This summer, I spent a lot of time chatting with other preschool teachers and community educators at conferences and trainings. One of the sessions I gave multiple times this year was STEM for Everyone – a look at how we as teachers shy away from STEM and how to overcome that. During this session, I almost always discuss one of my favorite books, If I Built A House, by Chris Van Dusen. This book is engaging and the perfect launch pad for learning about designing and building – and it rhymes!
The Book
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If I Built A House by Chris Van Dusen is one of my favorite books to read to my PreK class. Readers follow along as a little boy takes us on a house tour of his amazing house filled with crazy cool rooms, some we have in our homes and some that are only real in kids’ imaginations. I love how this book inspires children to create their own house plans and imagine their dream houses. All the little inventions in the house get readers wondering what we would invent for our homes and what room they would have in their houses if they could. I love asking my students to dream big! A simple way to build on this learning is to graph everyone’s favorite room from the book after reading.
If I Built A House Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten
Engineering Activities for If I Built A House
Design and build a cardboard house!
Turn shapes into houses.
Design Skyscrapers.
Block Activities for If I Built A House
Lego Roll & Build Game
Simple Lego See & Build challenges.
Shaving cream and foam block building
Art and Craft Activities for If I Built A House
Make an Origami House and fill it with your family!
Shape House!
Create a house for a fairy – this hack makes it so easy!
Paint your playhouse!
Create a home for a bird!
Rhyming Activities for If I Built A House
Lock and Key Rhyming
Rhyming Blocks
More Great STEM Picture Books
There are so many great STEM picture books – check out this list for more wonderful options.
NEED MORE SIMPLE EARLY LEARNING ACTIVITIES?
For more simple fine motor skills activity ideas, check out my newest book Everyday Preschool – it’s packed with simple learning activities that work on essential skills children need.
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