Rainy Day

Rainy days are part of this time of year.
After such unusually warm and sunny days, it's a little hard to appreciate the cooler, wetter weather of springtime.
I was thinking of all the books that have rain as part of the story and wanted to share one with you today. I chose Chalk by Bill Thompson.

 Chalk is an amazing wordless picture book that begins and ends with rain. I think you can tell just how cool this book is by looking at the cover alone.  Don't you want to open it and see what it's all about?

Here's a clue.

Three children walking through a playground one rainy day find a bag filled with chalk. They begin to draw with the chalk and some amazing things happen. The drawings come to life.
That's a good thing as long as you're drawing sunshine and butterflies, but what happens when you draw a sharp-toothed dinosaur?

That part is actually a little scary (the illustrations are so intense and realistic). Listeners under five years may need some extra security until the dinosaur problem is resolved by one of the children and another piece of chalk.

Inserts on several double page spreads allow you to see the "before" moment. Pause and ask, "What is that child thinking?" You can retell the story over and over, adding details, as children notice more with each trip through the book.

A wordless picture book must have extraordinary illustrations to carry the story. This one does.

Art Extension Idea:
Chalk with Water
Materials: Colored chalk, heavy white paper, small cups/bowls, water, towels to clean up
Procedure: Give children paper, containers of water and chalk. Let them draw with the dry chalk first. Next, show them how to dip the chalk into the water before putting it to the paper. Encourage them to draw as they wish. Notice and discuss the difference between the wet chalk versus the dry chalk.
Enjoy the experience of discovery and creating art together.

Blueberries

You've probably heard all about the benefits of blueberries. If not, you can find them here.
It's not difficult to get most children to eat blueberries.
Fairly sweet. Shaped like a ball. Blue. Now that's a fun food!
Of course, not everyone is so easily swayed.
Try a great read aloud to "sweeten" the deal. (I couldn't resist)

A classic picture book, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey, might be the invitation needed for your picky eater to give blueberries a go. If it doesn't change their dietary habits, they can still enjoy a sentimental favorite about a little girl, a little bear, and blueberry picking.

 Little Sal and her mother head to Blueberry Hill to gather berries to make preserves for the winter. On the other side of the hill, Little Bear and his mother are also looking for berries to eat, preparing to sleep through the winter. There's a bit of a mix-up where's things could get scary. Rest assured, everyone ends up safe and sound with plenty of berries.

I love all the little things that happen in this story. The attention to the sound of the berries dropping into the buckets. Kerplink, kerplank, kerplunk. The way the little ones wander, lost in their own worlds. The tension that builds when Little Sal and the mother bear find one another.
There's a lot to this little book.

Even if you don't like blueberries, you can still "pick" a winner with this read aloud. (I really couldn't resist)


Music Extension Idea:
Singing with young children is my second favorite activity after reading to them.
Here's a little song to share that's sung to the tune, "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"

Oh Sal and her Mother went walking

All over the Blueberry Hill

They wanted to pick sweet ripe berries

And each had a tin pail to fill

Sing it through a couple times, then hand out little buckets or containers and have the children pretend to fill them as they sing.

Eggs

Who knew an egg could be so many things?
When I think of an egg...a white chicken egg comes to mind. The kind of egg that sits with 11 other identical eggs in a Styrofoam container in my fridge.

If you read An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston, you'll see that an egg is colorful, shapely, artistic, and more. This informational book with gorgeous illustrations by Sylvia Long is an outstanding specimen of the picture book genre (scientifically speaking).

It's the perfect time of year for a study on eggs and this is the perfect springboard.  A fascinating book, it introduces more than 60 types of eggs and and shares some amazing facts about them.

Did you know that seabird eggs are pointy at one end? Why? If they are laid on rock ledges, they roll around in safe little circles, not off the cliff. Amazing.

You can't help but be entranced by the beauty of this book and still learn something new.
It's the perfect addition to an Easter basket too!




Extension Idea:
Truly, the possibilities are endless with this book. The topics of math, science, art, geography, and history are all introduced.
Here's one for Math.
An ostrich egg can weigh up to 8 pounds. Take a balloon and fill it with water to equal the size of a chicken egg.  Let the children weigh it on a kitchen scale. Take another and fill it until it weighs 8 pounds (or as close as you can get) to show the size of an ostrich egg. Let the children hold each of these just to get a feel for the difference in these two types of bird eggs.

Weigh it.

Time for a Hug

What time is it?
Young children don't have to worry about time like we adults do.
Don't you think that would be glorious? We check our watch or iPhone constantly because our lives are run on such a tight schedule. Image being able to ignore the constraint of time for a day.
Definitely glorious.

Young children do enjoy the consistency and routine of a daily schedule. Their bodies adjust to meal and nap times. They count on things happening in the same order.
What happens when that schedule can't be followed? When meal time is later than usual, when nap has to be skipped?
Not so glorious.

