After months of quarantine, what might have once been a welcome summer break might now seem terribly boring. However, in honor of July being Anti-Boredom month, these titles are sure to inspire fun activities to fill the time and encourage learning and exploration. From crafts to cooking to science experiments, the non-fiction titles provide readers with tangible ideas and projects to pursue—often with little to no money required. The fiction titles connect readers with characters fighting boredom themselves and showcase the things they do to combat that feeling. Ideal for readers aged 8-12, these books are a great place to start when those summer doldrums roll in.
Contributed by: Mary Lanni

 

 

 

9781938326110 112 Ways for Kids to Have Fun Without Money
By: Sam Gross and Kate Gross
Illustrated by: Sam Rockwell

Lists free games and activities that combat boredom, featuring such ideas as playing hide-and-seek, building a tree house, writing a book or comic strip, and setting up an Olympic course in the backyard.
9780593118849_p0_v1_s600x595 Aster and the Accidental Magic
By: Thom Pico

Aster is bored at her new home in the mountains in the middle of nowhere–until she meets an odd old shepherdess and her woolly dogs, a sneaky trickster, and an angry fox.
9781491443712_p0_v1_s600x595 Big Book of Building: Duct Tape, Paper, Cardboard, and Recycled Projects to Blast Away Boredom
By: Marne Ventura

Grab some paper, cardboard, duct tape, and other materials and get ready to blast away boredom! Inventive young builders will love creating awesome projects such as treasure chests, tin can robots, space stations, swords and armor, and a whole lot more. With easy to follow step-by-step instructions, readers will be building their own fantastic projects in no time!
9781429654388 Build Your Own Mini Golf Course, Lemonade Stand, and Other Things to Do
By: Tammy Enz

Young do-it-your-selfers have a fantastic resource to build cool stuff they’re interested in. From constructing their own fort to assembling a rocket, the simple instructions in these books will have readers working on their own in no time! It features: Step-by-Step Instructions; Material Lists; Fact Boxes; Full Colour; Table of Contents; On-Page Definitions of Glossary Terms; Glossary; Index; Read More Resources; and, Safe Web Sites.
1515747026 Busting Boredom with Experiments
By: Jennifer Swanson

Feeling inventive? Get ready to bust boredom with wacky experiments! Learn how to create lightning bolts, build a catapult, and much more. With clear instructions and helpful photos, busting boredom with experiments has never been more fun.
0843198532 The Girls’ Summer Book
By: Ellen Bailey and Nellie Ryan

With activities like making fortune tellers and throw pillows, and tips such as how to plan the perfect picnic, girls are sure to love this activity book! It also includes spot-the-difference puzzles, doodle pages, mazes, and more!
9781595669315 Indoor Games!
By: Lisa Regan

Whether it’s a rainy day, a party day or you are on the move, this imaginative and engaging bindup will have games to suit every need. Start playing!
51FOI9CSs9L The Lava is a Floor!
By: Justin Shady and Wayne Chinsang
Illustrated by: Jeremy R. Scott

Monster brother and sister Clarg and Blarg relieve their boredom by pretending to be human, since humans are much weirder than any of the other creatures they encounter.
1631592521 Math Lab For Kids
By: Rebecca Rapoport and J. Yoder

Even unenthusiastic math students will be fired up to learn with these hands-on labs! Math Lab for Kids is a fun, engaging, and colorful approach to the wide world of mathematics. Through a combination of math games, logic puzzles, activities, and hands-on demonstrations with things like prisms, kids will explore math concepts with renewed excitement. And don’t worry about expensive supplies; everything you need comes included or is easily found around the house!
1589251660 Mighty Mo
By: Alison Brown

Mo the raccoon is searching for something special that he can do to relieve his boredom, but all his attempts turn into disasters, until something happens at the zoo that requires Mo’s special skills.
9780062657602_p0_v1_s600x595 On a Magical, Do-Nothing Day
By: Beatrice Alemagna

Sent outside by their mother on a rainy day, a child is dismayed when their handheld game falls into the pond before they encounter giant snails, wet mushrooms, and other elements that awaken them to the sensory aspects of nature.
9780394820378 The Phantom Tollbooth
By: Norton Juster
Illustrated by: Jules Feiffer

Milo, a young boy with little interest in anything, takes a trip through the Phantom Tollbooth to the Lands Beyond where he meets an enchanting cast of characters that teaches him the importance of words, numbers, ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm for life. Includes an introduction by Maurice Sendak and “Celebrations of The Phantom Tollbooth” by various authors.

