Does your child love to explore, dig in the dirt or ask questions about everything from why the leaves change colour to how bees make honey? Investigate the answers to these and hundreds of other questions with exciting (and educational) books to help your child learn about nature – we’ve chosen 35 of the best that will suit all ages, from toddlers to teens!

Don’t miss our best content straight to your inbox! Sign up now and get our FREE newsletters packed with fun ideas and things to do with the kids, family-friendly recipes, expert advice, parenting tips and great competitions.

Learn about nature, wildlife and the environment – it’s not only fascinating, but important for any budding scientists and conservationists.

We’ve compiled our list of favourites so you can build your library with a great selection of nature books that will ensure you hear ‘Did you know…?’ on a regular basis!

You May Also Enjoy Be A Bookasaurus! 20 Top Dinosaur Books for Your Dino-Mad Kid

Books to Learn About Nature

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

First published in 1969, this all-time favourite not only follows the very hungry caterpillar as it grows from egg to cocoon to beautiful butterfly, but also teaches the days of the week, counting, and more. Striking pictures and cleverly die-cut pages offer interactive fun.

You May Also Enjoy 12 Fantastic Eric Carle Books You May Not Have Heard Of

My First Nature: Let’s Go Exploring

My First Nature: Let’s Go Exploring by DK

Learn about nature and explore the forest, farm, seasons, water, night-time, garden, and more. Easy-grip picture tabs are perfect for little hands, and they’re sure to enjoy all the vibrant images of everyday objects.

You May Also Enjoy Why It’s Never Too Early To Start Reading to Your Baby

Usborne Baby’s Very First Nature Sounds Playbook

Baby’s Very First Nature Sounds Playbook by Fiona Watt

A brightly coloured, high-contrast playbook full of nature scenes for babies to explore. There is plenty to touch and feel, and an easy-to-use sound panel with ten soothing sounds from nature, including croaking frogs, tweeting birds, chirruping grasshoppers, hooting owls, buzzing bees and more.

You May Also Enjoy How to Make a Butterfly Garden With Your Kids

One World

One World by Michael Foreman

A brother and sister spend their day playing on the beach by a rock pool. They create their own tiny marine world in a bucket and, with its wildlife, shells, oil and even a tin can, it is a microcosm of the larger world outside.

Through a series of stunning watercolours, the multi award-winning Michael Foreman makes clear his underlying concern about pollution within the environment.

You May Also Enjoy Top Tips to Encourage A Reluctant Reader

Yucky Worms

Yucky Worms by Vivian French and illustrated by Jessica Ahlberg

Worms: fun, fascinating and wriggly worms! The humble earthworm plays a significant role in the environment, as all farmers and gardeners know – it aerates the soil, composts dead matter into rich matter in which seeds can germinate and plants can grow. Children love them too, especially for their wriggliness!

You May Also Enjoy 10 Best Nature Activities for Kids To Do in Your Own Garden

A First Book of Nature

A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Mark Hearld

From beachcombing to stargazing, from watching squirrels, ducks and worms to making berry crumble or a winter bird feast, this is a remarkable book – part poetry, part scrapbook of recipes, facts and fragments – and a glorious reminder that the natural world is on our doorstep waiting to be discovered.

Mark Hearld’s pictures beautifully reproduce the colours of the seasons on wood-free paper, and Nicola Davies’ lyrical words capture the simple loveliness that is everywhere, if only we can look.

You May Also Enjoy How do Autumn Leaves Change Colour?

Bee

Bee by Britta Teckentrup

Turn the pages to follow the miraculous little bee and its journey from flower to flower in this delightful peep-through picture book. Brought to life by the lyrical text and stunning artwork from the award-winning Britta Teckentrup, the miracle of pollination will amaze and entertain.

You May Also Enjoy How to Create a Wildlife Friendly Garden

Bug Hotel

Bug Hotel by Libby Walden and illustrated by Clover Robin

Welcome to the Bug Hotel, a homemade habitat where creepy crawlies of all shapes and sizes can find a place to stay! Discover how a bug hotel can create a sustainable, safe  environment for insects and mini-beasts by exploring each section, lifting the flaps and finding out facts about your favourite garden insects.

