The Sun Thief Activities Your Students Will Love

If you are looking for engaging The Sun Thief Activities for your classroom, this adorable read-aloud is the perfect way to combine literacy, science, and hands-on learning as the seasons change. The Sun Thief by Alice Hemming, with brilliant illustrations by Nicola Slater, has quickly become a favorite among young readers and teachers alike.

Known as the author of The Leaf Thief and Snow Thief, Alice Hemming creates another personality-packed story that students instantly fall in love with. This squirrel’s forest adventure follows Squirrel as he becomes convinced someone is stealing the sun when the days begin getting shorter. What starts as a silly idea turns into a perfect exploration of change, seasonal changes, and the changing of the length of days in a way that young children can truly understand.

Why Teachers Love This New Classic

This tremendously themed reading book has become one of my favorite read-alouds for kindergarten and first grade. It is the perfect time during the school year to introduce students to concepts like:

• changing seasons
• nocturnal animals
• sunny summer days
• the magic of summer fading into fall and winter
• new nocturnal friends
• self connections
• story elements
• character traits

The book also includes a handy information spread at the end that explains why daylight changes throughout the year, making it an excellent literacy and science integration opportunity.

Fans of Leaf Thief Activities will absolutely love adding this companion story to their classroom lesson plans as well.

Meaningful Literacy Learning Through Read-Alouds

One of the reasons I love this book so much is that it naturally builds literacy skills while keeping students engaged. During read-aloud time, students practice:

• comprehension questions
• sequencing
• retelling
• vocabulary development
• critical thinking
• oral language
• story elements
• making predictions

These are all essential skills for easy readers and young learners.

The playful story and brilliant illustrations help even reluctant learners stay engaged during whole-group lessons, literacy centers, speech therapy sessions, and small groups.

The Sun Thief Activities That Make Learning Fun

I created these The Sun Thief Activities to make planning easier for teachers while giving students meaningful and engaging practice. This resource works wonderfully for:

• literacy centers
• small groups
• independent practice
• sub plans
• speech therapy
• 1st-grade and kindergarten classrooms
• hands-on activities
• seasonal lesson plans

Inside the resource, you will find:

• comprehension questions
• sequencing pages
• writing responses
• retelling activities
• vocabulary work
• character traits practice
• printable crafts
• story response pages
• new vocabulary activities
• critical thinking extensions

These The Sun Thief Activities are low prep and easy to use during busy parts of the school year. Many pages are simply print-and-go with minimal prep cut requirements for teachers.

Perfect for Science and Literacy Integration

This story creates a natural bridge between science and literacy instruction. Students can explore:

• why daylight changes
• seasonal changes
• nocturnal animals
• observations in nature
• how animals adapt during different times of the year

Students love getting to join Squirrel on his adventure while learning real science concepts in an age-appropriate way.

A Must-Have Read-Aloud for Young Readers

This adorable companion to The Leaf Thief and Snow Thief is quickly becoming a new classic in primary classrooms. The humor, expressive characters, and engaging storyline make it one of those essential children’s books students request again and again.

Whether you teach kindergarten, first grade, or work with young children in intervention groups, these The Sun Thief Activities are designed to keep learning meaningful, interactive, and fun.

Grab the Resource

If you want ready-to-use The Sun Thief Activities that pair perfectly with this hottest picture book, you can find the full resource here:

The Sun Thief Book Companion Activities & Printables on Teachers Pay Teachers

This resource is packed with fun activities, literacy extensions, and hands-on learning opportunities that make read-aloud time even more meaningful for your students.