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How To Determine The Best Beginner Reading Books For Kindergarten & Recommendations

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I’m sharing tried and true tips for how to determine the best beginner reading books for kindergarten while homeschooling. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum.

Besides, reading is one of the most important subjects to teach well.

Teaching other subjects in kindergarten is important.

How To Determine The Best Beginner Reading Books For Kindergarten & Recommendations

However, if a child doesn’t read well, he could struggle lifelong in all subjects.

Also, I have a free reading journal you can download below to help you track reading time.

As he grows and has interests in other subjects, like history or science, he may struggle with comprehension.

So, what we do in the beginning or while homeschooling kindergarten matters.

For example, beginner books for children should not only meet them where they’re at but be engaging and delightful.

3 Questions About Beginner Reading Books for Kindergarten

With that being said, look at these ways you can meet your child where he is in understanding phonics and growing in reading.

Some kindergarten aged children are ready for beginner chapter books or higher and others are still very much finding delight in repeated texts and phonics readers.

Being at either level is very much normal as well as anywhere in between.

Now, look at these 3 questions to see if your child needs more prereading help or if he is ready to tackle beginner chapter books.

1. How well does your child understand or master rhyming?

Rhyming is not just a fun childhood pastime, but learning to rhyme helps him to see patterns in reading.

After that when you point out the similarities in the word pattern, he learns to make other words quickly.

For example, if you print CAT on a card, then write FAT.

After you show him how the first letter is different, but the end is the same, he sees and hears the pattern.

This is an effective and simple way to have a strong foundation in reading.

Next, identify his knowledge of letter sounds.

2. How well does he know letter sounds?

That is more important than the shape of the letter or knowing the name of the letter.

While recognizing the shape of the letter is important, your child will need to grasp that it represents or stands for a sound.

Thereafter, you want to be sure of his print awareness.

3. What is his understanding of print concept?

For example, does he hold the book right way up, looks at the pictures and knows we read from left to right?

Even if he doesn’t understand his left from his right (even as adults we get confused) does he point with this finger or lead with his eyes and track left to right to read?

If you can answer yes to these prereading concepts, then barring any special needs he is ready for beginner reading books.

Additionally, if your child is still mastering some of the concepts listed above, then keep his reading diet steady with phonics readers and mixing in easy chapter books.

The books listed below will help him to not only reinforce basic reading concepts but challenge him to continue moving on in reading levels.

How To Determine The Best Beginner Reading Books For Kindergarten & Recommendations

More Homeschool Kindergarten Reading Tips

I have chosen to mix both phonics readers and fun readers so you have a choice to mix and match.

Too, look at more activities for kindergarten.

More Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum And Crafts

Beginner Reading Books For Kindergarten

A homeschooled kindergarten child’s reading diet should still be a mix of repeated texts or phonics readers and beginner readers.

This way your child’s basic reading skills continue to be strengthened while your child’s reading level is advancing.

However, I also have a way for you to track your reading time, or help your child track his time in 15 minute increments.

Free Reading Journal Tracking Reading Time by 15 Minute Increments

Free Reading Logs by tracking reading time in 15 minute increments.

How to Get the Free 7 page Reading Logs With Journal Cover

Now, how to grab the freebie. This is a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my subscribers library and this freebie.

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Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have kindergarten crafts for winter an easy and fun polar bear fork painting. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum and Best Homeschool Unit Studies.

Winter is the perfect time to learn about adorable arctic creatures like the polar bear.

Kindergarten crafts are a great way to introduce the topic or reinforce something you have already taught your child.

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

This craft is cute and gives your child an opportunity to work with a familiar medium in a new way.

Learning about winter animals opens the door to learning about other topics like:

  • hibernation,
  • insulation and blubber,
  • species they may never see in the wild,
  • nocturnal creatures,
  • weather,
  • and learning about different habitats around the world. 

Start with this activity but you don’t have to stop there.

I have great hands-on activities to round out an arctic animal unit study that you will enjoy right alongside your child.

Books for Kids about Polar Bears

Then, add some fun polar bear books and resources.

10 Polar Bear Study Fun Resources

You can study about polar bears anytime although including them in a winter unit study would be fun.

Next, add in some hands-on Arctic animals activities.

