Mudpies to Magnets: A Preschool Science Curriculum

I home school my two little boys and we've had fun with this book. The primary reason I love this book is that the instructions for each activity are written so that parents and teachers can be aware of points of interest for kids, which might be overlooked by an adult. Another reviewer complained that the two sections about science centers and group activities can only be done in a classroom-- this is incorrect. Any of these can be done with just one child. I plan to use some of these activities when my sons' friends come over, just to give them a few minutes of organized fun in the midst of their running around and playing.

I've read reviews that there's nothing "new" in this book. I'd argue that. As a homeschooling mom, I've read every book out there and was pleasantly surprised to find some new ideas or neat twists on old ideas. Sure, the lessons aren't real in depth and you may wish to supplement with other texts to further explain the experiment, but, it was written for preschoolers! I'd say we'll use this book for K and 1 too and fill in any holes with other books from the library. My daughter is gifted and finds these experiments to be "pretty neat". She's 4.

This book is great for all ages, despite the age recommendations. Great illustrations, detailed explanations and LOTS of fun! You can skip around or if an experiment (or topic) strikes your fancy look it up and fire away! NOT textbooky, which is a huge plus! These are the kind of books your kids will want to pick up and read just for the fun of it! (My kids are teen to toddler) An excellent addition to ANY homeschool library.

I just checked out Mudpies to Magnets and More Mudpies to Magnets from our local library. I have heard so many wonderful comments about these books, but wanted to see for myself before purchasing them. They are great! I'm definitely buying them for our home. We will be homeschooling our daugther for kindergarten next year, and these books touch on all the subjects I want to cover - weather, magnetism, geology, plants, human body and senses, and much more. Directions are very clear, experiments and activities are easy to do. This is more than just a book of science experiments - activities utilizing arts and crafts, movement, and language skills are also included throughout. These activities are also very easily adaptable up through early elementary age. Highly recommend these books!

I have just started a science program at our child's preschool using this book as my primary resource. I am so pleased with the lay-out of the book: how the experiments are sorted by age and subject, the lists of "Words to use" when teaching, the clear step-by-step instructions, and the throughness of the supplies list. What a fantastic teaching tool!