🎉 National Bubble Wrap Day!

Let's Pop!

Yes, this is a real day, and yes, it absolutely deserves celebrating! I mean, why not?! 

(The kids will thank you.)

National Bubble Wrap Day is a joyful reminder that sometimes the simplest things bring the biggest smiles. That soft crackle-pop sound? It’s practically universal. Kids love it. Adults secretly love it. Scientists even agree it can reduce stress and engage the senses in calming ways.

Why Bubble Wrap Is a Big Deal (Especially for Kids)

Bubble wrap isn’t just packaging... it’s a sensory experience.

• Touch: The raised bubbles invite squeezing, pressing, and popping

• Sound: Each pop delivers instant cause-and-effect feedback

• Focus: Repetitive popping can help kids regulate energy and attention

• Fine motor skills: Pinching and pressing strengthen small muscles

A Cold-Weather Connection ❄️

Bubble wrap also pairs beautifully with winter and weather learning:

• Talk about how air gets trapped inside bubbles (hello, insulation!)

• Compare bubble wrap to winter coats or animal fur that trap warm air

• Use it during cold-weather units as a tactile way to explain heat retention

Easy Bubble Wrap Activities 

• Bubble Wrap Painting: Paint + popping = art therapy

• Freeze the Wrap: Put bubble wrap outside or in the freezer and compare textures

• Pop Patterns: Can you pop every other bubble? What shape appears?

• Quiet Challenge: Can you not pop it? (Harder than it sounds.)

Why We Love This Day

National Bubble Wrap Day gives us permission to:

• Celebrate play

• Embrace sensory learning

• Laugh at something delightfully ordinary

And honestly? In a world that can feel heavy, popping a few bubbles feels like a small, satisfying win.  So go ahead, Let's pop! 

🫧 Pop Till You Drop

Pop goes the bubble—

soft, then loud,

a tiny thunder

wrapped in cloud.

Press with a finger,

press with a thumb,

here comes a pop—

then another one.

Air trapped inside,

then—pow!—it’s gone,

science and silliness

rolling as one.

So pop till you giggle,

pop till you plop,

pop every bubble—

then…

pop till you drop!

Book Review #123

 Wolf In The Snow

Author: Matthew Cordell
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
ISBN: 978-1250115572
Reading Level: Grades K–3 (visual literacy)

Main Character:
A young child and a lost wolf pup, neither named, whose parallel journeys unfold during a winter snowstorm.

Plot: Wolf in the Snow is a wordless picture book. It tells a clear and powerful story about survival in cold weather. A child becomes separated from her family during a snowstorm, while a wolf pup is separated from its pack. As the storm intensifies, the child helps the pup find its family, only to be rescued moments later by the wolf pack when the child collapses from cold and exhaustion. The story ends with both reunited with their families.

Settings: The entire book takes place in a snow-covered forest during an active winter storm. The environment itself functions as a force in the story, shaping movement, visibility, temperature, and survival.

Genre/Theme/Style: Wordless Picture Book, Weather & Environmental Science & Winter Survival.

The illustration style uses stark contrasts, limited color, and motion lines to communicate snowfall, wind, cold, and urgency. Scientific ideas are conveyed visually rather than verbally.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 5 Roars?  This book teaches cold-weather science without ever explaining it outright. Children see how snow reduces visibility, how cold exhausts the body, and how animals are adapted to survive winter conditions. The lack of text invites observation, inference, and discussion. (Caldecott Medal Winner)  

Critical Analysis:
Wolf in the Snow is an outstanding example of visual science literacy. It illustrates real winter weather conditions, snow accumulation, wind chill, isolation, and exposure through cause-and-effect visual storytelling.  The contrast between the child’s vulnerability and the wolves’ adaptation subtly introduces biological and environmental concepts.

Because the book is wordless, readers must actively interpret what is happening, making it especially effective for developing scientific thinking and observation skills.  The illustration style uses stark contrasts, limited color, and motion lines to communicate snowfall, wind, cold, and urgency. Scientific ideas are conveyed visually rather than verbally.

Connections: Great for lessons on winter weather, animal adaptations, and survival in cold environments. It works well alongside nonfiction titles about snowstorms, hibernation, or Arctic animals. It is also ideal for library programming, guided discussions, and inquiry-based learning, where students are asked to explain what the weather is doing and how it affects living things. 

Book Review #122

 

The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder ❄️

Author: Mark Cassino
Illustrator: Jon Nelson
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 978-0811859719
Reading Level: Grades K–4 (accessible for younger readers; interesting enough for upper elementary)

Main Character: Nonfiction book. Instead, snow itself takes center stage as the subject of exploration.

Plot: The Story of Snow explains how snow forms, why snowflakes are unique, and what makes winter weather cold. The book walks readers through the science of snow in clear, child-friendly language, beginning with clouds and water vapor and moving all the way to individual snowflakes landing on the ground. Real snowflake photographs taken through a microscope help children see details they might never notice on their own.

Settings: The setting shifts between the atmosphere, winter landscapes, and close-up microscopic views of snowflakes, helping readers understand cold weather on both a large and tiny scale.

Genre/Theme/Style: Nonfiction, weather & Earth science, & winter. 

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 5 Roars?  This book excels at making cold-weather science understandable and fascinating for children. The real snowflake photography sets it apart from many weather books and reinforces the idea that science involves observation, patience, and curiosity. 

It invites kids to look more closely at the natural world instead of just reading about it.  The style blends factual explanation with wonder. Scientific vocabulary is introduced, supported by photographs and diagrams rather than overwhelming text.

Critical Analysis: The Story of Snow is an excellent example of high-quality children’s nonfiction. It helps young readers by presenting accurate science. The pacing allows children to absorb information in small sections, and the visuals do important instructional work rather than serving as decoration. This book is especially effective for introducing basic meteorology concepts such as precipitation, freezing temperatures, and crystal formation.

Connections: This book is great for classroom weather units, winter science lessons, or library programming focused on cold weather. It also connects naturally to hands-on activities such as observing snowflakes, tracking winter temperatures, or discussing how weather changes across seasons.