Hands-on Arctic Animal Activities

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

In addition, you’ll find other kindergarten homeschool resources below.

Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum And Crafts

Then, look at some polar bear movies.

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Last, here are some polar bear facts which your child will love.

5 Polar Bear Facts

  1. Polar bear skin is actually black.
  2. You can find Polar bears in the Arctic, Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Russia, and Norway.
  3. Polar bears clean themselves by rolling in the snow.
  4. They don’t hibernate but like to stay warm in the winter by sleeping inside of a den.
  5. Polar bears can be up to 10 feet long. Demonstrate with a tape measure to give your child of how big that is.

Now, have some fun by making this polar bear fork painting.

How To Make A Polar Bear Fork Painting

You will need:

  • Blue construction paper
  • White, black, gray, and pink craft paint
  • Googly eyes
  • Craft glue
  • Plastic fork
Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Directions:

Squirt some white paint in the center of a blue sheet of construction paper.

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Demonstrate for your child how to use the fork to pull paint out from the center, creating a big “furry” circle.

Add more paint as needed to fill it in.

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Use light gray craft paint or mix some up by adding a very small amount of black paint to some white paint.

Paint your child’s palm and press it in the bottom center to create a muzzle, or they can just paint it in with a paintbrush

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Paint only the heel of their hand and stamp an ear on one side of the top of the circle.

Load the heel up with paint again and do the other side.

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Allow majority of paint to dry and paint your child’s thumbs pink and press them inside the ears.

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Glue googly eyes onto the polar bears face.

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Next paint a thumb or a circle on the heel of their hand black paint to stamp a nose on the muzzle.

Finally, to finish off your polar bears face let them paint or draw on back to back J shapes

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

Add snow to the rest of the painting by dabbing dots with their fingertip or a q-tip in white paint and letting them “stamp” around the rest of the page.

Let their painting dry and then put it on display. Don’t you agree how fun is it the way that the fork creates a fluffy look?

Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today I have a fun fingerprint activity for kindergarten. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum.

I am all for creating your own curriculum, especially in the early years like kindergarten.

While each child develops at their own pace, I have found that learning comes much more naturally to a child who enjoys what they are learning.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Too, when learning is fun children are engaged.

You can use a workbook or worksheets.

Or you can make it even more interesting and let your child have more ownership in creating their own collection of ABCs

So, today we’re creating an ABC flip book fingerprint activity for kindergarten.

5 Ways to Help a Child Learn Letter Recognition

This little book gives you at least 5 ways to practice letter recognition skills:

  1. Start by having your child place the letters in the upper right corner with letter stickers. He can also practice writing the letter if you prefer but this gives your child a good reference for the letters’ correct form. This is the first introduction to letters for the book.

  1. Next, as you work through the letters, have your child name an item or two that begins with the letter. For example, A is for Apple, O is for Octopus. Stamp their finger in ink and onto the page and then encourage them to create that object from their fingerprint.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten
  1. Find the objects to match up with the letters by taking your book on a letter scavenger hunt throughout the house or outdoors. Encourage your child to say the letter and its sound several times throughout the activity.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten
  1. Combine the book with letter beads or to spell the simple words your child created with their fingerprint like cat, apple, dog, and etc.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten
  1. Finally, another easy way for the book for practice is to use it as flashcards. Show the letter stickers in the upper right corner and ask for the letter name or sound.

Their ABC flip book can also go on road trips, out to eat, and while waiting at doctors’ offices to keep little minds and hands busy.

When all the pages are done, you can laminate to make them sturdier and then put them back on the ring for practice throughout the whole school year if you like.

Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum And Crafts

You can use this ABC flip book as part of a larger curriculum.

Additionally, you can use it for a letter of the week approach, do them in order, out of order, as a review, to introduce letters, or in any way that suits your child’s needs and your style.

Besides the creative outlet of putting the book together and practicing letters and sounds with the alpha stickers your child also gets practice when finding words that start with the letter, flipping through to review, and as you add to it each time.

The little ring makes it easy to carry around and easy to flip through.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

It’s the perfect size for little hands.

