13 Educational Children’s Books for Preschoolers

Educational children’s books have come a long way in the past few years. Nowadays, books can teach important concepts in a fun and entertaining way. As the mom of a preschooler, I am always on the lookout for books that are both fun to read and teach my daughter information that she’ll need when she heads to Kindergarten.

Since I believe that kids should learn about any topic that interests them, this reading list features books on a wide range of topics. Whether your kid is fascinated by human skulls, history, or the months of the year, I’ve got you covered. These books are great to read aloud in the classroom or at home. I’ve used these books as bedtime stories and as group reads in my daughter’s preschool co-op.

I picked these books because they’re great for kids in preschool or Pre-K. However, they can also be used in Kindergarten or first grade. The one thing all these books have in common is that they’re fun to read. Kids won’t even know that they’re learning something new.

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Educational Children’s Books

Skulls! by Blair Thornburgh, illustrated by Scott Campbell

I read this book to my daughter and she was fascinated with the fact that there is a skull inside her head. She talked about it and asked questions for days afterward. This picture book is a simple explanation of what a skull is, what it does, and why we have one. It explains that skulls aren’t scary, but useful. My favorite part is when it explains what all the holes in your skull are for (like eating grilled cheese!). The entire book is written in a conversational way so that it’s fun to read, informative, and easy for young children to understand.

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Alphabet World: Personalized Children’s Alphabet Book

*Sponsored.

Every kid needs a good alphabet book. Take your preschooler on a trip around Alphabet World, where they’ll journey from the desert to the jungle, the depths of the ocean, and outer space. They’ll learn their letters along the way. This is a customizable book, so you can add your child’s name to the story. I’ve given my kids several personalized books and they’re always a favorite. Kids love hearing their names in the story!

This book is only available through the publisher’s website.

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Opposites by Larissa Honsek

This is a super cute board book! Using little blobs of clay, this book teaches children about opposites: large and small, spiky and smooth, and so on. My preschooler likes the book’s odd characters, and I like that they make the concepts more memorable. If you’re looking for a quirky and unusual book to teach a preschooler about opposites, check this one out.

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Eat Your Rocks, Croc!: Dr. Glider’s Advice for Troubled Animals by Jess Keating, illustrated by Pete Oswald

Kids love books about animals, especially when they’re as fun to read as this one. Dr. Glider travels the world, helping animals with anything that ails them. Filled with funny stories and interesting facts about wild animals, children will have a blast reading this picture book from the author of Pink is for Blobfish and the illustrator of The Bad Seed.

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Courageous People from Washington Who Changed the World by Heidi Poelman, illustrated by Kyle Kershner

This is one of the most interesting board book biography series I’ve read with my kids. While I’ve only read a few of them, there is a book (or will be soon) for every state. They feature prominent and important people that made a difference in that state’s history. This one is about the state of Washington and features snippets on people like Chief Seattle, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Pearl Jam. Whether they lived a hundred years ago or are still making waves, the people in this book made a huge impact on the people and policies in their state.

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Caterpillar to Butterfly (Look and Learn) by National Geographic Kids

When it comes to educational children’s books, National Geographic Kids offers a wide range of options. I’ve read this simple board book to my kids many times over. It’s how each of my children learned about the life cycle of a butterfly from egg to wings. With clear pictures and simple text, this little book gives young readers their first glimpse into the fascinating changes that a butterfly goes through in its lifetime.

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Physics Animated by Tyler Jorden, illustrated by Elsa Martins

I’m going to come right out and say it — this book is a blast to read. I think I enjoy it as much as my four-year-old does. It has tabs to pull, wheels to turn, and other interactive elements. Kids will learn about gravity, mass, friction, and other concepts in a simple (and super fun) way. It’s the perfect way to introduce your preschooler to physics!

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This Book is Gray by Lindsay Ward

Learn about the colors with this funny and adorable story. Gray is tired of being left out, so he decides to make a book that’s entirely gray. It only features gray things like elephants and wolves. But when the rest of the colors show up, they think Gray’s book needs some more color in it. It takes some convincing, but Gray gives in and the result is something all the colors can agree on.

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The days of the week is a topic that often gets overlooked when you see lists of educational children’s books for preschoolers, but it’s something that every child has to learn. And I can’t think of a better book that teaches this concept than this charming classic. Join the caterpillar as he chews through every day of the week in this interactive and engaging board book.

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Oscar the Octopus by Matthew Van Fleet

While you’re mastering days of the week with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, you can tackle the months of the year with Oscar the Octopus. Each month of the year, Oscar gets his tentacles around a new animal. From lobsters to penguins, all sorts of animals find themselves in the clutches of a smiling orange octopus. With flaps to lift, touch-and-feel textures, and a pop-up ending, it’s no surprise that this book is a huge hit with my daughter. This author also has several other interactive board books that teach concepts ranging from numbers and letters to animal tails.

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This Little Scientist by Joan Holub, illustrated by Daniel Roode

Introduce your child to some of the greatest scientists in history. This board book primer features scientists like Jane Goodall, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Katherine Johnson, and Marie Curie, among others. Children will learn the names of notable scientists as well as what each of them is best known for. This author also has several other educational children’s books for preschoolers that you might enjoy like This Little President, This Little Explorer, and This Little Artist.

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The Hueys in None the Number by Oliver Jeffers

Is none a number? Yes, it is! The Hueys explore the numbers (including zero) in this quirky and funny picture book about counting. My kids all love the simple illustrations in this book and the humorous story. The Hueys count things like nights before the big day, hats to choose from, tantrums someone throws, and oranges balanced on things. This book has become a staple in my house along with the companion book, The Hueys in What’s the Opposite?

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Counting with Barefoot Critters by Teagan White

Kids that like super cute forest animals will adore this charming concept book about counting. Learn your numbers as you explore the forest and have adventures with the increasing numbers of animals. From reading quietly to telling spooky stories by a bonfire with friends, kids will love counting the animals on each page. If you like this book, you’ll want to check out the companion book, Adventures with Barefoot Critters which teaches the alphabet.

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