You May Also Enjoy Big Bug Scavenger Hunt for Kids

The Magic Garden

The Magic Garden by Lemniscates

With gorgeous illustrations and a beautiful story of a young girl discovering the marvels of nature, The Magic Garden is sure to delight young readers. At the end, the mysteries uncovered in the story are explained, so children can get their questions about the natural world answered, including sections on how bees make honey, why some animals camouflage themselves, and how a seed grows into a tree. An enchanting way to learn about nature!

You May Also Enjoy The Best Places to See Bluebells in Ireland

Because of An Acorn

Because of An Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer

Because of an acorn, a tree grows, a bird nests, a seed becomes a flower. Enchanting die-cuts illustrate the vital connections between the layers of an ecosystem in this magical book. Wander down the forest path to learn how every tree, flower, plant and animal connect to one another in spiraling circles of life. An acorn is just the beginning.

You May Also Enjoy 12 Perfectly Simple Pine Cone Crafts Kids Can Treasure

National Geographic Kids First Big Book of the Ocean

First Big Book of the Ocean by National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids First Big Book of the Ocean is an adorable animal reference that includes the sea’s high-interest animals, such as dolphins, sharks, sea otters, and penguins, and introduces kids to some of its lesser-known creatures. More than 100 charming animal photos illustrate the profiles, with facts about the creatures’ sizes, diets, homes, and more.

You May Also Enjoy 8 Stunning Shell Crafts for Kids to Make and Keep

Butterflies and Moths

Butterflies and Moths by DK

The perfect companion for children eager to understand how caterpillars become butterflies. Explore butterfly habitats and find out all about how butterflies work, from wings to feet. With exciting activities, like how to make a butterfly kite, and plenty of fun facts, this book is a must for children curious about butterflies and moths.

You May Also Enjoy The Best Plants for a Butterfly Garden

Nature’s Day

Nature’s Day by Kay Maguire and illustrated by Danielle Kroll

Learn about nature and discover the world on your doorstep. Beginning in spring, this charming book revisits nine different places, including the farm, the back garden and the woods, during each of the four seasons through the year and explores the changing scenery and animal life found there. Packed full of fascinating facts and information alongside gorgeous illustrations, this is the perfect book to celebrate each season with.

You May Also Enjoy 50 Fun Outdoor Activities For Kids Checklist

Eddie’s Garden and How to Make Things Grow

Eddie’s Garden and How to Make Things Grow by Sarah Garland

What makes Eddie’s garden grow? Earth, rain, sun and all sorts of creatures, of course! Eddie’s garden is magnificent, from his stringy bean house to his tall sunflowers. Find out how Eddie’s garden grows in this gentle story with lively characters and colourful illustrations. Want to grow your own fantastic garden like Eddie’s? This book will tell you how!

You May Also Enjoy The BFG and 9 Other Epic Stories with Giants for Kids

199 Things in Nature

199 Things in Nature by Usborne

Discover and name lots of amazing things you might find in nature, from puffins, snowy owls and acorns to dandelions, butterflies and chipmunks. The book is organised into themed pages, including gardens and parks, grasslands and deserts, in the mountains and under the sea.

You May Also Enjoy Listen Up! The Best Audio Books for Kids

Tree

Tree by Britta Teckentrup

Explore the beauty of the changing seasons in this timeless peek-through book with beautiful artwork from Britta Teckentrup and accompanying rhyming text. Following the life-cycle of a tree through spring, summer, autumn and winter, children will easily learn to recognise the signs of the seasons with this simple, yet striking, picture book.

You May Also Enjoy Treats for the Birds – Make a Bird Feeder

The Great Kapok Tree

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

A man beginning to cut down a great kapok tree falls asleep at its roots. While he dreams, the animals that depend on the tree beg him to reconsider.

You May Also Enjoy 100 Of the Best Ever Bedtime Stories for Kids Recommended by Parents

A Little Guide to Trees

A Little Guide to Trees by Charlotte Voake

What sort of tree did Robin Hood’s bow come from? What pine tree drops its needles in the winter and how did the monkey puzzle get its name? These are just some of the wonderful facts that you’ll discover inside this book.

