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Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Friday, August 9, 2013

Book Review: What's Up, Duck? by Tad Hills





This weeks book review is What's Up, Duck? by Tad Hills. Its a great book of opposites. Cognitive and reasoning skills are important in all areas of development. This helps children to think independently, increases vocabulary and builds self-confidence as they solve problems. Learning opposites helps in all of these areas. After reading this book, try listing a word and see if your child can name the opposite. "Up, ___" "Hot, ___" 





Friday, July 26, 2013

Book Review: Twinkle, Twinkle Time for Bed + Brush, Brush, Brush!

This is a 2 in 1 book. One side can be read while your children brush their teeth and the other can be read once they are tucked in bed. This is a book that we give out during our Ready to Learn class. One of our class topics is "Rhymers are Readers" so we use this book to illustrate that point. See if your child can find which words rhyme as you read. 

 

At toothbrushing time, try singing Brush, Brush, Brush! out loud to the tune of "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" It's a fun way to help toddlers develop self-help skills. And remember, a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is just right for toddlers. 



Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Playgroup Activity!

Welcome Baby helps to start new playgroups in our community. Currently we have playgroups in Orem, Pleasant Grove, and Provo. Our Provo playgroup leader is Cindy Primrose and she has done an awesome job! This past month she did an ocean themed playgroup and here's how it turned out. Feel free to recreate her ideas in one of your own playgroups. 


"Today we had an ocean theme playgroup. When the children arrived they could choose the playdough table or the water table. At the playdough table I placed shells and mermaid tears (glass beads, you can find these at the dollar store) and blue playdough ( the ocean) The children pressed the shells and mermaid tears in the dough, making interesting imprints. They also enjoyed covering the shells and mermaid tears with the "ocean" and digging them out. (This idea came from the blog Raise Up A Child)


 












At the water table, I placed two bins filled with water. I added a few drops of food coloring to make the water blue. I put in some sea animals and some plastic coral. The children had fun splashing and letting the animals swim around. This was also a great way to introduce vocabulary.


For story time we read the book Ten Little Fish. By Audrey Wood. It is a counting book with wonderful illustrations of ocean life.




Our craft for the day was making fish. I cut fish out of white construction paper. We used  sequins, colored macaroni (put macaroni in baggies. Put several drops of food coloring on macaroni. Close bag and squish the macaroni around to distribute color. Spread macaroni on cookie sheet to let dry.) small pieces of tin foil, wiggly eyes, crayons, markers and glue, to decorate the fish. Each fish was colorful and unique. This was an easy project that worked with different age levels.






For snack we served goldfish crackers and blue punch.  Finger play idea:All the fish are swimming in the water, swimming in the water, swimming in the water.All the fish are swimming in the water. Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, POP!(hands swim like a fish. Make your fingers in the shape circles for the bubbles and float upward. Clap on the pop!)" -Cindy






Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Generous Book Donation from KPMG

KPMG is a tax, audit and advisory firm that has "a larger sense of purpose. Just as [they] serve the public trust, [they] also understand  the critical role of helping solve some of the worlds toughest, most complex problems" like literacy. They are a supporter of financial literacy but literacy in general and live up to their slogan, "cutting through the complexity." KPMG's Family for Literacy program has partnered with First Book (a non-profit book supplier that gives children in need access to new books) and have generously donated 50 books to our Welcome Baby program. 


KPMG Employees


These book will be given to the children in our community through Ready to Learn classes and other programs offered by Welcome Baby United Way of Utah County. The book donated is called Little Critter: Just Saving my Money by Mercer Mayer. We are amazed by the generosity of our community and specifically KPMG. Many children in our community will benefit from the books donated. 




Book Donated
Each of these books has this message from KPMG's Family Literacy Program:

Dear Reader,

At KPMG, we believe that reading and financial literacy are two import building blocks to success. We hope this book helps you develop both of these skills, which you will continue to use throughout your life. 

