Here at Cardinal Rule Press, we’ve been so excited to share the bestselling and beloved Bucket Fillers series of books with our readers! It’s been heartening to share these books with our community, and to hear from you about how you--parents, educators, librarians, and more--are  integrating the books, like Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, into your household libraries and classroom planning. 

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? is the cornerstone title to the well-established collection of picture books that focus on a central theme: we all carry invisible buckets with us, and we can either fill those buckets with kind words and actions, or empty the bucket by choosing unkind words and actions. 

And there are so many Bucket Filler books beyond Have You Filled a Bucket Today? Have you read any of the additional and supplemental books yet? On our end, we’ve been enjoying the opportunity to share a little about the new titles on our list. 

One new book in our Cardinal Rule Press catalog is Fill a Bucket by Carol McCloud and  Katherine Martin. With an uplifting message, Fill a Bucket speaks to younger readers in clear, gentle language about what it means to be a bucket filler. The book introduces children to the concept of invisible buckets we carry around with us, and what it means to fill a bucket or to dip from a bucket. Describing our buckets as the way we carry positive thoughts and feelings, this book helps identify the character traits that will keep our buckets full: empathy, kindness, resilience, and more. 

Here at Bucket Filler Books (published by Cardinal Rule Press), we are happy to help you with resources for your bookstore or library. Get your FREE Filling Buckets at Home Printable. 

What can each of us do to be bucket fillers? What happens if our bucket begins to empty? Why does it matter if we dip into other people’s buckets? Using terminology from the bestselling series, Fill A Bucket explores the importance of acting in socially thoughtful ways. 

Batch of Books says “This is a good primer on the concept of bucket filling and helps young children understand that when you do something nice for someone else, it makes both of you happy.” 

Readers say, “As a preschool teacher I wanted to expand on the 'fill a bucket' lesson, but the traditional books were a little over my 3year olds' heads. When I tried this book, I found that they were able to grasp the concept” and “I think every young child should have this book. It is also helpful for the adults that read it to them...we all need to remember to "’fill a bucket.’" 

There are more ways to extend the learning with printables, available on the Cardinal Rule Press website. Also, check out these resources for lesson plans and activities that revolve around the Bucket Filling mindset and the original book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? We Are Teachers has a long list of simple activities and creative insights on how to cultivate a classroom that focuses on kindness. Here are more tips for discussing a Bucket Filling mindset with younger children, from Fairy Poppins. 

We hope you’ll take a look at Fill a Bucket. When you do, tell us what you think! You can reach out to Cardinal Rule Press on social media and via our website.

Don't forget to download your FREE Filling Buckets at Home Printable!

Christie Megill is an editorial and marketing intern at Cardinal Rule Press and she spends most of her spare time reading children’s books. She has experience as a writer, elementary school teacher, curriculum developer, and literacy specialist.