India for Kids: Favorite Resources for Elementary Students

Ever since I was a girl I was fascinated by India, that wonderfully diverse country with such a rich cultural heritage.  And now I’m lucky enough to get to study it with my kids as part of our world cultures curriculum.  Here are some of my favorites resources about India for kids, including websites and books appropriate for elementary school students. Crafts are also a wonderful hands on way to teach about other cultures, so be sure to also try this rangoli for kids activity!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of A Puzzling Tour of India for review purposes; however, all opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.  If you click through and make a purchase, I receive a small commission.

India for Kids: Favorite Resources for Elementary Students

We love A Puzzling Tour of India! It is perfect for schools and homeschoolers, or for anyone looking to do some really fun educational games with their kids.  I love integrating subjects, so I was so excited to learn about this incredible activity book that combines STEM activities with learning about the cultures and history of India for kids. Best of all, the puzzles are really fun!  And trust me, this book is packed with information about India plus a variety of types of puzzles, like mazes, hidden objects, and more.  Here are just a few examples: write a story based on a painting from the Warli tribes, complete a picture of the Mahabodhi Temple by filling in the missing shapes, connect the dots to reveal a favorite resident of Jim Corbett National Park, and unscramble a picture of the Great Indian Hornbill.

We are loving this puzzle book of India from Yali Books (@ambikasam) It is such a great way to learn about India while practicing fine motor and logic skills! #mkbkids #kbn #momsoninstagram #homeschooling #kbnhs #kidbloggersofig #India #puzzle

A photo posted by Leanna Alldonemonkey (@alldonemonkey) on May 19, 2016 at 10:50am PDT

Another great STEM book about India is Endangered Animals of India by Meera Sriram.  It is a wonderful way to teach kids about the wildlife of India as well as raise their awareness about the environmental challenges they face.  You can also try the learning games we did to go along with this fantastic book.

Kids will enjoy the colorful and often amusing stories in The Elephant’s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India. My son really loved the graphic novel format – a big plus for early readers and visual learners!

Our study of India included learning about Hinduism. By now hopefully you are not tired of hearing me go on about how much I love books by Demi, but if you are teaching your kids about world religions, her books are essential!  As mentioned in my Ramadan lesson plan, I love that her books are so respectful and authentic to the religion being presented. The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna is no exception. It is an exciting tale of Krishna’s life, though be warned that a sensitive child may find some of the battle scenes and illustrations a little s-c-a-r-y. (Having said that, these were my son’s favorites!)

Krishna Steals the Butter and Other Stories is a beautiful collection of stories from Hinduism that are appropriate for young children.  (Go here for more resources to learn about Hinduism with kids).

There are so many general reference books available about India for kids that it can be quite overwhelming. One we liked was India (Eyewitness Books). The photos are outstanding, and the information is comprehensive and engaging.

Another great reference book is A Historical Atlas of India. The maps are fantastic and showcase how India has changed throughout time.

My son loves science, so Science in Ancient India was a fun way for him to connect with the history of India and the important scientific contributions it has made to the world. For example, we learned about ayurvedic medicine and even figured out what our doshas are!  (You can also take an online quiz, though you have to give your email address to receive the results).

Websites

To learn more about ancient India and in particular the Indus Valley civilization, check out this BBC website for kids, which has great visuals to talk about everyday life, artifacts, and the mystery of what happened to this ancient civilization.

You can also take a virtual tour of India through this wonderful yoga sequence from Kids Yoga Stories – great way to get in a gross motor activity plus understand more about yoga, one of India’s gifts to the world!