Nature

“We must teach our children to smell the earth, to taste the rain, to touch the wind, to see things grow, to see the sun rise and night fall- to care.”- John Cleal

Whether it’s a walk along the ocean on a sandy beach, meandering through the city on a rainy day, or dodging roots and rocks while running along tree lined trails, the Blue Room teachers find peace and connection in natural environments.  This connection carries over to their commitment to being outside with the children as much as possible, encouraging their curiosity and wonder of the world around them.  A perfect way to build upon children’s growing literacy skills, love for books, and expose them to the beauty in nature that they may not often find in an urban area is through the list of books the Blue Room team have deemed as their personal  favorites.  Some have unique illustrations than can inspire children’s imaginations using the natural materials of sticks and leaves, some have whimsical characters whose questions and thoughts on trees, clouds, rain, etc. make young readers laugh out loud, and some share facts about creatures which is always a big hit with learners, young and old alike.  The Blue Room hopes you will enjoy these books as much as they enjoy sharing them with the children they teach.  

Butterflies Are Pretty…Gross by Rosemary Mosco and Jacob Souva
The Dead Bird by Margaret Wise Brown
If You Find a Leaf  by Aimee Sicuro
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
Partly Cloudy by Deorah Freedman
Rain by Linda Ashman and Christian Robinson
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Stella- Fairy of the Forest by Marie Louise Gay
Stella- Princess of the Sky by Marie Louise Gay
Stella- Queen of the Snow by Marie Louise Gay
What’s Inside a Flower (and Other Questions About Science & Nature) by Rachel Ignotofsky
What Matters by Alison Hughes and Holly Hatam