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Children's books and activities

Time and Time Travel

Do you know any kids who are curious about the science of clocks and sundials, or who wonder what time travel would be like? We've gathered up a great collection of books, activities, apps, and websites for learning all about time and time travel.

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 telling time and time travel. Reading widely in this way helps children build background knowledge [7], vocabulary [8], and comprehension skills.

Time and Time Travel

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:

  • Growing Readers tip sheets (English & Spanish)
  • Video interviews with children’s authors
  • Washington DC for kids
  • Share on Facebook [1]
  • Tweet Link [2]
  • Pin It [3]
  • Send by email [4]
  • Printer-friendly version [5]
Start with a Book is made possible with support from the Park Foundation [9]
 How to use Start with a Book [10]

 How to use Start with a Book [11]

Space Rangers [12]

Other topics to explore

  • Detectives and Explorers [13]
  • Dinosaurs [14]
  • Heroes and Superheroes [15]
  • Math and Measuring [16]

Great Fiction & Nonfiction Books

Age Level: 3-6 years old

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Clocks and More Clocks

By: Pat Hutchins

Age Level: 3-6 years old

When the hall clock reads twenty minutes past four, the attic clock reads twenty-three minutes past...

Purchase book [17]

Dinosaur Train

By: John Steven Gurney

Age Level: 3-6 years old

Does Jesse travel back in time or is an imaginative jaunt when he boards a train with a...

Purchase book [18]

Telling Time

By: Jules Older

Age Level: 3-6 years old

Time isn't an easy concept for kids to grasp, but young readers will delight in learning all...

Purchase book [19]

The Clock Struck One: A Time-Telling Tale

By: Trudy Harris

Age Level: 3-6 years old

When the clock strikes one, a fun-loving mouse runs up the clock. But what happens when the clock...

Purchase book [20]

Time Train

By: Paul Fleischman

Age Level: 3-6 years old

Join Miss Pym's students as they take a memorable train trip across the U.S. to a time and...

Purchase book [21]

Train Leaves the Station

By: Eve Merriam

Age Level: 3-6 years old

Between the rolling cadences of this choo-choo and the vigorous swaths of color left in its tracks...

Purchase book [22]

Water in the Park

By: Emily Jenkins

Age Level: 3-6 years old

A catalog of ordinary events that occur in a park between sunrise and sunset, these scenarios...

Purchase book [23]

Purchase Kindle version [24]

What Time Is It, Mr. Crocodile?

By: Judy Sierra

Age Level: 3-6 years old

Mr. Crocodile has big plans for finally catching — and eating — five pesky monkeys, but...

Purchase book [25]

Age Level: 6-9 years old

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Carnival at Candlelight

By: Mary Pope Osborne

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Jack and Annie head to a Venice of long ago on a mission for Merlin to save the city from a...

Purchase book [26]

Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House series)

By: Mary Pope Osborne

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Share adventures with Annie and her brother Jack when they accept missions from a magical library...

Purchase book [27]

cover of "Flotsam" showing a fish's eye

Flotsam

By: David Wiesner

Age Level: 6-9 years old

A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam —...

Purchase book [28]

Gold in the Hills: A Tale of the Klondike Gold Rush

By: Candice Ransom

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Slide back to 1897 with Mattie, Alex, and Sophie where they meet a young writer named Jack London...

Purchase book [29]

Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve

By: Mary Pope Osborne

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Annie and Jack go back in time to Camelot to a haunted castle to find the Stone of Destiny. Their...

Purchase book [30]

cover of "How the Sphinx Got to the Museum" showing stages of the journey

How the Sphinx Got to the Museum

By: Jessie Hartland

Age Level: 6-9 years old

The history of the Hatshepsut sphinx: from its carving in ancient Egypt to its arrival in the...

Purchase book [31]

It's All Greek to Me

By: Jon Scieszka

Age Level: 6-9 years old

In this installment of friends known as the Time Warp Trio, Joe, Fred, and Sam meet key figures...

Purchase book [32]

Just a Second

By: Steve Jenkins

Age Level: 6-9 years old

In just a second, a bat can make 200 calls, a black mamba snake can slither 24 feet, four babies...

Purchase book [33]

Me Counting Time: From Seconds to Centuries

By: Joan Sweeney

Age Level: 6-9 years old

How long is a second? Can you count a minute? What is a decade? How many years are in a century?...

Purchase book [34]

My First Book of Time

By: Claire Llewellyn

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Chapters on the passage of seasons, growing, and measuring time provide background, context, and...

Purchase book [35]

Nine O’Clock Lullaby

By: Marilyn Singer

Age Level: 6-9 years old

When it's 9 P.M. in Brooklyn, it's 10 P.M. in Puerto Rico, and midnight on the mid-atlantic. Far...

