Now that the first month of school is over, the glow of the new school year might have burned off for your children and they might be counting down the days to the holidays. They might be telling you which subjects are their favourites, and which ones drag by.
If that’s the case for you, and you are looking for ways to remind them that learning can be fun and a great way to be creative, here are five books about art, animals, science, engineering and entrepreneurship that might inspire them all over again.
In What’s the Point of Art? (2024), the editors over at DK highlight the history of art from cave drawings all the way up to contemporary art. The different sections will teach your children about the cultural significance of the art styles, the historical importance of art and what it can teach us about the past. The book also explores how your children can recreate the styles for themselves. For ages 9 to 12.
If your children like art, but they are a bit too young to enjoy What’s the Point of Art?, you should check out Canadian Wildlife Activity Book by Tom Hunter (Heritage, 2024). This book, which is filled with animal-themed puzzles, games and art projects, literally did not make it out of the box I received it in before my daughter grabbed it. So, judging a book solely by the cover, she can assure you this is a good one. And, having flipped through it myself (after bedtime), I agree. The different activities appeal to a wide range of ages and abilities. They are fun and informative. And, once your children learn some of the art techniques in it, they can apply them to other art projects too. For ages 5 to 9.
If your children prefer the S in STEAM, they may enjoy The Simple Science Activity Book: 20 Things to Make and Do at Home to Learn about Science by Jane Bull (DK, 2023). As the name suggests, this book has 20 different science experiments you can conduct at home with things you probably already have in the house. From making invisible ink to creating unpoppable balloons, this book will not only give your children step-by-step directions, it will also explain to them why the experiment works the way it does. For ages 5 to 9.
Or maybe, instead of following an experiment that someone else has already created, your child has aspirations to be an inventor or engineer and create something that will help others. In that case, they might feel inspired by reading Birth of the Bicycle by Sarah Nelson and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno (Candlewick, 2024). As your child reads this book and marvels over the gorgeously intricate illustrations, they will experience the bumps and smooth passages that the different inventors and engineers encounters as they created and transformed the velocipede to the bicycle we know and use today. For ages 5 to 9.
Once your child has a plan for a product to change the world, they’re going to need some help setting up a business to showcase and sell their idea to others. In that case (or if they just want to up their lemonade stand game), they should check out Money Matters: A Guide to Saving, Spending and Everything in Between by Alexa von Tobel and illustrated by Morgan Goble (Rebel Girls, 2024). This book isn’t just about entrepreneurship, it also covers the importance of responsible spending, stock market strategies and savings. But it does have an entire chapter about starting a business. And, as the book points out “There’s no cookie-cutter entrepreneur,” so this is a very creative (and potentially lucrative) endeavour for your children to try out. For ages 9 to 12.
I know you all live very busy lives, and it is hard to keep up with our children’s ever-changing interests. But I hope these books help you and your children learn something new that you can talk about and try. Who knows, maybe you’ll love the science behind cupcakes, enjoy creating a cubist collage or discover something new about the stock market as you read, discuss and enjoy these books with your children.
