Step into the imaginative world of Bring Me A Rock! with this nature-inspired small world invitation that blends storytelling, sensory exploration, and pretend play. Children can explore smooth stones, textured bark, and playful bugs while retelling the story, building their own “rock kingdom,” and discovering the tiny details up close with magnifying glasses.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Literacy & Language: Supports storytelling skills, vocabulary growth, and comprehension as children re-enact scenes from the book.
Nature-Inspired Play: Encourages curiosity about the natural world while integrating loose parts like rocks, wood, and leaves.
Fine Motor Skills: Picking up small objects, arranging stones, and using magnifiers help strengthen hand muscles and coordination.
Extend the Learning:
-Invite children to create their own “Bring Me A Rock!” story ending or new character.
- Explore science concepts—compare rock textures, sizes, and weights.
- Incorporate role-play—Who will be the Grasshopper King? Who will gather the biggest rock?
We are Water Protectors
Inspired by the award-winning book We Are Water Protectors, this small world water play invitation invites children to explore the beauty of our waters, connect with nature, and reflect on the importance of protecting it. Through storytelling, sensory play, and hands-on discovery, children can immerse themselves in a water world filled with sea animals, shells, plants, and imaginative landscapes.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Environmental Awareness: Introduces young learners to concepts of conservation, respect for nature, and community activism in a meaningful, age-appropriate way.
Sensory Play: The textures, temperatures, and movements of water enhance sensory development and curiosity.
Fine Motor Skills: Scooping, pouring, placing animals, and arranging small parts help develop hand strength and coordination.
Literacy & Language: Brings the story to life, encouraging retelling, vocabulary building, and creative expression.
Extend the Learning:
-Discuss how water is used in our daily lives and why it’s important to keep it clean.
- Add natural loose parts—like leaves, pebbles, and driftwood—for a more authentic habitat.
- Role-play as “water protectors” who must work together to rescue animals and care for the environment.
Bird Builds a Nest
Inspired by Bird Builds a Nest, this small world nature invitation invites children to step into the life of a busy bird preparing for spring. Using natural loose parts such as twigs, grass, moss, bark, and yarn, children can create their own bird nests while exploring the textures, shapes, and structures that make each nest unique.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Encourages problem-solving, sequencing, and early science concepts such as habitats, animal behaviour, and the changing seasons.
Nature Play: Connects children with the natural world, fostering curiosity and respect for wildlife.
Fine Motor Skills: Picking up and arranging small twigs, weaving yarn, and shaping nests strengthen hand muscles and improve coordination.
Literacy & Language: Brings the story to life, encouraging children to retell the narrative, make predictions, and expand their vocabulary with nature-inspired words.
Extend the Learning:
- Compare real bird nests (photographs or collected examples) to the ones children create.
- Hide small “eggs” in nests for imaginative play, counting, and sorting.
- Take the activity outdoors to gather fresh materials, observing birds in your local area as they build.
Bug Hotel
Inspired by Bug Hotel by Clover Robin, this small world nature invitation is perfect for curious little explorers! Using natural materials like pinecones, sticks, bark, moss, seed pods, and flowers, children can design their own miniature “bug hotels,” imagining the different insects that might come to stay.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Encourages problem-solving, classification, and early science concepts like habitats, life cycles, and biodiversity.
Nature Play: Sparks curiosity about the natural world and helps children develop respect for living creatures.
Fine Motor Skills: Placing small sticks, arranging seed pods, and building hotel “rooms” strengthens dexterity and hand–eye coordination.
Literacy & Language: Supports storytelling, sequencing, and rich vocabulary inspired by the book.
Extend the Learning:
-Take the activity outdoors to collect new “building materials” and observe real insects in their environments.
-Challenge children to design a bug hotel that could shelter a specific insect—what would a butterfly need? What about a ladybug?
- Keep a “guest log” by drawing or writing about the bugs they imagine visiting their hotel.
Stick & Stone
Can you help stone find stick and pull him out of the mud puddle and tell us about friendship? This small world is inspired by the story of Stick & Stone when Stick rescues Stone from a prickly situation with a Pinecone, the pair becomes fast friends. But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favour?
This small world is a great way to explore the story through play as children learn and comprehend different parts of the story! Children can retell the story, identify characters, explore the idea of friendship and more!
Ways to extend the play:
-Talk about how pinecone was bullying stick, how did that make stick feel? What emotions do you think they were feeling?
-What can we do to be kind and make friends like stick & stone?
Let's look and see what we can find hiding in the garden
Can you spot all the bugs hiding in the garden amongst the flowers? This insect and nature inspired small world is a fun and easy way to explore bugs flowers you will find in your garden up close!
Children are naturally curious about the world around them; they are inquisitive and love to wonder about nature. Spring it the perfect time to naturally observe all kinds of bugs as it naturally occurs in nature! The Looking Book, is a wonderful foundation. Learning to observe and to gather data is imperative for beginning readers, problem solvers and for later success at comparing, sequencing, and classifying. The book engages readers young and old with the treasures to be found when we learn how to observe carefully and discover the details that we were missing when we did take the time to use our "lookers".
