Help young patrons discover this invisible reality that they need to live.

Pre-Story Discussion

• Take out a large balloon.
• What do we do with a balloon like this? [Blow it up. Demonstrate blowing up the balloon.]
• What did I blow into the balloon?
• Where did the air in the balloon come from?
• We have air inside us. We breathe it into our lungs. Then we breathe it out again.
• Have the children take a deep breath, then slowly exhale. Have them put their hands in front of their faces as they breathe out, so they can feel the air.
• Animals and plants need air too. Air is a mixture of many things we cannot see. One of these is oxygen. We need oxygen to live.
• Why can't we see air? [It is invisible.]
• Talk about what it feels like to be outside on a breezy day.
• Air and wind are mysterious. We can hear the wind. [You can let air out of the balloon.] We can feel the wind blow against us. We can see what the wind can do. But, we cannot see the wind itself. It is mysterious.

Story
The Wind Blew, by Pat Hutchins
The wind blew, and blew, and blew! It blew so hard, it took everything with it: Mr. White's umbrella, Priscilla's balloon, the twins' scarves, even the wig on the judge's head. But just when the wind was about to carry everything out to sea, it changed its mind! With rhyming verse and colorful illustrations, Pat Hutchins takes us on a merry chase that is well worth the effort.

Feel the Wind, by Arthur Dorros
Air is always moving. We can't see air moving, though we can watch it push clouds across the sky, or shake the leaves of a tree. We call moving air the wind. In this enlarged edition, find out about the wind - what causes it, how it can be used to help us, and how it affects the weather. Arthur Dorros shows you how to make your own weather vane, and in simple terms, with playful illustrations, he explains just what makes the wind that blows all around us.

A Letter to Amy, by Ezra Jack Keats
Peter wants to invite Amy to his birthday party but he wants it to be a surprise.

Follow-Up ActivityPinwheels or bubbles make fun activities for children. You can also have them draw kits riding the wind. You might include kite safety guidelines to take home.