Use the delicate illustrations and simple text to help your child identify the trees they see every day, whether they live in the country or the city. This book is a wonderful way of encouraging a child to interact with their environment, helping them to respect and protect the trees that surround them.

You May Also Enjoy Nature Activities for Kids: Terrific Tree Fun [INFOGRAPHIC]

Ocean: A Children’s Encyclopedia

Ocean: A Children’s Encyclopedia by DK

Explore the hidden depths of the ocean with this stunning visual encyclopedia for children which reveals the secrets of the seas through stunning images and beautiful photography to engage and educate kids.

From the Arctic to the Caribbean, tiny plankton to giant whales, sandy beaches to the deepest depths, this detailed and beautiful encyclopedia lets your child discover the mysterious world beneath the waves.

You May Also Enjoy 50 Interesting Things to do at the Beach

Usborne Illustrated Book of Nature

Illustrated Book of Nature by Usborne

This is a delightful collection of the popular Little Books series on nature. Young children can learn about nature through the secret life of birds, the wonderful world of trees and flowers, and the wildlife living on the seashore and in your own garden.

You May Also Enjoy 10 Galoshingly Good Rainy Day Activities for Kids Outdoors

Ned the Nature Nut’s Nutty Nature Facts and Jokes

Ned the Nature Nut’s Nutty Nature Facts and Jokes by Andy Seed

This nutty nature joke book is full of side-splittingly hilarious jokes and fascinating facts based on nature. Full of green-fingered giggles and wildlife witticisms, as well as incredible facts about nature, Ned the Nature Nut will turn you into a nature nut too!

You May Also Enjoy 15 Peculiar Panda Facts For Kids To Know

It Starts With a Seed

It Starts With a Seed by Laura Knowles

In gentle rhyme, explore the growth of a tiny sycamore seed. Taking a journey through the seasons and years, we follow the seed as it transforms from a seedling to a sapling, then a young tree, until it becomes a large tree with its branches and roots filling the page. As the tree grows, it is joined by well-loved woodland creatures – squirrels and rabbits, butterflies and owls – who make it their home.

Beautifully presented with a gold embossed front cover, textured paper and specialised etching technique throughout, It Starts with a Seed was the winner of the inaugural Margaret Mallett Award for Children’s Non-Fiction.

You May Also Enjoy 15 Easy And Eye-Catching Leaf Craft Ideas For Kids

The Nature Explorer’s Scrapbook

The Nature Explorer’s Scrapbook by Caz Buckingham and Andrea Pinnington

With this book, no trip outside will ever be the same again. Each page marks a new adventure as you are guided through the incredible world of nature and invited to search, explore and gather things as diverse as skulls and shells, tadpoles and trilobites. When you have finished (though that may take a lifetime!) you will have created your own unique nature masterpiece that is a wonderful record of trips spent outside.

This large hardback book with elastic band closure and beautiful photos has pages for collecting summer grasses, weather observations and photos, feathers, leaves, and more.

You May Also Enjoy 10 Mega Fun Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids

Usborne Nature Trail: Rocks and Fossils

Rocks and Fossils by Usborne Nature Trail

Clear text, illustrations and photographs explain how rocks, minerals and fossils are actually formed, what they can tell us about the history of the earth and its future, and where you can see and find them. Children will also learn about nature through fantastic facts boxes and short experiments, as well as a field spotter’s guide.

You May Also Enjoy 10 Terrific Places to See Dinosaurs in Ireland

Butterflies

Butterflies by Dr Emma Lawrence

This hardback is part of the Little Nature Explorers series. A rhyming tale with fascinating facts about our precious wildlife, butterflies.

You May Also Enjoy Best Places to See Animals, Birds and Beasts in Ireland

Explanatorium Nature

Explanatorium Nature by DK

From fruit to flowers, from shells to sharks, from ants to elephants, this extraordinary new encyclopedia will keep animal and nature enthusiasts from ages 9 to 109 utterly absorbed by amazing, close-up images. Did you know that baby foxes are born with blue eyes which later turn golden? Or that reptile scales are made from keratin, the same material as your hair and nails?

