Valentines

Valentines Day is only a week away and today's book is a sweet treat to share with no extra calories.
You can read it or sing it!

Set to the tune "Clementine", it follows the many creative ways that a love-struck writer tries to share his feelings with someone special. This is a good introduction to letter writing and a discussion on all the different ways you can communicate something important.
It's also just a sweet story to share on a day dedicated to love.


Art Extension Idea:
Martha Stewart Kids - Making Valentine Cards

Materials: Colored paper, paint, stamps, ink pad, crayons or markers, scissors

 Procedure: Trace your child's hand or paint their hand and let them make a hand print on paper.
Cut out and decorate with stamps, crayons, or markers. Help your child to write a simple message of love on their hand. Share!

Cars

This is the perfect "first" book about cars specifically, or transportation in general, for toddlers.
I love this book for that very reason.  There are many informational books about modes of transportation; some too busy, some too long, but this one is just right.

My Car by Byron Barton is so appropriate with it's personal narrative by Sam, the bold primary colored illustrations, and the simple facts about the car and driving. The double page spreads give little ones ample space to look while the brief text is read. Even the square shape of the book itself is the right shape and size to be held comfortably on a lap.

Manipulative Extension Idea:

Car Wash in a Dishpan

In the book, Sam keeps his car clean by washing it. Using a plastic dishpan, a small amount of water and a squirt of soap, you can create your own carwash. Small sponges make for a little less water on the floor and give some extra fine motor muscle work out.

Place "dirty" cars and trucks into the dishpan, give them a good scrubbing with the sponge, and then you can add some excitement with a small spray bottle for rinsing! Dry on a big towel and repeat.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel

Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox will have you and your listeners giggling in this twist of a classic fairy tale.
Rapunzel has trouble hearing the Prince ask her to, "let down her hair". She makes some close guesses as she tosses items out her window, but never gets it quite right.

Rhymes, word play, and bright acrylic painted illustrations make this a hilarious read aloud for older children as well as the preschool set. In the end, you realize that Rapunzel never needed any help at all and the Prince rides off into the sunset pretty happy as well.


Dramatic Play Extension Idea:
Set up a beauty/barber shop in the dramatic play area. Use hair clips, headbands, and sponge curlers for accessories. Add a hand held mirror, empty spray bottles, and a small blow dryer (with the cord cut off) for styling equipment. Let the children take turns giving all the Rapunzels and Princes in the room a new hairdo.

Anger

All young children struggle with feeling angry sometimes. It can be scary to feel such an overwhelming emotion. Parents and teachers of young children can also be overwhelmed with helping a child handle those feelings in an acceptable way.

This read aloud provides a safe way for children to see what happens when Sophie gets angry, and allows them to follow her lose of control to a calm and peaceful resolution.
Molly Bang's illustrations are fierce as they portray Sophie's feelings. The intensity of color mirrors the action, and encourages another discussion about how we associate colors with feelings or moods.
It won a Caldecott Honor Book award and a Charlotte Zolotow award, both great honors.

Social/Emotional Extension Idea:
Using hand held mirrors, encourage children to make faces showing different emotions (sad, mad, happy scared, etc.) Ask them to use their bodies in addition to their faces to show those emotions.
Make a list of things you might do if you were really, really angry.
Talk about which of those things are good choices (squeezing playdough, punching a pillow, crying)
and which ones are not good choices (hurting someone, hurting yourself).
End with hugs and kind words for everyone in the group.

Babies

If you're looking for a gift for that next baby shower invite, this could be it. A good book is always the right size and you can never have too many of them!

Author Mem Fox and illustrator Steve Jenkins blend their talents to give birth to a book about baby animals.  The animal choices are unusual as is the vocabulary. It's rich in novel sounds, words, and cut paper artwork.
Hello Baby is a great addition to any child's library and interesting enough to entertain big brother or sister. This book is a good read aloud choice for large groups of listeners far beyond the infant set.

Language Experience Extension Idea:
After reading the book and noting the descriptive language it uses, talk to your children about what those words are describing, what they mean. (They're learning the parts of speech, but in an authentic way.)
Give some examples, describing things readily available. After a little practice, ask the children to describe something they can find in the room. You can continue extending the experience by writing what they say on a large board or chart paper.

PB & J

A favorite on the lunch plate of many children, this popular sandwich is constructed in a play rhyme. What's a play rhyme? Simple actions or motions set to a rhythmic chant. It's fun to say and fun to play. 

Perfectly silly illustrations by Nadine Bernard Westcott add to the rhyme as elephants, a chef, and two children bake a giant sandwich together. The final page gives suggestions for actions for each verse and the refrain. So slap your knees and clap your hands, as you read aloud today.

Movement Extension Idea:
Add some gross motor movement to this rhyme. Use your whole body instead of just your hands for the actions. Ask the children to give their suggestions and make it their own. Try working in pairs.
To add more interest and help keep their focus, change the volume of your voice as you chant. Whisper the refrain and shout the verses as everyone performs the actions. Children learn by doing.

Snow

We're missing snow this year.
We're missing all the fun things you can only do with snow.
We're missing snow days.
Today's book can help us to remember all the wonder and joy of a snow covered world.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year. It won the Caldecott Medal in 1963 for beautiful cut paper and watercolor artwork. How wonderful that this timeless story is still available for today's children as it was for their parents and grandparents.
Share it with someone you love today and dream of snow.

Science Extension Idea:
While we can't make real snowflakes, you can create a very cool science experiment that results in a
Borax Snowflake. It's not as complicated as it might seem and once the snowflake is complete, you can use a magnifying glass to look at the beautiful crystals that have formed. Give it a try!