Favorite Books for a Camping Theme

I was a little apprehensive about having a camping unit since I wasn’t a camping enthusiast. But it’s been so much fun! And the books have inspired great camping creations from my 6-year-old grandson. Here are some of our favorite books for a camping theme.

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Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out the “Read Sample” feature on Amazon and reading reviews there. Another place to learn about a book is on YouTube. You can typically see the entire book there.

Montessori-friendly books use photos or realistic illustrations. They don’t have talking animals or a lot of fantasy. But many books that have fantasy and talking animals are wonderful books, and I love sharing them with children who understand the difference between fantasy and reality.

For toddlers and preschoolers, about ¾ of the books I use are typically Montessori friendly (focusing on reality without smiling or talking animals or smiling or talking vehicles). 

Books for a Camping Theme

I’m featuring books here for a camping theme for preschool through elementary-age kids. This unit has more fun fiction than normal, but it’s for the end of the school year or summer!

Here’s a fun Instagram reel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Deb Chitwood | Montessori (@livingmontessorinow)

Top Shelf of Forward -Facing Display:

• I love the Big Book Series! The Big Book of Nature Art is beautiful and has 22 craft projects using natural and recycled materials. I love the series for toddlers (adapted as needed) through early elementary. It’s entertaining for a wide variety of ages!
• Lonely Planet Kids America’s National Parks
• Trees, Leaves, Flowers and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom

2nd Shelf:

• My grandkids all loved The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs so much that I ordered The Little Book of Woodland Bird Songs. This has been very popular with them, especially the silly sound of the common loon.
• Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Mammals 
• Exploring Nature Activity Book for Kids has lots of great nature activities.
• How to Go Anywhere (and Not Get Lost): A Guide to Navigation for Young Adventurers

3rd Shelf:

• The Backpack Explorer series is lots of fun for nature explorers. These books have many beautiful photographs and engaging illustrations along with lots of ideas for nature activities. I have the 5-book set, which also includes a nature collection box to display nature treasures.
• Adventure Skills for Kids is a good book, but it’s best for for ages 8-15. That said, my 6-year-old grandson was inspired by this book to create an awesome camping diorama!
• The Golden Glow

4th Shelf

• Campground Kids: Grand Teton Stampede (The first book in the Campground Kids Book Series) My 6-year-old grandson LOVED this book and read it in less than a day. He’s now going through the enetire series.
• The Camping Trip
• A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee
• Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping (a fun series that my now-adult kids loved and now my grandkids love)

Bottom Shelf

• Ninjas Go Camping
• Pete the Cat Goes Camping
• Curious George Goes Camping (My now-adult kids loved Curious George books. My 6-year-old grandson loves to read and reread Curious George books.)

More books we’re using that are in a book basket right now:

• Nature Anatomy (I have this fabulous Julia Rothman collection and some other Julia Rothman books.)
• More books from The Backpack Explorer series. These books have many beautiful photographs and engaging illustrations along with lots of ideas for nature activities. I have the 5-book set, which also includes a nature collection box to display nature treasures.
• DK Animal Atlas is a great book to coordinate with a study of bears that you might encounter on a camping trip!
• Wonder Walkers (a Caldecott Honor Book)

Our peace/calming table has a nature theme right now, too! 

On the table top, I have the spiral mindful breathing board (part of the complete set) with postcard from MontessoriReStore on Etsy. I chose the spiral board because the spiral is a common pattern in nature. The book is Teachings of the Great Outdoors: Exploring Nature, Robin Finds Herself (a lovely book that encourages children to connect with and find guidance from nature).

Across the room is a shelf with a number of fun fiction books about camping!

These are the books on our shelf:

• Curious George Goes Hiking
• The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp
• The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Forest
• The Big Book of Berenstain Bears (one of my now-adult daughter’s favorite books as a child. We still have the book, and it includes The Bear Scouts, which might only be available used. There are more books in the Bear Scouts series.)

You can see many camping books here: Camping Books for Kids (including books as they’re published)

Related Resources and Activities:

Montessori-Inspired Camping Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

Free Camping Printables and Montessori-Inspired Camping Activities

Montessori-Inspired Camping Printables for Preschool Through Elementary

• Shoots and Sprouts Activities + Free Printable from Montessori By Mom
• Montessori Flower Identification and Arranging for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Montessori Nature Tray Sorting and Counting for Toddlers and Preschooler
• Nature Walk and Nature Cutting Tray for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Montessori Nature Tray with Magnification Work and Flower Arranging
• Montessori Nature Tray with Vocabulary – Parts of the Plant
• Montessori-Inspired Flower Activities with Spielgaben
• Free Tree Printables and Montessori-Inspired Tree Activities
• Free Seasons of an Apple Tree Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Free Tree Songs and Educational Videos {Learn about Trees, Apple Trees, and Seasons}
• Favorite Books  for a Flower Theme
• Free Flower Printables and Montessori-Inspired Flower Activities
• Free Flower Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Amphibian Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Bird Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Bird Sounds, Songs, and Rhymes for Circle Time
• Free Fish Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Insect Sounds, Songs, and Rhymes for Circle Time
• Free Mammal Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Reptile Songs and Educational Videos

Have fun reading about camping!

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