Books to get kids excited for School

Help make this school year a success by offering kids fun learning opportunities outside the classroom. (copyright Andrey Kiselev/Fotolia.com)

Books to get kids excited for School

(StatePoint) As kids head back to school, you can help put them in a learning mindset by beefing up your home library.

Here are a few new books to consider that can make learning fun, as well as support Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education initiatives.

It’s elemental
Created in association with the Smithsonian Institute, “The Elements Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table” is an easy-to-understand guide to the 118 chemical elements that make up our world.

Cataloged by type, each element’s properties and atomic structure is explained. More than 1,000 full-color photographs showcase the natural forms of each element, as well as a wide range of unexpected everyday objects in which each is found, to make them relevant to a child’s world. This guide brings the periodic table to life for children ages 9 and above.

Creative coding
For kids ages 10 and over, “Coding Projects in Python” teaches those with some experience already how to build graphics, games and useful apps. All they need is a desktop or laptop, and an Internet connection to download Python 3.

Instructions illustrated with pixel art teach essential coding basics, like loops and conditionals, and outline seven fun projects, including a script that cracks secret codes, a quiz to challenge family and friends, and a tic-tac-toe game. Once kids are feeling confident, they can creatively use the tips and tricks provided to personalize each project.

Coding is a sought-after skill that teaches kids how to think creatively, work collaboratively and reason systematically.

Kitchen adventures
With easily prepared recipes, visual step-by-step instructions and charming designs, “Look I’m a Cook” is a great activity book for parents and little ones to share. From ice pops to chocolate muffins, more than 20 hands-on recipes for kids aged 3-6 will help children discover everyday science and cook up fun-filled food.

Scientific discovery
More than 20 hands-on projects await kids ages 3-6 in “Look I’m a Scientist.” From an iceberg animal rescue to stretchy slime, each sensory-friendly activity becomes an exciting science experiment that’s easy to prepare and create. Visual step-by-step instructions make it a fun activity book for parents and kids.

Fun formations
Colorful and informative, “My Book of Rocks and Minerals” gives kids the expert knowledge they crave and will have them digging deep to discover all they can about rocks, minerals, gems and fossils, from the deepest caves to outer space.

From crystals to glow-in-the-dark minerals, illuminating images provide a closer look at amazing geological formations. Kids can take their fascination one step further and use the catalog and activity pages to help them collect and group rocks to discover how different rock types fit into the world around them.

Applied science
“Maker Lab” includes 28 projects and crafts requiring only household materials. From exploding volcanoes to racing balloon rocket cars, photographs and facts detail the “why” and “how” of each experiment using real-world examples.