Leonardo Da Vinci: Wonder Library

LEONARDO DA VINCI

Wonder Library Links

A carefully gathered collection of books, videos, and extra rabbit trails to support your Wonder lesson on Leonardo da Vinci — artist, inventor, scientist, engineer, and endlessly curious thinker.

READ ALOUDS

Leonardo and the Flying Boy

A beautiful story to introduce Leonardo’s fascination with flight and invention.

Leonardo da Vinci from Little People Big Dreams series.

A child-friendly biography exploring his life, art, ideas, and incredible curiosity.

The Extraordinary Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci by Alex Woolf and Paula Zamudio

This is a fact book looking at some of the weird and wonderful inventions that Leonardo dreamed up.

VIDEO LINKS

Who Was Leonardo da Vinci?

A gentle introduction to Leonardo’s life and why he is remembered as one of history’s greatest thinkers.

Art with Mati & Dada: Meet Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo’s Inventions

Explore some of Leonardo’s sketches, machines, and ideas that were far ahead of their time.

The Mona Lisa

A simple look at Leonardo’s most famous painting.

EXTRA INFORMATION

Leonardo was not only an artist. He studied anatomy, nature, water, birds, machines, light, and movement. He filled notebooks with sketches, questions, and ideas. He was a POLYMATH. This is a wonderful word that means someone who loves learning about many different things and is an expert in multiple areas.

Children may enjoy noticing that Leonardo did not separate art and science. He used both together to understand the world more deeply.

Click this link to take you to some great activities based on Da Vinci’s art & science.

The Vitruvian Man: Measure the child laid on the floor with their arms stretched out.

Measure their height.

Da Vinci discovered that humans were the same height as their arms could span.

This principle of proportion was based on the architect Vitruvius principles of proportion.

Challenge your family with this Kahoot!

RABBIT HOLE IDEAS

Try mirror writing like Leonardo.

Sketch an invention in a notebook.

Look closely at bird wings and imagine a flying machine.

Compare the Mona Lisa with another famous portrait.

Make a list of questions Leonardo might have asked about the world.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Leonardo da Vinci reminds us that wonder can lead in every direction. A question can become a drawing, a drawing can become an invention, and curiosity can last a lifetime.