Other than exploring the outdoors in real life, one of the best ways to get your kids excited about the natural world is during story time. Widely perceived as experts on the natural world, the National Geographic Society (via National Geographic Kids) publishes a wide range of nonfiction reads to inspire children to learn more about how the world works, so they can grow up with respect for our planet and the creatures on it.
From books filled with fun facts about how things work to ones featuring their favorite animals, here are 10 books to inspire and educate young readers.
1. Little Kids First Board Book
Perfect for babies and toddlers, this book is an opportunity to giggle with your kids at the roars, squeeks and ribbits from well-known animals. Bright, colorful photographs of zebras, tigers and elephants are paired with age-appropriate facts about each one, while the accompanying sounds encourage interactive learning.
Ideal for older kids who are fascinated by the idea of family trees, this activity-filled guide provides the steps required to locate ancestors. It also teaches children to create a timeline of their life, an inspiring way to show young ones that each day is an opportunity to grow and add to their own story.
3. Yoga Animals
The yoga-in-training child in your family will love this introduction to popular yoga poses, artfully paired with cute images of animals mimicking each one. From tucking like a bunny to balancing like a flamingo, this is a great way to combine storytime, playtime, and exercise.
For younger generations, making sense of the news requires learning to sort through a combination of misinformation and digital chaos. A great starting point or addition to your media literacy toolbox, this book will teach kids to spot fake websites, fact-check stories, examine biases, and become open to viewpoints that might be different from theirs.
A great companion to another of Nat Geo’s vs series, Penguins vs. Puffins, this funny series pits the physical attributes and qualities of two different animals against each other and asks young readers to decide which one is the “winner.” Packed with facts that will surprise and educate both kids and adults, this is an entertaining way to learn more about two cute creatures.
A perfect read for little science nerds and those curious about the items around them, the How Things Work series will help your kids learn more about the things they’re constantly questioning you about. From things like “How does food get to the grocery store?” and “How does my body heal?”, to “How do refrigerators stay cold?” and “How do chameleons change color?”, this book is rich in photos and text that details everything toddlers want to know about but you might not know the answers to.
7. Quiz Whiz: 1000 Super Fun, Mind-Bending, Totally Awesome Trivia Questions
If you have inquisitive kids that like to test their knowledge with games, this fact-packed trivia book is the perfect addition to your library. Featuring true-and-false, themed and photo based quizzes and questions—such as “how hot is lightning” and “what do you call a group of cats”, it’s perfect for playtime or to stash in your bag or car for on-the-go entertainment.
8. 5,000 Awesome Facts About Everything
Covering a different topic with each turn of the page, this fascinating book is geared towards 7 to 10 year olds and is packed with one-line facts about everything you can imagine. Topics include toys, games, robots, sports, the brain, dinosaurs, and geography: Expect to be peppered with random things you didn’t know once your kids commit their favorites to memory.
9. Weird But True Sports: 300 Wacky Facts About Awesome Athletics
This Guinness Book of World Records-like compilation of facts is sure to please young sports fans…or at least inspire an OMG after reading. For example, did you know that a football player threw a Hail Mary pass that was caught by a nun in the stands? Or that Olympic gold medals aren’t actually made of gold—they’re silver? Or that elephants in Thailand play basketball? A lighthearted way to discuss athletic achievements and explore the sillier side of sports.
10. Super Space Activity Book: Over 1,000 Stickers!
Not every book needs to be packed with facts and answers to questions to count as educational. A sticker and activity book in one that is sure to delight any reader who is drawn to the night sky, it features mazes, spelling and pattern games, and drawing activities. An easy way to help science nerds geek out—and add asteroid, Earth, comet and aliens to their sticker collection.