How to Make an ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Now, let me give you a simple rundown on how to put it all together:

You will need:

  • 8.5×11 Cardstock
  • Stamp pads
  • Binder Ring
  • Letter Stickers
  • Large hole punch
  • markers/crayons

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Cut 4 sheets of cardstock into 4.25 x 5.5 rectangles You will end up with a few extra. So use these for free fingerprint art.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

On the front cover write ABC lightly in pencil.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Let your child “trace” it with their fingerprints to decorate the frog cover.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Punch a hole through the upper left corner of all the pages.

I used my large industrial hole punch, but you can use a single hole punch. You will just have to punch the paper one or two sheets at a time.

Slip your binder ring through all the holes to create a flipbook that can be carried around or stored in a basket with your other learning supplies.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Add A-Z letter stickers to the upper right corner of each page front and back, you can choose uppercase, lowercase or both depending on what you are working on.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Now enjoy finding objects that start with each letter with your child to fill their book through looking at ABC books, using their imagination, or on a letter hunt.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Give your child markers and or crayons to complete their drawings, turning fingerprints into cute little objects.

Write at the bottom of each page the letter and the word your child has chosen to represent it so that they can see it in writing. G is for grape for example.

How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science – Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

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Homeschool kindergarten life science is one of the most fun sciences to teach. Grab my other kindergarten tips on my kindergarten homeschool curriculum page.

Too, with a fun nature tree study you don’t need expensive equipment or curriculum.

Add a few interesting books, a fun item or two. a backyard or a great tree filled park.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

From books to videos, I’m sharing some of my favorite resources for introducing simple botany lessons to your preschooler or kindergarteners day.

Books are always the best place to start with any unit study whether you purchase them or grab a few from the local library.

Books about Trees

Look at these beautiful books for young learners.

9 Tree Books & Resources for Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

You'll love using one of these books as a science reference or to use for art to inspire life science lessons.

However, the best part of any science for young children are the hands-on activities.

And children this age learn best through hands-on activities.

Hand-on Activities for a Tree Unit Study

Investigate, touch, experiment, draw, and play your way through learning.

First, study each of the trees parts. Study the leaves, their shape, color, and size, use an app or book to help you identify the tree.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

Second, investigate the rings on a stump or cut of wood.

Then talk about how the rings indicate how old a tree is and every knot and scar in it tells a story of fires, storms, etc.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

Look at what is growing on it.

Next, check out the different types of bark, peek in knot holes, and let them touch and investigate every part they can.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

Third, create a science shelf in your home on a designated shelf, coffee table, or even a little wooden crate.

Make it a place your child can store his collections of leaves, pinecones, birds’ nests, and any other items of interest he finds on nature walks or in the yard.

More Homeschool Science K – 2 Ideas

Fifth, make this Hands on Literature Nature Study Simple Tree Craft

Sixth, create a leaf collection book to gather specimens.

Seventh, Safari Ltd. Toob Trees are the perfect size for little hands and have a variety of uses that make them worth the investment.

They can be used along with blocks and cars in small world play, to create a themed sensory bin, or in a little diorama to give it some dimension.

On a rainy day when you can’t make it outdoors, research the type of trees each one is and learn about it.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

Eighth, work in some math by measuring the diameter of smaller trees with a flexible measuring tape.

Too, sort sticks and pinecones into sizes or measure them with a ruler.

Further, use acorns and leaves as counters and manipulatives for simple math problems.

Lastly, make a leaf rubbing by placing leaves under thin copy paper.

Rubbing the side of the crayon across it to bring out the detail for the drawing.

Also, this can be done also do this on the bark of the tree as well.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

In addition to this, add videos to your learning day.

Historic Trees Nature Study

However, include your older kids too when you’re doing this kindergarten life science lesson.

Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study

I have this fun and free unit study Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study

Kindergarten Life Science Videos

Not only can videos help a child learn a topic you may be nervous about teaching, but it can give you 10 minutes to work on something else. Your child gains independence.

As well here are some questions to help you teach kindergarten life science.

Because kids are always full of questions, a good place to start with a unit study is ask them a lot of questions like

  • For example, what kind of tree is it. Use your books, apps, and google to help you figure it out.
  • What do the seeds look like? Are they acorns, pinecones, a pit, a pod, husk, wings, or seed inside a fruit?
Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

Then, what grows on it?

