go with your read aloud, check out this craft HERE.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
This book is a classic and I even remember this story from my own elementary days! A sweet story about two ducks who need to find the perfect spot for their ducklings in a busy city. Our literacy curriculum does a unit on Then and Now and it usually ends up being around the springtime. So this book lines up perfectly with that too! I also teach in a large city so it is fun to compare this book to other stories about baby animals that usually take place on a farm.
Chicks and Chickens by Gail Gibbons
One of my favorite units to teach is the chicken life cycle. We learn all about chickens and then we have a local farm that brings chicks for the students to see and touch. It’s such an amazing experience! This book is packed full of information on eggs, chicks, and different types of chickens. Read more about how I teach the chicken life cycle in my classroom HERE!
I hope you have found some more books to add to your springtime collection. I’d love to hear which was your favorite below!
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