Purchase book [36]

Tar Beach

By: Faith Ringgold

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Cassie doesn't have to actually go to the beach; she's got her very own "tar...

Purchase book [37]

cover of "The First Drawing" showing a caveman drawing on a cave wall

The First Drawing

By: Mordicai Gerstein

Age Level: 6-9 years old

An illustration of a contemporary boy with pencil in hand stands in front of a blank piece of...

Purchase book [38]

The Magic School Bus: In the Time of the Dinosaurs

By: Joanna Cole, Bruce Degen

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Everyone's favorite science teacher is back as Ms. Frizzle takes her class on a journey...

Purchase book [39]

illustrated cover of The Secret Cave showing person holding lantern as they enter a cave.

The Secret Cave: Discovering Lascaux

By: Emily Arnold McCully

Age Level: 6-9 years old

While looking for gold, four French boys accidentally discovered what was to be considered the...

Purchase book [40]

Time Zones

By: David Adler

Age Level: 6-9 years old

Why is the time different in New York and in Tokyo at the same moment? How time zones were...

Purchase book [41]

Age Level: 9-12 years old

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A Wrinkle in Time

By: Madeleine L'Engle

Age Level: 9-12 years old

How the Murray children search through time to find and save their missing scientist father...

Purchase book [42]

Anno's Sundial

By: Mitsumasa Anno

Age Level: 9-12 years old

Explains how the earth's movements around the sun and the resulting movement of shadows have...

Purchase book [43]

Knights of the Kitchen Table (Time Warp Trio series)

By: Jon Scieszka

Age Level: 9-12 years old

As a gift from his magician uncle, Joe receives The Book setting into motion a series of...

Purchase book [44]

On the Blue Comet

By: Rosemary Wells

Age Level: 9-12 years old

The Great Depression changed everything for 11-year-old Oscar and his widowed dad. Oscar's...

Purchase book [45]

illustrated cover of "The Secrets of Stonehenge" showing stonhenge

Secrets of Stonehenge

By: Mick Manning

Age Level: 9-12 years old

Why was this amazing monument erected? How did our Stone-Age ancestors bring such massive stones...

Purchase book [46]

cover of "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" showing an intricate lock

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

By: Brian Selznick

Age Level: 9-12 years old

Image and text combine in a unique presentation to tell the story of an orphan boy who lives...

Purchase book [47]

Hands-on Activities

Build on what you're learning together through books with these family-friendly activities, experiments, and crafts.

  • arial photo of Stonhenge
    Ancient Stone Circle [48]
  • drawing of four hieroglyphs
    Picture Writing: Hieroglyph Scroll [49]
  • illustration of a Roman in front of a photo of a museum
    Roman Villa [50]
  • a sundial made of rocks
    Stone Sundial [51]
  • drawing of a sun clock
    Sun Clock [52]
  • photo of items inside a glass jar
    Time Capsule [53]
  • a drawing of the U.S. showing iconic images from across the country
    Travel the Time Zones [54]
  • cartoon drawing of a boy in a viking helmet
    Viking Helmet [55]
  • drawing of a viking
    Viking Longship [56]

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.

  • Create a Comic Strip in 7 Easy Steps [57]
  • Letter from the Industrial Revolution (Inspired by Katherine Paterson) [58]
  • Scifaiku (Science Fiction Haiku) [59]
  • Take a Letter [60]
  • The Future: 2105 (Time Warp Trio) [61]

Great Websites for Kids

Dive deeper into topics of interest with these media-rich and interactive sites.

  • Ancient Egypt [62]
  • Drive Through Time [63]
  • Fastball Reaction Time [64]
  • Hands on History [65]
  • Iron Age Life [66]
  • Mummy Maker [67]
  • Pyramid Builder [68]
  • Time Explorer at The British Museum [69]
  • Time Warp Trio [70]
  • Write Your Name in Hieroglyphs [71]

Mobile Apps

Educational apps recommended by Common Sense Media and other trusted reviewers.

  • Britannica Kids: Ancient Rome [72] $
  • Hickory Dickory Dock [73] $
  • Jungle Time [74] $
  • Sky Map [75]
  • Tell Time [76] $
  • Tillie's Time Shop [77] $
  • Timeline Battle Castles [78] $

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.

  • Teaching Sequence [79]
    Download PDF: English [80] | Spanish [81]
  • Meet the Author

    A magical evolution. A magical evolution. Author of internationally popular Magic Tree House books, Mary Pope Osborne [82], tells the story of how her popular time travel series began.