Moss, leaves, fungi, fruit and what kind of things are on the tree including its own parts as well as those that attach themselves to it, why do they do that?

Is it a good thing or bad? Find out together.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

Another one is who lives in it.

A tree study can easily take a lot of rabbit holes learning about the birds, bugs, and other creatures that make trees their home.

Ask your child who lives in a tree and let them dictate a list to you, seeing their words written down is a powerful language learning tool.

Lastly, what do we get from trees.

This is another important question that you can ask your child and write down their answers.

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

Paper, wood, apples, bananas, nuts, gum, wax, and dye just to name a few things. 

Draw a tree on a piece of paper or better yet let them draw it and write down your child’s answers all around it.

Moreover, look at some more tips for homeschooling kindergarten. What do you think? Ready to give this lesson a try.

Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum And Crafts

Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science - Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

40 Awesome Earth Science Movies for Kindergarten

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These 40 awesome earth science movies for kindergarten keep science learning fun. Grab my other kindergarten tips on my kindergarten homeschool curriculum page.

First, there are three basic sciences that are generally introduced to younger children,

They are Physical Science, Earth/Space, and Life sciences.

40 Awesome Earth Science Movies for Kindergarten

Today l’m focusing on the wonderful and broad spectrum of Earth Science.

Earth Science can be broken down into 4 smaller sub sections.

  • Geology,
  • Meteorology,
  • Oceanography, and
  • Astronomy.

And each has a lot to teach children about the world around us.

Earth science covers natural hazards, environmental changes, fresh and salt bodies of water, earthquakes, volcanoes, tectonic activity, rocks and minerals, fossils, and the different kinds of soils.

Value of Teaching with Science Movies

Besides hands-on activities, bright and engaging videos (that are not too long) are a great way to introduce kindergarteners to various science studies.

They are especially good for things your child might not get to see up close or in person like the moon or volcanoes.

It is like a virtual field trip for kids.

Too, videos are good for all learning styles and can help you to teach a topic you may not feel prepared to handle on your own fully.

They are useful whether you use a box curriculum, unschool, or do unit studies

Geology Science Movies for Kids

First, look at these geology science movies.

Geology is the study of the physical features and history of Earth.

And this is always a fun one with especially the younger ages because they are naturally so interested in rocks.

My kids always had a pocket full of rocks that were “treasures” and kids are fascinated by volcanoes and giant glaciers.

10 Geology Videos for Young Kids

Fine one or two movies about geology to add to your day or unit study.

Next, look at these meteorology videos.

Meteorology Science Movies for Kids

Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere, weather, and weather forecasting.

Besides, children can breeze into early lessons on meteorology by learning about snow, tornadoes, tools we use to read and learn about weather, and what meteorologists do to figure out weather.

10 Meteorology Videos for Young Kids

Add one or more of these videos to your day to change up.

Third on my list of science movies are oceanography movies.

Oceanography Science Movies for Kids

Oceanography is the study of the ocean.

This includes the water, what’s below the water, and all of the animals that live within it.

40 Awesome Earth Science Movies for Kindergarten. These 40 awesome earth science movies for kindergarten keep science learning fun. Grab my other kindergarten tips on my kindergarten homeschool curriculum page. First, there are three basic sciences that are generally introduced to younger children: They are Physical Science, Earth/Space, and Life sciences. Today l'm focusing on the wonderful and broad spectrum of Earth Science.

Additionally, I have more kindergarten resources.

40 Awesome Earth Science Movies for Kindergarten

More Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum And Crafts

Take a look at these 10 videos that give simple but engaging lessons on animals, as well as ocean names, zones, and why we can’t drink ocean water.

10 Oceanography Videos for Young Kids

Grab one or two of these videos to lean about oceans.

Finally, look at these astronomy science movies.

Astronomy Science Movies for Kids

Astronomy is the study of outer space, everything in it.

This includes planets, stars, galaxies, comets, and black holes.

These videos explore all things early astronomy from the sun, to what astronauts do, the moon, teach the names of the 8 planets, and what are stars.

10 Astronomy Videos for Young Kids

Mix and match the videos to keep your littlest leaner interested in science.

When you pair educational videos with hands-on activities kids really retain a lot of information on a subject.

Do you see a few you can add to your learning day?