The other day we went to one of favorite U-Pick Farms here in the South (one of several we will pop in on this year) and after we came home we had inspiration for our evening reading. I’d love to share with you some of our favorite books to read after visiting a U-Pick Farm.

In case you didn’t know. A U-Pick farm is a farm in which you get to pick your own produce. Usually you get a reduced rate for doing your own labor and it makes for a fun experience with others. I tell everyone who moves to the South, they have to try it out! Different farms have their own niches too–like homemade ice cream!

Here are a few of the books we read after visiting this farm.

Peek Inside the Garden

Peek Inside the Garden is a great little lift the flap book that shows toddlers and small children how things grow and what sorts of bugs hand around gardens. I love teaching her about how food grows and I’m amazed at how many plants she can correctly identify at age 3!

Jamberry

We also love the classic Jamberry and it is ideal after picking berries!

“That’s Not My Pirate” or any “That’s Not My…” book

Since the farm we visited had a pirate ship on their playground, it made us think of That’s Not My Pirate; but you can find a “That’s not my…” book on so many subjects that chances are there will be one that fits your experience. (That’s not my tractor, that’s not my duck, that’s not my goat, etc) We love how each page has texture for sensory and motor skills, the illustrations are simple with sharp contrast for young eyes, and it teaches small children how to describe things with adjectives. Not bad for a simple baby book!

I could probably think of a few more but these are our first go-to’s at the moment. I would highly encourage you to tie in books with your experiences with your kids (or students after field trips). Think about it. Even as a adults we gravitate towards reading material we relate to. Things we read make a lot more sense when we have tangible experiences to connect it to. I know all the metaphors I see in scripture are more real to me after I started gardening. Enrich your children’s experiences with books. Enrich your book collection with experiences. Learn to read, read to learn!

Have fun reading!