Fall Books for Grandkids

Reading to grandkids is such a special time. As a former teacher, I know what a difference you can make in a child's life by reading aloud to them regularly.

Don't you love being snuggled up in a chair with your little ones and a book?

Fall Books to Read and Activities to Do with Grandkids 

It's time for reading fall-themed books to your grandchildren

Today I'm sharing some fun fall books to read paired with related activities your grandkids will love.

Fall Book Suggestions 

Here are a couple of fall-themed books that will be fun to read aloud and also spur some fun follow-up activities.


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Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak for your 2-6-year-old grandkids, is a lovely book focused on the changes in nature we can see as we transition to fall. The pictures provide ample opportunities to identify things and expand vocabulary. Children in this age group are beginning to learn about seasons, weather, and changes in their environment. This book will help with those concepts.

You can also follow up your reading time with age-appropriate activities like:

1. Go for a walk in your neighborhood or a park looking for animals who may be preparing for winter.
2. Identify and gather fall flowers and colorful leaves. Talk about things that are similar and different about your finds.
3. Talk about how the weather changes from summer to fall and what that means in the clothing you wear. Give your child a warm hat in preparation for colder weather. (Extra points if you knit the hat)

 


Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White for the 4-8 year-olds in your life. This book tells the story of a woman faced with too many pumpkins growing in her yard and the challenge of what to do with them.

This is a wordy book, so you'll want to test it out to see if your grandchild is ready to sit and listen. If not, the pictures are detailed and you can adapt the story to meet your grandchild's attention span.

You'll find this book to be a terrific launching pad for a number of fall-themed activities to do with your 4-8-year-old grandchild.

1. Bake together. Pumpkin-flavored muffins, quick bread, or pie
2. Talk about the value of sharing. How was sharing important in the book? How can sharing be something we do in our own lives?
3. Carve or decorate pumpkins together. If you carve the pumpkins, save the seeds for planting in the spring.

Some Tips for Reading Aloud

1. Choose books appropriate for your grandchild's age and attention span.
2. Choose a cozy space for reading. Your grandchild will come to associate reading time with snuggles from grandma.
3. Board books are best for grandkids less than two years old.
4. Books with colorful pictures enhance the story.
5. Be an animated reader. Make silly sounds when appropriate. This is a time for you to be dramatic.
6. Feel free to adapt the story in whatever way you want. Make it fun.

Tips for Distance Grandmas

It sure can be challenging to be a distance grandma but there are ways to get around the challenge of miles.
1. Video yourself reading the book aloud. You can read the book on a video call with your grandchild and send the book to them afterward.
2. Bake muffins or quick bread and send it to your grandchild.
3. Create a scavenger hunt for fall and challenge your grandchild to find the signs of fall. You can find my fall scavenger hunt here.

Plan now for fall activities with your grandkids so you'll be ready.  There's no time like the present to get prepared.

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