Looking for Community Helpers books for your preschool theme? Check out our favorites!
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BOOK LIST: COMMUNITY HELPERS BOOKS
One great theme to use in your preschool classroom or at home with your little ones isCOMMUNITY HELPERS. We want our preschoolers to appreciate those who help in our communities & make sure things run smoothly every single day.
Community Helpers is a fun preschool theme for any month of the year, but I like to teach it in the fall, especially since October is Fire Prevention Month. Plus most preschoolers love learning about firefighters, police officers, & garbage collectors, so it definitely keeps their attention.
Keep reading to check out some of our favorite Community Helpers books for preschool that you’ll definitely want to read to your little ones!
Looking for Community Helpers activities to go along with these books? Check these out!
COMMUNITY HELPERS BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL
Transportation in My Neighborhood: This book is great because it uses real photographs of kids and their families getting around a neighborhood. It shows that people use different modes of transportation, such as walking, taking the subway, or taking the bus. It’s also the perfect way to talk about the community helpers who make that transportation possible.
The School (My Neighborhood Series): This is a great book to introduce kids so they know what to expect at school (it would also be great for a first day of school book!) It uses simple text on each page & real photographs to talk about what kids see & do at school. You could use this book to discuss community helpers at school (such as teachers, librarians, principles, & custodians), but you can also use it to show kids that they are community helpers, too!
Hooray for Construction Workers (Hooray For…): This is part of the “Hooray For” series (there are quite a few on this book list), and I love these books because they use easy-to-understand text to explain complicated jobs. This edition explains all about construction workers and what they do, where they work, and what tools they use. The photographs are big and bright and go along perfectly with the text.
Tiger the Police Dog: Preschoolers will absolutely LOVE this book about Tiger the Police Dog. Tiger isn’t just any police dog…he works in Washington, D.C. The book shows Tiger’s daily schedule, including photographs of all his activities and responsibilities. Tiger also gives the kids some safety tips at the end.
Max and Zoe at the Dentist: If your preschooler has ever felt afraid of going to the dentist, they will be able to relate to the characters in this story. Max is very nervous about going to the dentist to have his teeth pulled. Luckily, his friend Zoe is there to support him and cheer him on. After his visit, Max realizes it wasn’t so bad, and he even gets a toy and lots of ice cream, which he says is the best part.
Hooray for Chefs (Hooray For…): Here’s another “Hooray For” book that preschoolers will love. This time, they’re going to meet chefs. They’ll discover what they do, where they work, and why they’re important in our communities. The photographs are so detailed and really give kids an up-close-and-personal view of chefs.
Let’s Meet a Teacher (Community Helpers Series): This series of books is a great way to introduce kids to community helpers. The kids in this book are on a mission to discover what a teacher does, so they talk with a fourth grade teacher named Ms. Crawford. She invites them into her classroom and shows them what a teacher does all day, what her responsibilities are, and how she’s a community helper.
The Police Station (My Neighborhood Series): This book is a great introduction to police officers and what they do. It uses real photographs & simple text on each page to give facts about police, what their responsibilities are, and how they help the community.
People Who Help: This is a great reference book to keep on hand during your Community Helpers theme. This book has different chapters, and each chapter focuses on a different community helper, including: police officers, firefighters, doctors & nurses, dentist & hygienists, trash collectors, & crossing guards. There’s also a section in the back with book & website suggestions. I wouldn’t read this entire book in one sitting to my class, but I think it’s great to read about one community helper at a time.
My Neighborhood: This book is part of the “Indestructible” series because it’s made to be rip proof and chew proof for babies. But it’s great for preschoolers, too, because you can put it in your bag & take it on the go (and it can’t be destroyed!) This edition is all about a neighborhood. It has colorful illustrations that show who’s in the neighborhood (like the garbage collector & mail carrier) and how they work to help each other.
Let’s Meet a Librarian (Community Helpers Series): Here’s another book from this series all about community helpers. This time, The kids in this book are on a mission to discover what a librarian does, so they talk with the school librarian named Mr. Field. He invites them into the library and explains what a librarian does all day, what his responsibilities are, and how he’s a community helper.
I Stink: This series by Kate & Jim McMullan is one of my preschooler’s favorite series! In this edition, readers are introduced to a garbage truck, and they follow him all night while he eats garbage. The illustrations are so unique and the text is really engaging since the garbage truck is talking directly to the reader. Highly recommend this series!
Hooray for Farmers (Hooray For…): Here’s another “Hooray For” book that preschoolers will love. This time, they’re going to meet farmers. They’ll discover what farmers do on a farm and why they’re important in our communities. The photographs are so detailed that kids will love them…especially the cute baby pig drinking from a bottle!
Police: Hurrying! Helping! Saving!: Here’s another great book to introduce readers to police officers. This book uses illustrations to show who police officers are, what they do, and how they help our communities. But the best part about this book is that it rhymes. We love rhyming books to build phonological awareness.
COMMUNITY HELPERS BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL
Can We Help?: I added this book to the list because I think it’s important for kids to see themselves as community helpers, not just adults. This book shows how kids help their community by doing things such as knitting hats & scarves for the local homeless shelter and packing snacks for kids to take home with them after-school (if their parents won’t be home when they arrive). I love that this book uses real photographs to show kids making a real difference in the world.
Let’s Meet a Construction Worker (Community Helpers Series): Here’s another book from this series all about community helpers. This time, the kids in this book are on a mission to discover what a construction worker does, so they talk to Mr. Moore while on a school field trip. Mr. Moore explains the safety rules of a construction site, how they build new things, and how construction workers are community helpers.