Pour a layer of potting soil or dirt in your deep tuff tray and add natural materials (wood rounds, leaves, pinecones, stones, flowers, etc) to create a garden . Then hide your bugs all throughout the garden! Read the Looking Book and talk about what we notice when we look? Add "lookers" to help aid your inquiry. Then begin exploring!
Ways to extend the play:
-Talking about the bugs you found in the garden! Try and find them outside!
-Take a magnifying glass and study them up close! Tell us what you notice!
-Sort them based on which ones have wings and which don't!
-Order them based on which insects have the most legs!
-How many bugs can you find? Can you identify the bugs?
-What do you know about these bugs?
Tracks Investigations
Can you investigate the animal tracks? Who made those tracks? This is such a fun invitation for children to explore different footprints. Little ones will love to see the close-up imprints of the footprints and trying to guess which animal leaves tracks!
On your playtray lid roll out some playdough and sprinkle sensory filler around the dough, scenery stones, and more to create your habitat! Then add your footprint stones for your little learners to imprint.
Ways to extend the play:
-Read the book and compare the tracks!
-What do you notice about each animals tracks? Are any of them similar?
-Can you match animals to the tracks?
-Can you try drawing the different tracks?
The Gruffalo
This magical Gruffalo-themed small world play invitation brings the beloved storybook to life in the most enchanting way! Set up a cozy forest scene with natural textures like pine straw, tree blocks, wooden characters, and story-stone prompts. Then invite your little ones to re- enact the tale or create new adventures for the mouse, fox, owl, snake—and of course, the Gruffalo himself!
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Supports storytelling, sequencing, and character recognition through bookish play.
Fine Motor Skills: Grasping and placing small loose parts builds dexterity and hand strength.
Nature-Inspired Play: Encourages sensory exploration and imaginative play with natural materials.
Literacy Connections: Deepens comprehension, vocabulary, and love for reading by re- telling familiar stories.
Extend the Learning
- Invite children to collect natural items (acorns, moss, leaves) to add to the forest scene.
- Ask questions like, “What do you think the mouse will do next?” or “Can you create a new character to add to the story?”
- Add a drawing prompt: “Draw your own version of a forest creature the mouse might meet!”
This is a great invitation to allows children to share about their families and represent their homes! This is a fun and simple way for us to learn all about what makes the families in our local communities. We can talk about all kinds of different families!
In this beautifully illustrated book, the author celebrates all the different combinations of families that love can create. From single parent families to families with two moms or two dads, this book shows that it does not matter what your family looks like - the only thing that makes a family a family is love!
The Lights that Dance in the Night
Inspired by The Lights That Dance in the Night by Yuval Zommer, this magical sensory play invitation brings the beauty of the northern lights to life through loose parts and imaginative exploration. Children can swirl their “night sky” using sand, brushes, and translucent blocks in shimmering colours—just like the dancing auroras in the story.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Encourages imaginative storytelling, pattern-making, and early science discussions about light, colour, and the night sky.
Sensory Play: Supports calming, mindful play while engaging multiple senses through texture, movement, and colour.
Fine Motor Skills: Using brushes and manipulating small blocks strengthens coordination and control in little hands.
Literacy Connection: Deepens comprehension and engagement with the story through hands-on, book-inspired play.
Extend the Learning:
- Invite children to create their own “aurora” patterns and describe the colours they see.
- Explore the science behind the northern lights—why do they happen and where can they be seen?
- Play soft music while they move the sand, encouraging rhythmic, flowing motions just like the lights in the sky.
Butterflies in Room 6 – Bookish Play & Life Cycle Learning
This beautiful Butterflies in Room 6 bookish play invitation invites children to explore the magical transformation from caterpillar to butterfly through hands-on STEM and nature-inspired play. Using realistic butterfly figures, lifecycle cards, magnifiers, and loose parts, children can investigate, imagine, and recreate the stages of metamorphosis right in their play space!
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Supports scientific thinking as children observe, compare, and sequence the stages of a butterfly’s life.
Nature Play: Builds a deeper connection to the natural world and fosters curiosity about insects and their habitats.
STEM Learning: Introduces early biology concepts, encouraging observation and discussion about lifecycles and pollination.
Fine Motor Skills: Manipulating small figures, cards, and loose parts strengthens hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Extend the Learning:
- Invite children to draw or paint the butterfly lifecycle.
- Take a nature walk to look for real caterpillars, chrysalises, or butterflies.
- Read more books about pollinators and their important role in our ecosystem.
Mermaid School
Dive into a magical underwater world with this Mermaid School bookish play invitation! Using a tuff tray filled with water dyed ocean-blue, seashell bowls, coral reefs, aquatic plants, and mermaid figurines, children can create their own enchanting small world scenes inspired by the story. This sensory-rich setup invites endless imaginative play while connecting storytelling with hands-on exploration.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Sparks storytelling skills and imaginative thinking as children create and act out their own underwater adventures.
Sensory Play: Engages multiple senses through water play, textures, and colourful small parts.