KPMG's Family for Literacy teams with First Book to put books in the hands of children across the country. Through our work together, we are pleased to bring you Little Critter: Just Saving My Money

With Our Best Wishes,
KPMG's Family for Literacy


If you would like to donate to our program or would like to know more, email us at baby1@unitedwayuc.org

Friday, May 3, 2013

Book Review: Bubble Bubble by Sesame Street Workshop

"Reading to your child helps them become ready to start and stay in school. The fun doesn't have to stop when the reading is done! There are many skills that can be initiated from reading a book. To build upon these skills, use activities to reinforce the learning." 
 School age: Infant

Developmental Skill: Gross Motor skills target the large muscle groups such as arms, legs and torso. Develop these skills by jumping, throwing, running and kicking.

Activity: Have your child touch his/her body parts that they mention in the story. Make your own bubbles and have your child learn to blow through the wand, then have your them chase the bubbles. If it is a cold day use the bathtub as a place to blow bubbles.


Friday, April 26, 2013

Book Review: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

"Reading to your child helps them become ready to start and stay in school. The fun doesn't have to stop when the reading is done! There are many skills that come can be initiated from reading a book. To build upon these skills, use activities to reinforce the learning."


Book Review: "It has been said that the true example of love is being willing to give of one’s self for the benefit of another. Shel Silverstein tells the story of love between a boy and a tree that is an example of this sacrificial love. From the time the boy is young and needs shade as he plays to growing up and being allowed to climb in her branches to the time when he is older and wants something that may mean the end of the tree, the tree keeps on giving to him- out of love. Though there are many ways to interpret this story, the true message of love shines through. Even when the boy is an old man and long after the tree has been cut down, what is left of the tree is still giving. The old man, once the little boy who played under the tree, now uses the stump of the tree to rest on."

Activity: From the book message, children learn that planting seeds is giving to others. After reading this with your child talk about why the tree would want to give itself away. Discuss how it feels to give something and the feeling of receiving gifts. Supply a bag of apples and cut one apple in half horizontally. Have your child gather seeds from the apple. 

Make a treat using the apple as the main ingredient. Ask what trees give to the world and how planting each apple seed gives back to nature. Plant a tree or small plant, even though it is a slow process. 

Sources:
Link 1
Link 2

Friday, April 19, 2013

Book Review: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

"Reading to your child helps them become ready to start and stay in school. The fun doesn't have to stop when the reading is done! There are many skills that come can be initiated from reading a book. To build upon these skills, use activities to reinforce the learning."




Review: Caps for Sale is a timeless classic, in print for over fifty years, and beloved by generations of readers. This easy-to-read story about a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity. Children will delight in following the peddlers efforts to outwit the monkeys, and will ask to read it again and again.

Activity: At HomeSchool Creations website in the Preschool Corner there is a free activity packet to go along with Caps for Sale. LINK



A free Tree template to use for an activity

LINK



Friday, April 12, 2013

Book Review: There's a Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone

"Reading to your child helps them become ready to start and stay in school. The fun doesn't have to stop when the reading is done! There are many skills that can be initiated from reading a book. To build upon these skills, use activities to reinforce the learning."

School age: Preschool

Developmental Skill: Imagination is foundational skill for children to develop problem solving, independent thinking and creative thinking.

Book Review: By all accounts, this book is a favorite among toddlers and adults alike. Generations will recall their first time reading along as lovable, furry old Grover begs the reader not to turn the page . . . for a monster is at the end of the book! But, of course, the monster is none other than Grover himself. 

Activity: Have your child turn to pages, make sure to add his name when asking them NOT to turn the page. Make sure to use different voices, inflection, and even accents to make the book exciting! While you're reading the book, have your child guess what the monster might look like.


Friday, April 5, 2013

Book Review: "King Bidgoods in the Bathtub" by Audrey Wood

"Reading to your child helps them become ready to start and stay in school. The fun doesn't have to stop when the reading is done! There are many skills that come can be initiated from reading a book. To build upon these skills, use activities to reinforce the learning."

School Age: 1st to 2nd grade

Developmental Skill: Imagination is a foundational skill for children to develop problem solving. Independent thinking and creative thinking.