 

Whether it’s summer vacation or a stay at home order, long days with young people outside of school can seem interminable. Even at home, there are endless activities kids can do to continue learning about their world. From science to cooking to arts and crafts, the books in this list provide myriad opportunities for school-aged children to explore and learn. Some activities can be done independently, while others require parental assistance. These books and activities are best suited to readers aged 8-18.
Contributed by: Mary Lanni

 

 

 

1465402543 Cook It
By: DK

Introduces the basics of cooking, covering the different pieces of equipment and methods of cooking and baking, and features one hundred easy-to-prepare breakfast, appetizer, main dish, and dessert recipes.
9781556528095 Heading West: Life with the Pioneers
By: Pat McCarthy

Heading West traces the vivid saga of Native American and pioneer men, women, and children from the colonial beginnings of the westward expansion to the last of the homesteaders in late 20th century Alaska. In many respects, life in the backwoods and on the prairie was similar to modern life: children attended school and had daily chores, parents worked hard to provide for their families, and communities gathered for church and social events. But unlike today, pioneers lived against a backdrop of isolation, harsh weather, disease, and even plagues of locust. And for Native Americans, the westward expansion of settlers posed the most direct threat to their centuries-old cultures. But pioneer life was not all hardship. Settlers were able to build lives and communities and experience a freedom brought on by new possibilities. Author Pat McCarthy has woven dozens of firsthand accounts from journals and autobiographies of the era to form a rich and detailed story. Readers will find more than 20 activities to help them better understand their pioneering ancestors. Children will churn butter, dip candles, track animals, play Blind Man’s Bluff, create a homestead diorama, and more. And before they finish, readers won’t have just headed west, but back in time as well.
9780766033658 Home Run!: Science Projects with Baseball and Softball
By: Robert Bonnet and Dan Keen

Provides several science experiments using physics and baseball or softball.
9781934184264 Keeping Kids Fit: Proven Methods for Keeping Kids Fit, Strong, and Healthy
By: Len Saunders

Addressing the childhood obesity crisis that is facing today’s youth, this simple and effective guide to exercise and nutrition provides a comprehensive plan for encouraging children to live healthier, more active lifestyles. Not limited to diet alone, this guide examines the psychology behind sports and how parents can help to encourage their children to participate positively. Reducing the use of technology, keeping healthy sleep patterns, minimizing snacking, and staying hydrated are topics also addressed in this handbook, which helps parents make healthy lifestyles fun and exciting.
1844483185 More Crafty Activities
By: Tunbridge Wells

Provides easy-to-follow instructions with color images to create creative crafts at home, including projects involving paper folding, beads, collage, and clay.
9781897349199 Science on the Loose: Amazing Activities and Science Facts You’ll Never Believe
By: Helaine Becker
Illustrated by: Claudia D’Avila

Simple scientific experiments are presented to readers in an illustrated, interactive guide to chemistry, climate change, genes, photosynthesis, scientific principles, and more.
9781532112379 Super Simple Fossil Projects
By: Jessie Alkire and Diana Craig

Read all about paleontology in Super Simple Fossil Projects. Kids will learn about how fossils are created. Discover how scientists study fossils to learn about plants and animals that lived thousands of years ago. Then, make plaster fossils, practice excavating fossils, and more. Each project has color photos and easy-to-follow instructions. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards.
9781680797947 Super Simple Grassland Projects
By: Carolyn Bernhardt

Learn about grassland habitats with Super Simple Grassland Projects! Kids will discover what plants and animals live in grasslands and read about grassland food chains. Then, they will learn how to create an animal burrow, make a safari diorama, and more. Each project has color photos and easy-to-follow instructions. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Applied to STEM Concepts of Learning Principles.
9782895791928 Try This at Home: Planet-Friendly Projects for Kids
By: Owlkids

An environmentally aware project book provides such activities as making gifts out of recycled items, with instructions for projects as well as tips for living green and an eco-IQ quiz.
9780766030954 What Are Forces and Motion?: Exploring Science with Hands-on Activities
By:Richard Spilsbury and Louise Spilsbury

An introduction for third and fourth grades on the properties of force and motion.
9780766030985 What is Sound?: Exploring Science with Hands-on Activities
By: Richard Spilsbury and Louise Spilsbury

An introduction to the properties of sound for third and fourth graders; includes hands-on activities.
9781611805949 The Young Adventurer’s Guide to (Almost) Everything
By: Ben Hewitt, Penny Hewitt, and Luke Boushee

Calling all adventurers! Want to know how to build a fort from nothing but sticks? Or find your way through the forest? This survival guide is your ticket to getting down and dirty in nature and learning to make the coolest things with your own two hands.

 

Each Kindness
By: Jacqueline Woodson

(2013 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award for Book for Younger Children)
When Ms. Albert teaches a lesson on kindness, Chloe realizes that she and her friends have been wrong in making fun of new student Maya’s shabby clothes and refusing to play with her.

Social Studies: Explore ways kindness can be expressed to others in the community.

Reading: Using the subject filter in CLCD, find other books about kindness. Feature these books in your classroom library for a week and encourage students to read them after finishing classwork. Check out our Thematic Reading List- Kindness to get started http://www.readandshine.com/2017/11/14/thematic-reading-list-kindness/.

Writing: Students write about a time someone expressed kindness to them.

