Book Review: The Littlest Solstice Tree

December 4, 2025 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

I shared some ideas about celebrating the winter solstice with kids, but I wanted to share a cute book on the subject as well. The Littlest Solstice Tree by Lisa Varchol Perron and illustrated by Ahya Kim talks about the tradition of going into the woods to decorate a tree on the solstice rather than bringing a tree home to decorate in your house.

Young Sapling hopes it will be the chosen tree to be decorated, though Ancient reminds it the tall and lush trees are usually the ones selected.

But the power of hope, friendship and the wisdom of children gives this solstice celebration a different ending.

It’s a short, sweet (not ashamed to admit it made me tear up a little) story with lovely illustrations that include people, trees and forest animals. It can serve as a gentle introduction to solstice traditions and a way to contrast solstice and Christmas celebrations.

The author’s note at the end of the book tells a little bit about the winter solstice, which happens in the northern hemisphere around Dec. 21 each year and in the south on or around June 21. It notes that people have celebrated to solstice for nearly 12,000 years and that traditionally greenery might be brought into the house but trees weren’t typically cut down and brought home for Christmas until the 1500s. (Still a long tradition!)

Winter solstice is a great time to bundle up and go for a walk in nature and think and talk about the returning of the light and hopes for the new year to come.

This would be a nice book to add to a classroom collection of winter holiday themed books or to read at home if you already celebrate solstice or want to incorporate a celebration into your family traditions.

About the book: 32 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by Beaming Books. Suggested retail price $18.99.

[Photo: Beaming Books]

Check out the kids craft section on Craftbits.com

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Fall Sensory Ideas for Kids

A few years ago I shared some pumpkin themed sensory activities for kids, but I wanted to get a little more general and do some fall sensory ideas that can take you from Halloween al the way to Thanksgiving.

Playdough is a classic sensory activity, especially if kids can help make it, too. These playdough recipes from The Montessori Twin Mama are fall colored and scented with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice (I honestly don’t know what the difference is!). Or try this fun maple playdough from Happy Toddler Playtime.

Throw together some cookie cutters, googly eyes and other fun things to make an easy fall playdough tray (similar to what I did on this Halloween playdough activity).

How about some fall themed slime? Natural Beach Living gave a basic slime recipe a fall twist with food coloring and glitter. Leaf shaped sequins make it even more fun. Little Bins for Little Hands also has a cinnamon slime, which is great for fall but can also carry you all the way through Christmas.

Raising Wild Things Sensory has some great easy to make fall themed sensory bottles, which you can add fall things to, or pompoms or whatever kind of I spy items you might want to include. They also have a fun apple moon sand sensory bin that has me wondering if you could add something scented to moon sand (I always hated the smell!).

And of course there are all kinds of sensory bins you can make for fall. I like this apple picking one from Happy Toddler Playtime that uses fake leaves and little apple toys. It has the added challenge of trying to pick the apples up through a mesh of branches — kind of like a low-tech game of Operation!

You can also do a short-lived sensory bin with real leaves, or use any kind of beans, brown rice, oats or lentils to make your base. Some more great ideas can be found at Fab Everyday. Their post includes some specific Halloween and Thanksgiving themed sensory bins, too.

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