Book Review: King Bidgood is a merry old soul with an unruly beard, a flashing eye, and an unquenchable desire for his bath. Neither knight nor queen, duke nor courtier, can coax him out of the tub, so he invited them into it. Only the court page has the wits to beach the scrub-a-dub king in this playful, gleefully illustrated tale.

Activity: Read the book and then have your child come up with some other ideas to get the kind out of the bathtub. See if your child can see the sequence of the day or the many interesting things such as noticing that when they are getting ready for the Ball that the Knight has the battleship on his head. See if your child notices that the items are all related to what they do in the tub. Remember, differentiating reality from imagination is a learned skill and takes a lot of practice.


Friday, March 29, 2013

Book Review: The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward

"Reading to your child helps them become ready to start and stay in school. The fun doesn't have to stop when the reading is done! There are many skills that come can be initiated from reading a book. To build upon these skills, use activities to reinforce the learning."
Age: 4+

Written in 1939, the story illustrates of a young lady bunny whose dream is to become one of the five Easter bunnies. Her dream slowly disappears after marriage and having 21 children. In the end, it's her skills in successfully raising those children that allow her to reach the desirable position. The story, which teaches that kindness and wisdom can trump size and strength lends itself well to many activities!

Art Activity: There are many creative activities to go along with this story, such as when a sick little boy gets the prettiest Easter egg, which "glitters like a diamond." Decorate elaborate Easter eggs on card stock using paint, glitter, sequins, ribbons, stickers, fabric scraps, etc. Or make a paper chain of 21 bunnies and decorate their tails with cotton balls.

Bunny templates:   Link1    Link2

Story Skills: Ask your kids why the mother bunny is given the gold shoes. Point out that the grandfather bunny doesn't say why he chose her, but you know anyway because of what happened in the story. Then ask the kids what the magical property of the gold shoes is. Point out that the author shows the reader instead of telling what the gold shoes do. Have your kids find other instances in the story where the author shows rather than tells.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Book Review: Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

"Reading to your child helps them become ready to start and stay in school. The fun doesn't have to stop when the reading is done! There are many skills that come can be initiated from reading a book. To build upon these skills, use activities to reinforce the learning." 


About the Author: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of this book, Crockett Johnson gave children a simple way to explore using just their imaginations and a crayon. In the beginning of his career, Johnson wrote for the new newspaper and drew comics but eventually moved to children's stories. He has written over 20 books and helped illustrate many others. As a couple, he and his wife enjoyed writing stories and plays for children. They wrote simple stories with great creativity, perfect for any age! 

Book Review: "One night, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight." So begins this gentle story that shows just how far your imagination can take you. Armed only with an oversized purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of beauty and excitement. But this is no hare-brained, impulsive flight of fantasy. Cherubic, round-headed Harold conducts his adventure with the utmost prudence, letting his imagination run free, but keeping his wits about him all the while. He takes the necessary purple-crayon precautions: drawing landmarks to ensure he won't get lost; sketching a boat when he finds himself in deep water; and creating a purple pie picnic when he feels the first pangs of hunger. 

Activity: Create a fun activity for the whole family by doing pass around story boards. Have one person start by drawing a simple picture, then passing it to another person who continues the picture, then pass it again. When everyone has had a turn, come together and tell the whole story. This a great way to use the imagination of all ages and to have fun as a group! 




Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Provo 7-Eleven Offers a Tasty Incentives for Children

United Way has teamed up with 7-Eleven at 300 S. Freedom Blvd. in Provo to let children borrow books and when they're read and returned, kids are given a free balloon or free Slurpee! The read a book, earn a Slurpee program has only be going for a few week and is becoming very popular!

Customer Sherry Murray says,"We come here and get a couple of books and read them with the girls. It's good for them to take it back to a different grown up and re-tell the story. Then they earn a Slurpee or a balloon and they love it. They really look forward to it."



The end goal is to get kids to decide that reading a book is even sweeter than drinking a Slurpee.

For more information on KSL click here