The month of April is a wonderful time to visit a farm! Your local library will have free passes to local farms in your community. Baby animals are being born, caterpillars are hatching, birds are laying eggs, and spring has sprung! Before your visit, talk with your child about what you may see, and ask them to predict which animals live on a farm. Your library will have lots of books on display about baby farm animals this month, so do some reading together before you go. It’s also fun to sing, “Old Macdonald Had a Farm” or “Down on Grandpa’s Farm”, changing the lyrics to your child’s name.
After your farm visit, have your child dictate and illustrate a story about the day. If you have stuffed animals at home, encourage your child to build a farm for them with boxes or blocks (or anything else you have on hand). They will love playing farmer and caring for all of their animals!
As you take walks with your child this month, help them to look for signs of this exciting season, such as birds building nests, trees beginning to bud, and the first flowers of the year starting to bloom. You’re bound to find something exciting and new with each passing day! Here are a few wonderful springtime books to borrow from your local library:
And Then It’s Spring By Julie Fogliano
What Will Hatch? By Jennifer Ward
Let It Rain By Maryann Cocca-Leffler
When Spring Comes By Kevin Henkes
The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle
Kindergarten Prep at Home 