Help bring the excitement of the farm into the preschool classroom. Check out these awesome farm books for kids. Each book on the list will make learning fun and will help preschoolers feel more connected to their world. There are many different skills that preschoolers can practice when reading farm books, such as math, science, and of course, reading!
The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming
This sweet story follows a cow who suddenly finds herself clucking along, having lost her “moo!” Along with her friends, they search the barnyard to find what she is missing. Bright illustrations and a repetitive verse will captivate young readers’ attention.
Extending the Learning: Lead the students in a farm-themed directed drawing. By combining simple shapes, students can create a unique work of art.
Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s Farm by Joy Cowley
One of the classic farm books, Mrs. Wishy-Washy is always ready to give the animals on the farm a bath, but the animals are less than enthusiastic about the idea. When the animals decide to run away to the city, they quickly realize that life on the farm isn’t as bad as they thought.
Extending the Learning: Set up the water table with soap and plastic animals. Students can mimic Mrs. Wishy-Washy in giving each of the animals a bath.
Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Jane Cabrera
In the true fashion of Jane Cabrera, the brush-stroked drawings in “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” are sure to captivate even the youngest readers. Following the classic nursery rhyme, students will sing along to the familiar tune in no time.
Extending the Learning: Collect a variety of plush farm animal toys. Post a copy of the refrain of the famous “Old MacDonald” song at students’ eye level. Allow students to pick an animal from the collection, and then practice singing the song with the selected animal.
Down on the Farm by Merrily Kutner
The simple, repetitive text makes this story one that students will be asking for time and again. Children will quickly be chiming along with the sounds of the animals on the farm. It’s sure to become a favorite out of all the farm books!
Extending the Learning: Create a game where children match the sounds of different farm animals to their pictures. Play recordings or imitate animal sounds and have the children identify and match the sounds to the corresponding animal images from the book.
The Grumpy Morning by Pamela Duncan Edwards
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but when the farmer’s wife is late to feed the animals, they protest…loudly. With delightful rhymes and whimsical illustrations, this story teaches preschoolers about emotions and how a positive attitude can turn a grumpy day around.
Extending the Learning: After reading the book, organize a game of emotion charades. Write down different emotions on cards (such as grumpy, happy, excited) and have children take turns picking a card and acting out the emotion without using any words.
All By Myself by Stephanie Shaw
Hen is determined to do things all by herself and turns down all offers of help. But when a sneaky little fox offers to “help,” Hen’s friends need to intervene. A fun alternative to the classic fairy tale of the Little Red Hen.
Extending the Learning: Pair this story with a Little Red Hen mini-unit. Practice comprehension, oral language, and retelling skills with an interactive bulletin board, games, songs, and independent learning centers.
Old MacDonald by Amy Schwartz
No list of farm books would be complete without this one! The illustrations in Amy Schwartz’s rendition of this classic favorite set this book apart. Children will be singing along to the repetitive chorus while looking for all the places the animals live on the farm.
Extending the Learning: As you read through the book, pause at the parts where the animals are introduced and encourage the children to sing the corresponding verses of the song. Incorporate hand gestures or gross motor actions to make the singing more interactive.
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Simple text and rhymes coupled with detailed illustrations in this sweet text. The cadence of the rhymes will have you returning to this book over and over.
Extending the Learning: Set up a sensory bin or table with materials representing different elements of the farm described in the book. Include toy animals, shredded brown paper for hay, cotton balls for sheep’s wool, small water containers for pretend mud, and dried beans for feed. Students can reenact the story, or come up with new stories on their own.
Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
A pairing of all farm animals and trucks…yes, please! The Little Blue Truck travels down back country roads all the time, but when it tries to help a stuck dump truck out of the mud, it gets stuck, too. All the animals join in to help the truck to get back on the road.
Extending the Learning: Use toy trucks to create a unique work of art with this painting activity. Tape down thick butcher paper onto a table. Pour different colors of tempera paint onto a cookie sheet, then allow students to roll the trucks through the paint. Students use the trucks covered in paint to draw on the butcher paper.
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
When Duck decides that he wants to learn how to ride a bike, there is no stopping him. But who has ever seen a duck on a bike? None of the farm animals, that’s for sure. When the farm children leave their bikes unattended outside the barn, all the other animals decide it is now their time to learn. A cute, funny read-aloud that students will remember for ages.
Extending the Learning: Take the learning outside by setting up a bicycle track on the playground’s blacktop area. Use sidewalk chalk or cones to draw the road, then allow students to pedal through the course like Duck…quacking is optional!
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