Washington DC for Kids

Places

  • C&O Canal Boat Rides [83] $
  • National Geographic Museum [84]
  • National Museum of American History [85]

See all DC Places and Events > [86]


Source URL: https://www.startwithabook.org/summer-reading-learning/time-and-time-travel

Links
[1] http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.startwithabook.org/print/summer-reading-learning/time-and-time-travel&title=Reading Rockets: Time and Time Travel
[2] http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?status=Reading Rockets: Time and Time Travel+http://www.startwithabook.org/print/summer-reading-learning/time-and-time-travel
[3] http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.startwithabook.org/print/summer-reading-learning/time-and-time-travel&media=http://www.startwithabook.org/sites/default/files/themes_time2.jpg&description=Reading Rockets: Time and Time Travel
[4] http://www.startwithabook.org/printmail/print/summer-reading-learning/time-and-time-travel
[5] http://www.startwithabook.org/print/print/summer-reading-learning/time-and-time-travel
[6] https://www.startwithabook.org/great-kids-books
[7] https://www.startwithabook.org/background-knowledge
[8] https://www.startwithabook.org/vocabulary-and-word-play
[9] http://www.parkfoundation.org/
[10] https://www.startwithabook.org/how-to
[11] https://www.startwithabook.org/summer-program-staff
[12] https://www.startwithabook.org/space-rangers-book-based-science-adventure
[13] https://www.startwithabook.org/summer-reading-learning/detectives-and-explorers
[14] https://www.startwithabook.org/summer-reading-learning/dinosaurs
[15] https://www.startwithabook.org/summer-reading-learning/heroes-and-superheroes
[16] https://www.startwithabook.org/summer-reading-learning/math-and-measuring
[17] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0689717695/readingrockets-20
[18] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060292458/readingrockets-20
[19] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0881063975/readingrockets-20
[20] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0822590670/readingrockets-20
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[27] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679824111/readingrockets-20
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[29] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786947764/readingrockets-20
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[32] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0142401161/readingrockets-20
[33] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0618708960/readingrockets-20
[34] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0440417511/readingrockets-20
[35] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0751363073/readingrockets-20
[36] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0064433196/readingrockets-20
[37] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0517885441/readingrockets-20
[38] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0316204781/readingrockets-20
[39] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0590446894/readingrockets-20
[40] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0374366942/readingrockets-20
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[46] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1847803466/readingrockets-20
[47] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0439813786/readingrockets-20
[48] http://www.startwithabook.org/content/pdfs/StoneCircle.pdf
[49] http://www.startwithabook.org/content/pdfs/HieroglyphicsScroll.pdf
[50] http://www.startwithabook.org/content/pdfs/RomanVilla.pdf
[51] http://www.education.com/activity/article/Make_Sundial/
[52] http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/sunclock.html
[53] http://www.startwithabook.org/content/pdfs/TimeCapsule.pdf
[54] http://www.education.com/activity/article/time-zones/
[55] http://www.startwithabook.org/content/pdfs/VikingHelmet.pdf
[56] http://www.startwithabook.org/content/pdfs/VikingLongship.pdf
[57] http://www.mykidsadventures.com/create-comic-strip-kids/
[58] http://www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/exquisiteprompt/paterson/#3-5
[59] http://www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/writers_quest/#prompts3
[60] http://www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/citizen_writers/take_a_letter/
[61] http://www.timewarptrio.com/teachers-parents/lessons/pdf/twt-lesson-future.pdf
[62] http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html
[63] http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/games/game2/game2.html
[64] http://www.exploratorium.edu/baseball/reactiontime.html
[65] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/handsonhistory/
[66] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/launch_gms_ironage_life.shtml
[67] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/launch_gms_mummy_maker.shtml
[68] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/launch_gms_pyramid_builder.shtml
[69] http://www.show.me.uk/interactive_game/944-time-explorer
[70] http://www.timewarptrio.com/
[71] https://www.penn.museum/cgi/hieroglyphsreal.php
[72] https://www.commonsense.org/education/app/britannica-kids-ancient-rome
[73] http://www.commonsensemedia.org/mobile-app-reviews/hickory-dickory-dock
[74] http://www.commonsensemedia.org/mobile-app-reviews/jungle-time-learn-how-tell-time-ipad
[75] http://www.commonsensemedia.org/mobile-app-reviews/sky-map
[76] http://www.commonsensemedia.org/mobile-app-reviews/tell-time
[77] http://www.appysmarts.com/application/tillie-s-time-shop,id_276.php
[78] http://bestappsforkids.com/2012/12/timeline-battle-castles/
[79] http://www.readingrockets.org/article/39186/
[80] http://www.readingrockets.org/pdfs/edextras/39186-en.pdf
[81] http://www.readingrockets.org/pdfs/edextras/39186-es.pdf
[82] http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/osborne/
[83] http://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/publicboatrides.htm
[84] http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/locations/center/museum/
[85] http://americanhistory.si.edu/
[86] https://www.startwithabook.org/dc-for-kids