Construction Books for Kids
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Our oldest son was obsessed with construction sites and construction vehicles when he was little. We read books about construction vehicles, watched construction videos, played dress-up with a reflective vest and yellow hardhat, hauled Tonka trucks to the playground sandbox, sought out construction sites to visit, and even attended a ‘touch a truck’ day. I never would have though construction vehicles were beautiful until I became a boy mom, but I quickly learned to appreciate them through my son’s eyes. His great-granddaddy worked for the highway department and drove a dump truck after working on road crews in WWII, so it has to be in his blood!
Our special nighttime ritual has always been to read books together, and during this truck-obsession phase, we certainly read our share of books about all sorts of trucks and machines. We had two or three construction themed birthday parties while he was still in the single digits, even wrapping our yard in construction tape and getting the attention of neighbors and the local police (“No–not a crime scene, Officer…”) We searched high and low for a toy backhoe with jacks one year, and my son would name each type of truck and correct anyone who called them by the wrong name!
He has grown quite a bit since then, but I still catch him looking at construction sites with awe whenever we pass one by. Our tried and true absolute favorite construction books are listed below. I’ve put many of these away in a box with baby clothes, because my memories of sharing this time with my son are priceless, and I won’t be able to part with these books unless I have a grandchild to share them with one day.
If you have a construction truck whiz in your house, please share your favorite titles with us in the comments. Be sure to link up your family-friendly posts while you’re here!
Our Favorite Construction Books for Kids
- I Love Trucks! Board Book
- The Truck Book
- Road Builders
- Dazzling Diggers (Amazing Machines)
- My Big Truck Book (My Big Board Books)
- Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go
- DK Readers: Big Machines (Level 1: Beginning to Read)
- Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
- Machines at Work Board Book
- Construction Zone
- At the Construction Site (Tonka Picture Clues)
The most popular post from last week’s link up was:
- Healthy Living Reading Challenge from Inner Savvy Wellness
Machines At Work– I can recite that by memory. My oldest son is now 12 and is still obsessed with construction equipment; except now he gets to drive them (supervised of course)and he’s quite an exceptional driver. We come from a long line of excavator, skid steer, loader and grader operators so I too think it’s in his blood. I’m pretty sure we’ve read every construction truck book there is!
I know that one by heart, too! My oldest son and I read it so often, he could recite it from memory before he could even read. It’s funny how we as moms learn to see the beauty in the things our boys love, like those loud yellow machines. My son will be so jealous to hear that your son gets to drive them! Thanks so much for your heartfelt comment, Mother of 3 🙂
Glad you have Richard Scary in that list. I always loved looking at everything going on in the illustrations as a kid.
Me, too. He is one of my favorite children’s book illustrator/authors!