Science is all around us.
From the fireworks in the night sky, to the electricity we use, medicines we take, and school activities, science is in all of our lives in one way or another. While some aspect of the field are definitely complex, it’s never too early to start learning about the world around us.
The following science board books are for the youngest of children, and introduce them to parts of astronomy, coding, and zoology, and to some of the scientists working in these areas. I chose to include books in English and Spanish because there are bilingual families in need of books in more than one language. Hopefully by sharing these science books, families looking for educational books in two of the most spoken languages in the U.S. can find an option that they like.
There’s no limit to how much someone can learn. As the popular cartoon astronaut Buzz Lightyear says, “to infinity…and beyond!”
8 Little Planets: A Solar System Book for Kids with Unique Planet Cutouts by Chris Ferrie and Lizzy Doyle
The solar system is made up of eight planets (sorry, Pluto) and this books teaches kids about what each planet is like. Real science facts are shared in the story, which rhymes cutely. In addition, the book was selected as an Amazon Best Book of 2018.
Little Naturalists: Jane Goodall Is a Friend to All by Kate Coombs and Seth Lucas
You can’t talk about women in science — and conservation and primatology, specifically — without mentioning Jane Goodall.
Among her many achievements, Goodall is a renowned expert on chimpanzees. Not only is she an accomplished scientist, she’s also helped to bring conservation and her know-how to the masses. She has received many awards throughout her career, was named a Dame in 2003, and founded an institute that does charitable work.
Goodall has written many books herself, including: In The Shadow of Man; Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours; With Love; and Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe.
Animals: Animales by Roger Priddy
Animals are an important part of the natural world, and this book teaches the names to specific animals in both English and Spanish.
The animals are front and center in the pages, with colorful backgrounds. While some names are similar in English and Spanish, like elefante and elephant, others are very different, like fish and pez.
This book is part of the Bright Baby series, which includes books on first words and color in English and Spanish.
Mis Primeros Heroes: Cientificos by Nila Aye
This science board book features scientists like Isaac Newton and Zhang Heng, and is part of the My First Heroes collection. It’s in English and Spanish, and readers can “push, pull and slide the scenes” in the book.
The collection includes artists, guardians of the planet, and more important figures.
Baby Loves Gravity! by Ruth Spiro and Irene Chan
There are more than 17 books in the Baby Loves Science series — yes, 17! You read that right. Baby Loves Gravity is one of those books.
Gravity is a phenomenon that everyone experiences, and this book helps to explain it in a simple way.
If you’re interested in more books from the series, there’s also Baby Loves Green Energy!, Baby Loves the Five Senses: Hearing!, Baby Loves Quantum Physics!, and Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering!, to name a few.
The Solar System with/El Sistema Solar con Ellen by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein
This book is in both English and Spanish, and teaches kids about the solar system, of course.
Who is Ellen?
She’s none other than Ellen Ochoa, a former astronaut, and the first Latina in space.
Ochoa “retired from federal service in 2018 as Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which leads the human space flight enterprise for the nation,” per the National Science Board. Before this, she held other important positions and is the recipient of many awards.
You can read more about her and her achievements in science here.
I Can Code: If/Then: A Simple STEM Introduction to Coding for Kids and Toddlers by Vicky Fang and Jade Orlando
Coding is a computer programming language, and this colorful book introduces coding concept to kids, including cause and effect.
There is another book that teaches kids about coding too, called I Can Code: And/Or.
If you liked those Spanish and English science board books, you might also be interested in:
- 15 Great English/Spanish Books for Kids
- 7 Spanish-English Board Books Your Toddler Will Love
- 21 Fascinating And Fun Bilingual Children’s Books
- The Best Science Books for Kids
- 10 Science Books for Babies and Curious Kiddos
