Punchie Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Can anyone recommend a book on germs that a 4 yr old can understand? Our two current topics of conversations are germs and zombies (in the context that they eat brownies, not brains). I can cover brownies w/o a problem, but not the germs other than they're everywhere including outer space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 This is the only one that we've read. I don't know if a 4 year old will understand it or not, but it's worth a try. Germs Make Me Sick (Lets-Read-and-Find-Out-Science) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Sherry Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 When my daughter was about that age I had a book with photos in it that were magnified germs and various bugs etc. Her older brother showed it to her and she was a little over occupied and disturbed by germs for awhile after seeing those photos. I got rid of that book to keep her from being disturbed by it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holiztic Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 I would definitely not play up the whole fear of germs, 'germs make me sick' idea. If you are not yet up on the germ theory vs. the terrain theory you might want to do that first (for you, then simplify it for a 4 year old). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 The Let's Read and Find Out book is totally fine for a 4 yo. It's not going to disturb her. The pictures are simple drawings, not photos. Some kids are sort of natural germophobes and obviously you wouldn't want to play that up, but the simple idea that germs make us sick and therefore it's good to wash your hands is still something I think is fine to teach. In other totally okay for a 4 yo resources, there's also a picture book called Germs Are Not for Sharing that's super simple. And there's a Magic Schoolbus episode and book called Inside Ralphie that deals with germs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Guesthollow is a free science curriculum (two actually, one for younger kiddos), graciously shared by someone from these boards. I refer to her site frequently for book suggestions. She has several books listed on germs: http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/science/otters_science/science_human_body_little_kid_books.html good luck, lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punchie Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Thank you for the suggestions! I am going to see if our library system has them (or can inter-library loan them). Cartoony is better, I think. She's not overly sensitive about things, and we try to take a "just the facts" approach w/her. Or at least, she hasn't been bothered by what we've talked about so far. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormbuy Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 My DS liked this one when he was 4 "Those MEan NAsty Dirty Downright Disgusting but...Invisible Germs" we found it at the library. Cartoonish, promotes hand washing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 My kids didn't find Germs Make Me Sick to be scary. They did observe one kid with green hair or skin in the book, though, which may have been the most memorable part. (I have an older, hardcopy version I found at a library book sale, not a more recent one, if that makes a difference.) Of course, my kids alternate between being germ-phobic and washing their hands constantly to being blithely unconcerned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jborres Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 I have a good one..I will try and list it tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lula Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 (edited) Maybe The Magic Schoolbus Inside Ralphie? It focuses entirely on the illness aspect but I seem to recall it explaining basic germ principles fairly well in both text/pictures though it doesn't get into various types of germs. ETA: I see this was mentioned already! My daughter liked the plush doll germ/microbe toys for a while. (I found them a bit odd but loved that she named them regular human names, why hello there Fern AKA ebola) Edited October 25, 2010 by lula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Usborne's Flip Flap Body Book has a great section on germs. My dd loved it at that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Sherry Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Thank you for the suggestions! I am going to see if our library system has them (or can inter-library loan them). Cartoony is better, I think. She's not overly sensitive about things, and we try to take a "just the facts" approach w/her. Or at least, she hasn't been bothered by what we've talked about so far. :) Yes, I agree that cartoony is better. I think my dd would have been fine with the information presented about germs if she had only seen it in a cartoony type of book designed for young children rather than the one she saw of horrifying looking germs and bugs magnified in photos. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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