Puddle Walks

April 14, 2025 by Maria

We have been getting so much rain. Let me say that again, so. . . much. . . rain. . . Our absolutely beautiful spring weather from a couple of weeks ago has unfortunately turned into dismal dreary rain and cold chills. Wetness, mud, and puddles wait outside now, and still allergies. (How is the pollen not all washed away?) In my previous spring post, I mentioned how I used to regularly take my kids on “puddle walks.” We’d walk through the neighborhood looking for the best puddles and then they would splash to their hearts’ content. Puddles. What is a puddle to you? Is it an inconvenience, a delight, a nuisance? What is a puddle to the children in your life? 

The last few mornings, my nine-year-old has been fascinated by the giant puddle near his bus stop. He knows he can’t step in it for fear of having wet feet all day at school. Instead, he leans out as far as possible peering into the water and occasionally grabbing a stick to poke around in the puddle. This fascination with puddles is nothing new for this child. He has always hated the accidental spilled drink on his shirt or wet sleeve from washing hands, yet he loves puddles and splashing. 

Since our weather has taken such a wet turn, I decided to give my attention to some wet weather and puddle centered books. April showers bring May flowers as they say. Why not splash into some puddle filled stories while we wait out the rain in the warmer and drier indoors? So, come on a literary puddle walk with me. The first book here is Puddles by Jonathan London and illustrated by G. Brian Karas. This book is about a brother and sister going outside to play the morning after a storm. They find all the beautiful wonders rain leaves behind like glistening water droplets on leaves and of course puddles. They have a blast splashing and playing in puddles despite their mother’s warning to stay dry.

Thunder Cake written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco is a story that focuses more on the storm or the anticipation and fear before a storm starts than the wetness afterwards. Polacco beautifully illustrated this story about a grandmother helping her granddaughter overcome her fear of thunderstorms by having the child help her gather ingredients and prepare a cake that can only be baked during a thunderstorm. This is a beautiful story about fear and bravery and the special bond children have with grandparents. 

Sometimes kids have a bond with a special toy or object like a teddy bear or blanket. Sometimes it has to do with a memory or the person who gave them that item. My daughter once carried a pink paper plane around the house for a week or more after my husband made it with her. The little boy in Float by Daniel Miyares makes a paper boat with his dad and then heads out the door to play, dressed in hat, raincoat and boots. Through this wordless book we see the boy go on many adventures through puddles and rain with his boat until the boat does what all wet paper eventually does; it falls apart. The tearful boy returns home with his ruined boat to find his father waiting with a warm hug and dry clothes. After drying his tears and hair, the boy and his father make something new with another sheet of paper and the boy heads outside again to play and explore. 

Worm Weather by Jean Taft is a fun rhyming book about two kids exploring rain, mud, and wormy spring weather with their mom. Our favorite part is when the boy is about to belly flop into the huge muddy puddle, but the mom grabs him mid air. Matt Hunt’s illustrations make this especially funny. One of the best things about being outside and getting wet in the rain is going inside to get warm and dry. Their mom brings the kids to the perfect place to grab lunch and warm up after all their puddle play. 

Hello, Puddle! written by Anita Sanchez and illustrated by Luisa Uribe is about a large puddle that has formed in a girl’s backyard. She watches the changes in seasons and the various wildlife that visit her backyard puddle over the spring and summer through fall and until winter. This is a great nature study and wet spring story combined. In the end notes, the author shares that the puddle in this book is based on a real one in her own yard. Sanchez writes that she also watches animals visit her puddle. 

I miss puddle walks. I miss watching my kids’ delight at the biggest splash and seeing one or two, or all three sit down on the curb to pour water out of their rain filled boots. A warm bath, fresh clothes and some hot chocolate or tea with a snack were always post-puddle walk requirements. The cozy time after a puddle walk was also a great time for a read aloud. Hint, hint.