The Age of Exploration
Why European sailors crossed the Atlantic, who they met, what the Columbian Exchange changed, and how to think carefully about the word "discovery." For grades 3–6.
Browse by age
Ages 6–8
Early elementary: first chapter books, cooperative games, simple science and history.
Learn
The American Revolution
Why 13 British colonies broke away, the key events from 1763 to 1783, and the people whose stories are often left out. Written for grades 3–6.
Life in Colonial America
What daily life was like in the 13 British colonies: homes, work, school, food and faith by region, plus the lives of enslaved people, indentured servants and Indigenous neighbors.
The Industrial Revolution in the United States
How factories, machines, railroads and the telegraph changed American life in the 1800s, and what it meant for workers, children, immigrants and enslaved people.
Indigenous Nations of North America
An introduction to the many distinct Native nations of what is now the United States: their governments, trade and farming, the effects of colonization, and tribal sovereignty today.
The New England Colonies
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire: geography, Puritan life, town meetings, trade, and the Native nations whose homelands the colonies were built on.
Westward Expansion and the Pioneer Era
How the United States grew west from 1803 to 1890, seen through pioneers, Native nations, Mexican Americans, Black homesteaders and Chinese railroad workers.
Games and activities
Sock Bridge Crossing
Two siblings lay a path of rolled socks across the room and move together without stepping off it, passing socks forward as they go.
- 15 min + 3 prep
- 2–3 players
- Indoors
- Household items
Adult nearby Help siblings play togetherRainy-day games Play-test pending
Mirror Statues
One sibling moves slowly and the other copies like a mirror; together they try to make the movement so smooth an adult can't tell who is leading.
- 10 min
- 2 players
- Indoors or out
- No equipment
Adult nearby Help siblings play togetherCalm, quiet play Play-test pending
Team Keep-It-Up
Siblings work together to keep a balloon (or a soft paper ball for younger children) off the floor while counting their team total.
- 10 min + 2 prep
- 2–4 players
- Indoors
- Household items
Adult actively supervises Help siblings play togetherRainy-day games Play-test pending
Story Chain
Siblings build one silly story together, one sentence at a time, and try to land a happy ending in exactly ten sentences.
- 10 min
- 2–5 players
- Indoors or out
- No equipment
Adult nearby Help siblings play togetherCalm, quiet play Play-test pending
Fort Architects
Siblings design and build one shared blanket fort to a short 'client brief' from a parent, then give the client a tour.
- 40 min + 5 prep
- 2–4 players
- Indoors
- Household items
Adult nearby Help siblings play togetherRainy-day games Play-test pending
Toy Rescue Relay
Siblings carry 'stranded' stuffed animals from one end of the yard to safety using a towel stretcher they both have to hold.
- 15 min + 5 prep
- 2–4 players
- Outdoors
- Household items
Adult nearby Help siblings play togetherPlan outdoor fun Play-test pending
Secret Handshake Lab
Siblings invent a team handshake with exactly five moves, practice it, then teach it to a parent.
- 10 min
- 2–3 players
- Indoors or out
- No equipment
Adult nearby Help siblings play togetherActivities under 20 minutes Play-test pending
Tower of Ten
Siblings take turns adding household objects to one shared tower and try to reach ten items before it falls.
- 15 min + 5 prep
- 2–4 players
- Indoors
- Household items
Adult nearby Help siblings play togetherRainy-day games Play-test pending
Switch Tag
A tag game where being tagged doesn't knock you out: tagged players swap roles, so everyone keeps moving.
- 15 min + 2 prep
- 3–12 players
- Outdoors
- No equipment
Adult nearby Plan outdoor funBurn off energy Play-test pending
Books
The Snowy Day
by Ezra Jack Keats · 1962
A simple day of exploring snow is told with spare text and collage art, and it remains a landmark picture book centered on a Black child's everyday experience.
Consider: Children who have never seen snow may need a short conversation about it first; the quiet story suits calm reading more than lively group storytimes.
Read aloudRead together winterexploring outdoors Edition check pending
Peter's Chair
by Ezra Jack Keats · 1967
Peter's mixed feelings about his old baby furniture being passed to a new sister are treated gently and without blame, which makes it a useful starting point for talking about a new baby.
Consider: The story resolves quickly, so children having a hard time with a new sibling may need more conversation than the book itself offers.
Read aloud new siblinggrowing up Edition check pending
Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak · 1963
It takes a child's anger seriously, lets him rage in an imaginary world, and brings him safely home, which gives families an easy way to talk about strong feelings.
Consider: Some sensitive preschoolers find the monsters frightening on a first read; previewing the pictures together can help.
Read aloud big feelingsimagination Edition check pending
Owl Moon
by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr · 1987
A child and father walk through a winter night looking for an owl, and the hushed, poetic text models patient outdoor observation that families can try themselves.
Consider: The pace is deliberately slow and the language is lyrical, so it works best as a calm read-aloud rather than for children who want fast action.
Read aloud parent-child timenature observation Edition check pending
A Chair for My Mother
by Vera B. Williams · 1982
A girl, her mother and grandmother save coins in a jar for a comfortable chair after a house fire, which opens natural conversations about saving, working together and neighbors helping each other.
Consider: The story begins after a fire destroyed the family's home; children who have experienced a fire or loss may need extra support.
Read aloudRead together saving moneyfamily Edition check pending
Last Stop on Market Street
by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson · 2015
A bus ride with his grandmother helps CJ notice beauty in his neighborhood, and the questions he asks give families ready-made discussion prompts.
Consider: Its message is gentle and reflective; children who prefer humor or adventure may want it paired with a livelier book.
Read aloudRead together grandparentscity life Edition check pending
Guides for grown-ups
How to Choose Books by Reading Stage
A practical guide to picking books children will actually read, from board books to middle grade, without getting stuck on reading levels.
How to Choose Safe Toys by Age
What US toy age labels mean, the hazards to check for at each stage, and how to look up recalls before you buy.
Reading Together: A Free 5-Lesson Course for Parents
Five short lessons on choosing books with your child, building a reading routine that lasts, talking about stories, keeping reading enjoyable, and keeping the habit alive during busy weeks.