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B is for bear, ball, and birds this week as we continue our Letter of the Week Series with Letter B!
Each week for 26 weeks I created a new printable activity pack all about the focus letter of the week. The corresponding posts include book lists, a list of animals that start with the letter of the week and play ideas or activities relating to each letter.
If you’re just joining us, make sure to check out the other posts in this series on our Letter of the Week Page.
Letter B Notebook
The Letter B Notebook includes:
- Mazes
- Dot-to-dots
- Circle the letter B’s page
- Craft pages with directions and cut out templates
- Coloring Pages
- Do-a-Dot Pages
- Puzzles with animals and objects that start with the letter B to emphasize phonics
Letter B Book List
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See? by Eric Carle
This book is a must-read for all preschoolers. Find out what Brown Bear and the other animals see as you turn the pages of this story. All while learning your colors too!
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenberry
Follow this family as they adventure out on a bear hunt, meeting obstacle after obstacle. The lyrical language will have your kiddos repeating the lines of this story for years to come. This is still one of our favorite children’s books.
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
This sweet story set in Maine follows Sal and her mother as they pick blueberries and even encounter a bear!
A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Aston
This book is full of factual information about butterflies. It shows the process of caterpillar to butterfly and shares loads of butterfly science for curious little learners. I especially like that the fantastic pictures are labeled with the actual names of the different butterflies.
Little Blue Truck by Alice Shertle
The corners of our copy of this board book have worn completely away. We love reading through the rhyming story. And of course, seeing how the beautiful character of the little blue truck has the power to change others and show what friendship really means.
My Book of Birds by Geraldo Valério
We loved the beautiful and artistic illustrations in this book as we learned facts about all sorts of different birds.
The Life and Times of the Honeybee by Charles Micucci
This book is packed with bee facts. From history to beekeeping learn anything you ever wanted to know about bees.
The Noon Balloon by Margaret Wise Brown
I just discovered this book and had to share it with you because we have loved everything by Margaret Wise Brown. Apparently, this story she wrote was found after her death and is now being published with illustrations added to it.
Letter B Snack Idea
Banana and blueberry smoothies
We eat smoothies a lot. They are a healthy quick snack that is easy to make. I keep them super inexpensive and healthy by using bananas and yogurt to sweeten them, and whatever fruit I have.
Ingredients:
- Fresh or Frozen Blueberries & Bananas
- Yogurt
I can’t really give you measurements because I hardly ever measure. Smoothies help me use up fresh fruit and depending on how many kids you have you’ll be making more or less smoothie than I would. So, what I do is throw some yogurt in the blender then add 1 or 2 bananas and a few handfuls of blueberries.
For best results, I use fruit that I have previously frozen. It makes the smoothie thicker and more like milkshake consistency, which my kiddos love. When I don’t have frozen fruit I end up adding more yogurt, which can be the most expensive part, to thicken it up or ice which waters it down.
Also, freezing your fruit is a great way to be frugal. It keeps fresh fruit from going bad before you can use it. If you’re going to freeze bananas I highly suggest cutting them up into chunks before you bag them so that they are easier to break up once frozen. If your smoothie is too thick add a little milk to make it the right consistency. Then blend and it’s time to eat!
Letter B Animals
Here are some links to facts and live animal cams for animals whose names start with the letter B.
Bears
10 Black Bear Facts! by NatGeoKids
Katmai National Park Bear Cams
Brown Bear Facts NatGeoKids
Bison
15 Facts About Our National Mammal
Butterfly
The Butterfly Lifecycle NatGeoKids
Growing Up Butterfly National Geographic
Bats
5 Reasons Bats Are the Best NatGeoKids
Baboon
Bobcat
Bobcat Facts from the National Zoo
Boa Constrictor
Boa Constrictor Facts for kids NatGeoKids
Beavers
Beaver Facts from the National Zoo
Birds
Letter B Activities & Play Ideas
Butterflies
Practice storytelling with butterfly finger puppets this week. And, check out my printable butterfly counting jar that would make a perfect math activity.
It’s time to go on a Bear Hunt!
Helen Oxenberry really makes it easy to add some play to a letter B week with her book, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt!
It’s a fantastic book for acting out and teaching sequencing to your kiddos. They will have to remember where the family travels next as they retell this story and go on their own adventure. I have acted this book out with both of my kids.
Add an art element to this and have your kids make actual scenes of the tall grass the oozy mud, or the forest for them to make their way through.
Build some of Eric Carle’s Animals
Offer your kiddo playdough or Legos in the colors of each animal in Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? and let them try to build the red bird, the purple cat, or the blue horse.
Have fun learning about the Letter B this week!
Heidi