Small World Play: Supports creativity, problem-solving, and social play when children collaborate on their mermaid worlds.
Fine Motor Skills: Pouring, scooping, and moving small pieces builds dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Extend the Learning:
- Invite children to design their own mermaid characters and give them names and backstories.
- Explore ocean life by adding sea creature figures and discussing their habitats.
- Revisit the story to inspire new scenes and adventures in the water tray.
A whimsical blend of bookish play, water fun, and small world storytelling—this Mermaid School invitation will inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love for imaginative play.
Skin Like Mine
This bookish play invitation offers children an opportunity to explore identity and community through play! How can we intentionally talk with children about identity and inclusion? This invitation allows children to explore family, community, identity and diversity as they play.
When we speak to our children about today a powerful way to share the history of black culture, their joy and representation is through books. There are things we can do everyday past Black History Month to continue the conversation and intentionally educate our children. A specific way is by including diverse read alouds and offering toys that are both representative and inclusive.
Ways to extend the play:
-Pick a character you feel represents you
-Create a community with the loose parts and talk about members of your community
-Talk about what makes a kind and inclusive community
-Create a family and their home
Indigenous Nature Play Small World
This small world invitation draws inspiration from Indigenous stories and the natural world, inviting children to explore, imagine, and connect.
Using the books Animals and Their Babies and Sharing Our World: Stories of the Native Northwest, this setup weaves together storytelling, nature play, and hands-on exploration. The tray is filled with natural loose parts – pinecones, logs, wooden figures, leaves, and textured grass – to inspire open-ended play. Children can retell the stories, create their own animal adventures, and role-play life in the forest, building a deeper appreciation for nature and Indigenous knowledge systems!
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Encourages sequencing, retelling, and imaginative thinking through book-inspired play.
Indigenous Learning: Provides opportunities to share traditional stories and respect for the land and animals.
Fine Motor Skills: Manipulating small pieces helps strengthen hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Language Development: Rich vocabulary and storytelling opportunities emerge as children act out and narrate their play.
Extend the Learning:
- Invite children to create their own story inspired by the animals and settings in the books.
- Discuss the importance of each animal in the ecosystem and its role in Indigenous teachings.
- Take learning outside by exploring local parks or forests to spot natural materials or animal homes in real life.
The Three Hunters
Step into a snowy Arctic adventure with this The Three Hunters bookish play invitation! Inspired by the beautifully illustrated story, this small world setup brings the tale to life with igloos, ice blocks, animal tracks, snowflakes, and northern landscapes for children to explore and imagine.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Encourages story retelling, sequencing, and creative thinking as children recreate scenes and invent new adventures.
Indigenous Learning: Offers a gentle introduction to Indigenous storytelling, traditions, and cultural elements.
Small World Play: Promotes imaginative thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration when children play together.
Fine Motor Skills: Placing, stacking, and arranging small pieces builds dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Extend the Learning:
- Read The Three Hunters together, pausing to ask, “What do you think will happen next?”
- Invite children to make animal tracks in play dough or snow dough, comparing sizes and patterns.
- Discuss the Arctic environment—what animals live there, and how do people keep warm in such cold places?
A beautiful blend of cultural learning, imaginative storytelling, and hands-on play—this The Three Hunters invitation offers endless opportunities for children to connect with the story and the land.
Bundle up and step into this winter bird small world invitation! Children will love exploring this hands-on outdoor-inspired play, where they can build birdhouses, feed the birds, and create a snowy habitat!
Why is this activity beneficial?
STEM & Construction Play – Encourages problem-solving and engineering skills as children build birdhouses.
Outdoor Learning – Sparks curiosity about winter birds and how they survive in cold climates.
Fine Motor Skills – Scooping birdseed, stacking blocks, and arranging small twigs strengthen little hands.
Extend the Learning:
- Read winter bird books – Discuss different bird species and their winter adaptations.
- Challenge children to build different types of birdhouses – “What shape is strongest?”
- Outdoor Connection – Observe real birds outside and create a bird feeder using natural materials.
Practical Tips for Educators
-
Choose Books with Strong Story Elements: Opt for stories with clear characters, settings, and plotlines to make reenactments easier and more engaging.
-
Use Open-Ended Props: Include loose parts and flexible materials that allow children to create and adapt story elements.
-
Rotate Bookish Play Invitations: Keep play fresh by rotating themes monthly or with the seasons.
-
Print Vocabulary Cards: Reinforce language development by including key story words, character names, or thematic labels.
-
Encourage Co-Play and Collaboration: Invite multiple children to play together, building shared narratives and practising turn-taking and empathy.
-
Involve Families: Ask families to donate books or props representing their culture or home language to foster belonging and representation in your literacy space.
Bookish play is more than a literacy activity—it’s a bridge between the world of stories and the child’s own imagination. By weaving together books, small world play, and play-based learning, educators can nurture a love of reading, build foundational language skills, and inspire children to see themselves as storytellers, problem-solvers, and creative thinkers.
Make sure to tag us on social media if you try any of our ideas and follow us for more play based learning activites, process art and craft ideas on social media @ScholarsChoice on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
