Children's books and activities
Homes and Habitats
Do you know any kids who are curious about the amazing homes that animals build in their natural environment? Or how we design and build our own houses? We've gathered up a great collection of books, activities, apps, and websites for learning all about homes and habitats.
Try pairing fiction with nonfiction books and exploring different genres [6] (like poetry and biographies) and formats (like graphic novels and audio books). You'll be creating your own "text sets" — collections of texts focused on a specific topic, such as homes and habitats. Reading widely in this way helps children build background knowledge [7], vocabulary [8], and comprehension skills.
How to explore this theme:
- Read fiction and nonfiction books
- Try some hands-on activities
- Build writing skills with these fun ideas
- Dig deeper with kid-friendly websites
- Play and learn with mobile apps
More themed resources:
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Great Fiction & Nonfiction Books
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Print List
Fleabag
By: Helen Stephens
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Purchase book [18]
Home
By: Carson Ellis
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Travel through time, imagination, literature, and more for a unique look at "home" in any number...
Purchase book [19]
Home, Sweet Home: What Makes a House a Home?
By: Moira Butterfield
Age Level: 3-6 years old
The world is full of different homes, from tents and huts to bobbing boats, and apartments high...
Purchase book [20]
How a House Is Built
By: Gail Gibbons
Age Level: 3-6 years old
As readers quickly comprehend, building a house is a complex project requiring the cooperative...
Purchase book [21]
In the Small, Small Pond
By: Denise Fleming
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Purchase book [22]
Jump into Science: Coral Reefs
By: Sylvia Earle
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Readers explore a coral reef with a snorkeling young swimmer and see what the swimmer sees as...
Purchase book [23]
Looking Closely Along the Shore
By: Frank Serafini
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Purchase book [24]
Looking Closely Around the Pond
By: Frank Serafini
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Look very closely. What do you see? It may be something familiar or quite out of the ordinary....
Purchase book [25]
On the Way to the Beach
By: Henry Cole
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Young readers are invited to look and listen as they join a girl on a summer morning walk to the...
Purchase book [26]
Out on the Prairie
By: Donna Bateman
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Purchase book [27]
Trout Are Made of Trees
By: April Sayre
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Purchase book [28]
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Print List
A Beach for the Birds
By: Bruce McMillan
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Purchase book [29]
A City Through Time
By: Philip Steele
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Follow the progress of an imaginary city through six key periods of time, each captured by a...
Purchase book [30]
A House Is a House for Me
By: Mary Ann Hoberman
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Purchase book [31]
A Place for Fish
By: Melissa Stewart
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Full color illustrations and clear language present a range of fish in different ecosystems in...
Purchase book [32]
Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest
By: Irene Kelly
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Birds live all over the world, but their nests come in many sizes, shapes, and some even borrow...
Purchase book [33]
Home for a Penguin, Home for a Whale
By: Brenda Williams
Age Level: 6-9 years old
With lyrical rhymes, readers explore a dazzling underwater menagerie. Each rhyming couplet gives...
Purchase book [34]
If You Lived Here: Houses of the World
By: Giles Laroche
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Purchase book [35]
Leaving the Nest
By: Mordicai Gerstein
Age Level: 6-9 years old
A baby jay, a small stripped kitten and a little girl with a bike come together in an unexpected...
Purchase book [36]
Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas: Earth's Astonishing Animals and Where They Live
By: National Geographic Kids
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Dramatic photographs, attention-grabbing facts, and clear maps introduce a world of animals and...
Purchase book [37]
Roberto: The Insect Architect
By: Nina Laden
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Ever since he was a wee mite (a termite, that is), Roberto has wanted to be an architect....
Purchase book [38]
Seabird in the Forest: The Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet
By: Joan Dunning
Age Level: 6-9 years old
The mystery of why a Pacific seabird nests inland has only recently been solved. Lyrical...
Purchase book [39]
Seashells: More Than a Home
By: Melissa Stewart
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Young naturalists discover thirteen seashells in this elegant introduction to the remarkable...
Purchase book [40]
When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone
By: Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Stunning photographs combine with a clear text to show how early use of Yellowstone, changed it...
Purchase book [42]
Where Once There Was a Wood
By: Denise Fleming
Age Level: 6-9 years old
This book is a good introduction to the effects people can have on the environment. The simple...
Purchase book [43]
Age Level: 9-12 years old
Print List
Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon
By: Sy Montgomery
Age Level: 9-12 years old
Purchase book [44]
Take Shelter: At Home Around the World
By: Nikki Tate
Age Level: 9-12 years old
A roof, a door, some windows, a floor. All houses have them, but not all houses are alike. Some...
Purchase book [45]
The Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea
By: Sy Montgomery
Age Level: 9-12 years old
Purchase book [46]
Hands-on Activities
Build on what you're learning together through books with these family-friendly activities, experiments, and crafts.
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ABC Nature Book [47]
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Animal Home Hike [48]
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Bird's Nest from Twigs [49]
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Birdfreak Guide to Taking Kids Birding [50]
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Engineer a Bird's Nest [51]
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Framing Nature [52]
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Habitat Sweet Habitat [53]
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I Spy Binoculars [54]
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Mr. McGroovey's Cardboard Box Project Plans [55] $
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Roman Villa [56]
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Snug as a Bug: Animal Shelters [57]
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Stuff to Do Outside [58]
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Tidepool Water Scope [59]
Summer Writing
Give kids a chance to flex their writing muscles all summer long. Try one of these prompts, selected from our writing contest archives and other literacy organizations.
Great Websites for Kids
Dive deeper into topics of interest with these media-rich and interactive sites.
- Biodiversity [61]
- Children and Nature Network [62]
- Discover the Forest: Find Forests and Parks Near You [63]
- Earth Rangers [64]
- EcoKids [65]
- EekoWorld [66]
- Gizmos: Ecosystems [67]
- Humpback Whale Migration Game [68]
- Kids Gardening [69]
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Games [70]
- National Geographic Kids [71]
- Nature Find: Find Parks, Trails, and Other Nature Sites Near You [72]
- Ocean Adventures: Shark Protector [73]
- PBS Kids: Plum Landing [74]
- PlanetPals [75]
- Project Noah [76]
- The Lorax Project [77]
- WebRangers [78]
- YardMap: Citizen Bird Mapping Project [79]
Mobile Apps
Educational apps recommended by Common Sense Media and other trusted reviewers.
- Britannica Kids: Rainforests [80] $
- Homes by Tinybop [81] $
- iBiome: Ocean [82] $
- iBiome: Wetlands [83] $
- Kids and Home [84]
- Plants HD [85] $
More Themed Resources
Growing Readers Tip Sheets
Simple activities for parents and kids to do together to build reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Read online or print the PDF.
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Capturing and Sharing Images [86]
Download PDF: English [87] | Spanish [88] -
Cause and Effect [89]
Download PDF: English [90] | Spanish [91] -
Journals and Field Notes [86]
Download PDF: English [87] | Spanish [88] -
Outdoor Explorations [92]
Download PDF: English [93] | Spanish [94] -
STEM Tools at Home [95]
Download PDF: English [96] | Spanish [97]
Our Summer Blog
Washington DC for Kids
Places
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National Arboretum [104]
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National Building Museum [105] $
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National Zoo [110]
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Old Maryland Farm [111]
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U.S. Botanic Garden [115]
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Watkins Regional Park [116]
Events
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Summer Safari Day Camp [119] $