Time for a Hug by Phillis Gershator and Mim Green tells of a child's day from morning till night. Tick-tocking through the hours, following the routines that they know, and always including time for a hug. Shouldn't we all put that on our schedule?
It moves in a gentle rhythm with rhyming text, two good reasons to share it aloud.

Wash our faces,
comb our hair,
choose the clothes
we like to wear.
Eat from a bowl,
drink from a mug--
What time is it?
Time for a hug! 

Math Extension Idea:

Daily Schedule Poster

On a large piece of poster board, list the hours of school (or a typical day at home if that applies) down the left hand side of the board.

To the right of each time segment, write what happens at that time and show a photo example.

8:00 - Arrive at school (picture of a child hanging up their school bag and jacket in their cubbie)

8:00-9:00 - Free Play (photos of children at various centers around the room)

When children become concerned about what's happening next, or how long until it's time to go home, you can direct them to the Daily Schedule and walk through the rest of the day.

You can also prepare this on a magnetized board and give each child a magnet of their own to move down/across the schedule as the day progresses.

Duck and Goose

Making a new friend can be tricky.
Sometimes, it takes a bit of a fuss and some apologizing before two individuals see their way clear to becoming good friends.
This is true for Duck and Goose.

Duck & Goose by Tad Hills is a great read aloud because it rings so true for preschoolers.
The "finders-keepers" rule is clearly stated. "I saw it first," said Duck, "I touched it first," said Goose.
Sharing space is difficult. "Scoot over, I don't have any room!" complained Duck. "You are much closer to me than I am to you," replies Goose.
In the end, they realize that the large polka-dot "egg" they have fought over is actually a ball and they come to an agreement. "It may not be an egg, but it is lovely," said Duck. "Oh, absolutely, Duck," Goose agreed. "It's a keeper."
The bright, colorful oil paintings showcase the "egg," Duck, and Goose against a muted background. Their eyebrows say it all!

Observation Extension Idea:
It's easy to mistake something that looks a lot like something else. Learning to look closely can not only save us some trouble, it's a great way to learn about things.
Choose an egg and a ball (a ping pong ball is a similar size and color) for observation.
Ask the children to describe each one and write their words on a chart labeled EGG and BALL.
Have them use their senses to investigate how these things are similar and different. (How do they move? Is one heavier than another? What is inside?)
With older children, you can use a Venn diagram to organize characteristics. Critical thinking is engaged when children ask questions and make discoveries.

Paint

Sometimes you just love a book because it makes you laugh. Take a look at this cover and try not to smile. See what I mean?
When you need a dose of silliness, this book is the remedy.

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont and David Catrow tells the story of a young boy who just can't keep from expressing himself artistically.
His mama catches him decorating the house and promptly puts him in the tub while she cleans up the mess. He rescues his art supplies and promises not to paint...but then, "So I take some red and I paint my HEAD!"

The rhyming verses lead the listener to guess what comes next. At the turn of the page, a new body part is revealed, covered in paint.
It's just fun.
I dare you to read or sing it to a group of children and not giggle along with them. Really.

Art Extension Idea:
Obviously, painting of any kind is a great follow-up to this book.
Paint standing at the easel, sitting at the table, or lying on the floor.
Use brushes, sponges, or hands.
Give lots of time and space to the process.
If the thought of that much paint is paralyzing, hand out dry paint brushes. They can "paint" their bodies as you read through the book again.

Basketball

In some places in the world, March is a month dedicated to rejoicing in the renewal of the earth and the first signs of spring.
Around here, March is about one thing. Basketball.
It's not just for the grown-ups. Children are decked out in team colors. They're caught up in the excitement and they know who's in the Final Four.
So what's more fun than Basketball? How about Basketball played by Dinosaurs?

 Dino-Basketball by Lisa Wheeler incorporates two favorite themes (sports and prehistoric beasts) into one fast paced, rhyming story. In addition to the action of the game and the vibrant, energetic illustrations, there's always something new to learn. The use of basketball terms and dinosaur species can extend vocabulary and encourage discussion.

"The game begins at breakneck speed.
Two points for Stego! Clippers lead.
Allo answers off the dribble.
Diplo take it up the middle--
T. rex charges from behind.
Steals the ball. It's Meaty time!
He drives the ball up to the hoop.
Lobs to Raptor--Alley-oop!"

Check out this book during March Madness and extend the fun of basketball through read aloud.


Gross Motor Extension Idea:
The game of basketball requires many skills not yet developed in preschoolers. You can make a similar game that is more appropriate for your age group by using a laundry basket set on the floor and smaller, junior sized basketballs. If you want to add a challenge, you can add a masking tape perimeter around the basket for the children to stand on to "shoot".  Several children can practice making shots at the same time. Cheer their efforts and celebrate every 3-pointer!