Explanatorium of Nature is the perfect way to learn about nature and discover why fungi, plants, birds, invertebrates, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and ecosystems exist and what they mean for our world.

You May Also Enjoy 15 of the Best Reading Apps for Kids 

In the Garden

In the Garden by i-Spy

Search for over 140 sights in the garden with this i-SPY guide. This fun activity book encourages kids to explore outdoors, from trees and shrubs to garden birds, in search of i-SPY points. A fun, interactive way to encourage curious children to learn about the world around them.

You May Also Enjoy 10 Great Garden Chores for Kids That They Are Sure to Enjoy

A Drop in the Ocean

A Drop in the Ocean by Jacqui Bailey

Follows a drop of water as it cycles from droplet to vapour and back to water again. A Drop in the Ocean describes its journeys in between, and includes activities that kids will enjoy.

You May Also Enjoy 7 Simple Experiments to Get Kids Excited About Science

Questions and Answers About Nature

Questions and Answers About Nature by Usborne

Why do spiders make webs? Where do clouds come from? And how many leaves does a tree have? Inquisitive young children can discover the answers to these questions and many more in this beautifully illustrated information book, containing over 60 flaps to lift.

You May Also Enjoy Where to Take the Kids on a Gruffalo Trail

The Earth Book

The Earth Book by Jonathon Litton

In this enormous book about the Earth there is so much to explore! Readers can marvel at the physical planet, travel back in time to primordial Earth, explore all branches of the tree of life, discover habitats from oceans to deserts, learn how the weather works, and take a tour of the human planet from the Maasai steppe to Manhattan.

You May Also Enjoy 12 of the Most Awesome Garden Activities for Preschoolers

1,000 Things in Nature

1,000 Things in Nature by Usborne

Pre-readers will enjoy looking and pointing at the detailed pictures, while older children can use the book as a starting point for discussion or research. An excellent tool for broadening vocabulary as each picture is labelled and theres a comprehensive index at the back of the book to help your child learn about nature.

You May Also Enjoy These 11 Creative Garden Crafts for Kids

Cool Nature

Cool Nature by Amy-Jane Beer

Did you know that fish can use tools, and that wombat poo is cubic? This fact-packed guide to the world of nature contains everything the budding naturalist needs to know. Meet nature’s most fearsome predators, explore the wonders of the ocean, and marvel at the ability of animals to survive in the harshest environments.

If you want to get out into the wild yourself, there’s cool practical advice for tracking animals through the woods, using binoculars to spot our feathered friends, making a bird feeder in your back yard, and more.

You May Also Enjoy 28 Rainbow Inspired Activities for Kids

Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth

Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Emily Sutton

There are living things everywhere: the more we look, the more we find. There are creatures on the tops of the tallest jungle trees, at the bottom of the coldest oceans, even under the feathers of birds and in boiling volcanic pools.

From the award-winning team behind Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes comes a beautifully illustrated introduction to the concept of biodiversity for younger readers.

You May Also Enjoy 10 Top Tips to Help Your Child’s Reading Fluency

Nature Explorers Boxset

Nature Explorers Boxset by DK

The perfect companion for children eager to understand the world outside and learn about nature, the Nature Explorers Box Set contains four fantastic first books on Birds, Weather, Woodland and Forest, and the Seashore. Each book contains exciting activities, like cloud spotting, bark rubbing and how to make a bird feeder, as well as plenty of fun facts.

You May Also Enjoy The Best Farm Experiences In Ireland for Kids

Dirtmeister’s Nitty Gritty Planet Earth

Dirtmeister’s Nitty Gritty Planet Earth by National Geographic Kids

Come and explore the world under your feet with the Dirtmeister and friends! Part graphic novel, part fun guidebook, this very cool, rocky journey introduces both eager and reluctant readers to the basic geologic proceßses that shape our Earth.

Clear and concise explanations of the various geologic processes reveal the csomprehensive science behind each fascinating topic. Fun facts and simple DIY experiments reinforce the concepts while short biographies of important scientists inspire future geo-scientists.

You May Also Enjoy 10 Hugely Entertaining and Educational Podcasts For Kids

How do your kids learn about nature? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!