Police Officer: Here’s another great book to introduce readers to police officers. This book follows Officer Seth and Officer Thea while they work at the local festival. They do many jobs at the festival, including helping someone whose car got stuck in the mud, giving a family directions, and helping a little boy who was separated from his parents.
Hooray for Veterinarians (Hooray For…): Here’s another “Hooray For” book that preschoolers will love, especially if they love animals. This time, they’re going to meet veterinarians. Readers will discover what veterinarians do, how they care for animals, and why they’re important in our communities.
Whose Hands are These?: This is SUCH a fun book because it’s filled with rhyming riddles! Preschoolers will LOVE guessing who the hands on the page belong to based on the riddle and the illustrations. For example, one page says, “Hoe and sow, these hands are soiled. Sweep and reap, these hands have toiled. In the barn, these hands are charmers. These hands belong to many…” and when they flip the page, it says “Farmers!” There are so many fun community helper riddles in this book that it’s sure to be a hit for your little one.
Let’s Meet a Firefighter: (Community Helpers Series): Here’s another book from this series all about community helpers. This time, the kids in this book are on a mission to discover what a firefighter does. They learn so much in the story, especially the fact the firefighters do WAY more than fight fires. (They also learn that firefighters should really be called Emergency Fighters because of all that they do for our communities!)
Trashy Town: This book introduces readers to Mr. Gilly, who’s a trashman in the local community. Readers follow Mr. Gilly as he picks up trash throughout the community. Every time he does, readers can say, “Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the Trashy Town! Is the trash truck full yet?” Once he’s finally done for the day, Mr. Gilly heads to the dump to empty his trash truck…then heads home for a bath!
Hooray for Police Officers (Hooray For…): Here’s another “Hooray For” book that preschoolers will find interesting. This time, they’re going to meet police officers. Readers will discover what police officers do, how they protect our communities, and why they’re important.
Hooray for Pilots (Hooray For…): Here’s another “Hooray For” book that preschoolers will find interesting. This time, they’re going to meet pilots. Readers will discover what pilots do, how they become pilots, and why they’re important in our communities.
Let’s Meet a Police Officer (Community Helpers Series): Here’s another book from this series all about community helpers. This time, the kids in this book are on a mission to discover what a police officer does. Officer Gabby comes to school for a visit and explains all the ways she helps the community. This book also covers other law enforcement officers, such as FBI agents.
I’m Brave:This is another book in the series by Kate & Jim McMullan. In this edition, readers are introduced to a fire truck who is really brave. The illustrations are so unique and the text is really engaging since the fire truck is talking directly to the reader. Highly recommend this series!
Why We Go to the Dentist: This is a great introduction to the dentist for preschoolers. Going to the dentist can be a scary experience for our little ones, but this book helps take the anxiety out of it. It has detailed photographs on each page that show what a dentist does at your checkup, and it has simple text to accompany the photographs.
COMMUNITY HELPERS BOOKS FOR YOUNG PRESCHOOLERS & TODDLERS
Fire Trucks Rescue:When my son was a toddler, he LOVED this book! He always wanted to wear his firefighter hat (which he used to call his “Party Hat”) when he read this book.
Future Astronaut: This is a cute book that shows all the ways that Baby is preparing to be an astronaut, even as a baby. The text is simple on each page, and the illustrations are bright and colorful. Definitely a great choice for toddlers & young preschoolers.
Future Engineer: This book is fun because it compares Engineers and Babies and how they’re similar. For example, it says that engineers ask good questions…and Baby has a few (and we all know how much kids LOVE to ask questions!)
Little Blue Truck Leads the Way: We are huge fans of Little Blue Truck, and this one might be my favorite (When my son was 2, he wanted me to read him this book almost EVERY single day, so I have it memorized!) In this edition, Little Blue heads into the city, only to be confronted by community helpers (like buses, taxis, and police officers) rushing everywhere! Blue has to teach them the importance of slowing down and taking turns so everyone can get where they need to go safely.
Vroom Vroom Garbage Truck: I absolutely adore this book because the words are all sounds! The author’s use sounds like “Vroom” and “Beep Beep” to describe the sounds the garbage truck is making on each page. It’s such a unique book since readers can really develop their own storyline while reading.
COMMUNITY HELPERS SNACK
Want to pair one of your Community Helpers books with a fun snack? Try this Fire Truck Graham Cracker (inspired by The Printable Princess). Your preschooler is sure to love helping you make this snack with ingredients you might already have at home. You can read more about this snackin this post!
COMMUNITY HELPERS FREEBIE
One area I like to focus on during my Community Helpers theme is being prepared for an emergency. This FREE Emergency Form is a great way to help your little one begin memorizing important information they’d need in an emergency, including their full name, address, & phone number. This freebie is editable, which means you can simply type in you little one’s information and print it out. Clickhereto read more and grab a copy for your kiddos!
COMMUNITY HELPERS MATH & LITERACY PRINTABLES
I hope this book list helped you fill-in your Community Helpers lesson plans for your preschool classroom or homeschool. If you want an entire pack of printable math & literacy centers for this theme, check out myCommunity Helpers Preschool Activity Pack.
Click here to check it out!
SHARE YOUR FAVORITES
Do you have any favorite Community Helpers books for preschool? I’d love to hear them and add them to our list! Comment below or find me onInstagram[@littleslovelearningblog].
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Looking for other book lists for preschool and kindergarten? Click HERE to check them out!
Happy Learning!