One of the most motivational ways to show children the importance of saving our planet is through pictures and stories. This reading list tackles stories of recycling, water conservation, how to help keep our planet clean and how to participate in Earth Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9780984254996 When Rivers Burned: the Earth Day story
By: Linda Crotta Brennan

Presents a history of Earth Day, highlighting the people, events, and legislation responsible for changing attitudes about ecology.

9781416955351 Earth Day
By: Margaret McNamara

When Mrs. Connor’s class celebrates Earth Day, Emma decides to start small by recycling, using only what she needs, and picking up trash when she goes for a walk.

1579124291 A Child’s Introduction to the Environment: the air, earth, and sea around us, plus experiments, projects, and activities you can do to help our planet!
By: Michael Driscoll

Discusses a variety of environmental sciences topics, including global warming, food chains, and desertification, along with a collection of experiments and conservation activities.

1416978216 This is Our World: a story about taking care of the Earth
By: Emily Sollinger

Join the fun on this interactive journey while learning to clean the air, reduce pollution, recycle, and more. Nine double-sided puzzle pieces are included in this book so kids can create two different puzzles!

9781426304439 True Green Kids: 100 things you can do to save the planet
By: Kim McKay

Invites children and their parents, teachers, and community to embark on an eco-adventure through a series of fun ideas that can be applied everywhere from the living room to the local park.

9781897187845 Our Earth: how kids are saving the planet
By: Janet Wilson

Profiles twelve children who have had an impact on the environment, from a Canadian girl who gave a major speech to a Malawian boy who brought electricity to his village and a Chinese boy who works to keep endangered animals from the market.

1600102247 Michael Recycle
By: Ellie Patterson

Michael Recycle, the green-caped crusader, visits the town of Abberdoo-Rimey and proves to the residents that recycling can actually be fun.

1619131234 Miss Fox’s Class Goes Green
By: Eileen Spinelli

The students in Miss Fox’s class lead their school in making choices to help keep the planet healthy, such as turning off lights when leaving a room, taking shorter showers, and using cloth bags instead of plastic ones.

0316309435 Recycle!: a handbook for kids
By: Gail Gibbons

Explains the process of recycling from start to finish and discusses what happens to paper, glass, aluminum cans, and plastic when they are recycled into new products.

9780766036482 Recycle: green science projects for a sustainable planet
By: Robert Gardner

Provides environmentally friendly ‘green’ science projects about recycling.

9781467716086 One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the recycling women of the Gambia
By: Miranda Paul

This dramatized story of Isatou Ceesay, a woman who initiated a recycling campaign in her hometown of Njau, Gambia. As a young girl, Isatou did what all the other people in her village did: she used plastic bags, discarded them on the ground when they tore, and got new ones. It was only when Isatou began to grow older that she saw the damage that was caused by the discarded bags: sickened and dying livestock, crops that could not grow in trash-filled soil, the horrible smell of burning plastic bags in trash heaps, and an increase in malaria and other diseases as mosquitos were drawn to the bags full of rain water. Isatou, however, found a way to recycle the plastic bags and create new ways for the women of Njau to make money and prosper.

9781459802230 Every Last Drop: Bringing Clean Water Home 
By: Michelle Mulder

Looks at why the world’s water resources are at risk and how communities around the world are finding innovative ways to quench their thirst and water their crops.

9781553379546 One Well: the story of water on Earth
By: Rochelle Strauss

In this attractive picture book, featuring colorful, full-page illustrations, the author tells the story of water: what role it plays for plants, animals, and the environment; how much of it is necessary for survival; what the consequences are of polluting the water; and what humans can do to reverse the negative impact that we have had on the Earth’s water.

9780763648596 Judy Moody Saves the World
By: Megan McDonald

When Judy Moody gets serious about protecting the environment, her little brother Stink thinks she is overdoing it, but she manages to inspire her third-grade class to undertake an award-winning, environment-saving project.

0810983540 Operation Redwood
By: S. Terrell French

In northern California, Julian Carter-Li and his friends fight to save a grove of redwoods from an investment company that plans to cut them down.

9780375841859 Flush
By: Carl Hiaasen

With their father jailed for sinking a river boat, Noah Underwood and his younger sister, Abbey, must gather evidence that the owner of this floating casino is emptying his bilge tanks into the protected waters around their Florida Keys home.

 

Charlotte’s Web
By: E. B. White
 
 
The story of Wilbur the pig and his friendship with Charlotte the spider, as they live together on a farm. 

Art: Use pipe cleaners to create spider webs.

Reading: By reading the inside flap of other E. B. White books, discuss with children if other books by E. B. White share themes that are present in Charlotte’s Web. 

Science: In the story, Charlotte the spider teaches Wilbur about the life and life cycle of a spider. Using books from the library, compare the spider’s life and life cycle to other insects, including worms, caterpillars, etc.

Social Studies: Charlotte’s Web is a story about friendship. While Wilbur and Charlotte would appear to have very little in common, they become friends. Discuss with children how even though people have differences, referencing people from different countries or regions, they can still be friends.

Technology: Help children learn good research skills by researching the book’s author, E. B. White.