Toddler Learning: Interactive Reading Choices

My toddler NEVER. STOPS. Okay, reality check - no toddler ever stops!

Here are some great options to get your toddler moving and to help them stay engaged while reading (it livens things up for parents too). 

#1 Clap Your Hands by Cauley 

This book is great because it gets kids moving and helps them to follow directions. I would use this book in my elementary classroom to work out wiggles and have a few laughs for even fifth graders, yet it is easy enough for a two year old (or younger) to participate.

#2 Shake My Sillies Out by Raffi 

Based on Raffi's hit song, this is a great book to explore before bed or any other time of day! It gets the whole family moving and laughing. 

#3 Tumble Bumble by Bond 

This was a new one for our family and is quickly becoming a favorite! Follow a tiny bug on a walk, where he meets new friends and gets moving. It is great for getting wiggles out and also teaches about making new friends and trying new things. 

#4 From Head to Toe by Carle

Another great find written by Eric Carle. This one helps your toddler learn the parts of their body, while getting up and moving. A classic favorite in our home.

#5 Don't Push the Button by Cotter

This one is a winner because it plays directly into every toddlers hands: they can't push a button. So, what do you think they want to do the entire book? Push the button. It is terrific for teaching following directions and is just wildly comical to see the look on your child's face when they are allowed to finally touch the button. 

#6 How Loud is a Lion by Beaton

My toddler is obsessed with animals and their silly noises, which makes this book a hit in our home. He loves to make all of the animal sounds and we even get up and move like the animals sometimes. There is also a hidden lion on each page, making for a fun scavenger hunt! 

#7 Jump Frog Jump by Kalan

We made this book into a let's get up and move book. The frog in this book finds himself in several circumstances in which he better escape fast! What does he do to escape? Jump of course! So what do we do each time the frog jumps? We jump like a frog! It is simple and fun! 

#8 Are You Ticklish by Bendon Inc

This book is normally only available used now but it is worth it! Each page has a new animal to tickle (touch and feel book)  and it just cracks my toddler up! He now lives to tickle his little brothers toes and he would tickle the dog as well. Lots of laughs for as young as 10 months. 

#9 Little People Lift and Flap Books by Fisher-Price 

There are so many Little People lift the flap books to choose from and they are all wonderful! They have one for each holiday and their books coordinate with their Little People play sets.  A few of our favorites are:

- The Farm

- Let's Go to the Zoo

- Planes, Cars, Trucks, and Trains

These are great for independent play/reading once they have been explored with a parent. 

#10 Slide and Find by Priddy

Priddy has put together over a dozen slide and find books which are great fun for toddlers! There are holiday themed slide and find books, as well as everyday books (trucks, colors, etc).

They are great learning tools and can be independently played with after introduced by an adult. 

Reading Teepee

My sweet boy is moving into a new room and I wanted to find or create a corner where he could read and play. I thought about a rocking chair or beanbag chair, but that just seemed so boring. Then I ran across some awesome reading tents on Pinterest. They were so cute, but either super complicated or you had to pay $150 (or more) on Etsy. Yeah - not happening.

So I made one! 

For the tent: 

- 3 wooden dowels (I used three unfinished from the outdoor lumber section at HomeDepot)

- quart of  stain in the color of your choice 

- 2 or more yards of rope (can also find a HomeDepot)

- 4 yards of fabric (I used a heavy cotton/linen blend from Joann Fabrics - I wanted a natural look)

- a staple gun

- a glue gun

- one large clear zip tie 

For the decorations: 

- permanent magic marker 

- 2 different pieces of scrap fabric (banner) 

- slice of wood (Joann's had them normally)

- drill 

To make the tent:

- stain the wooden dowels the night before

- tie the dowels with a zip tie (the bottoms should be spaced out evenly about 29 inches apart- I recommend putting tape on the ground because they will move throughout the project) 

Next, take your rope and wrap it around the three dowels until you can no longer see the zip tie. This looks great and also helps the three dowels to remain steady.

Now it is time to use the fabric. Iron it first and then drape it across the back two dowels. Using your staple gun, staple the fabric to the dowels. Pull it tight while stapling (it helps to have an extra pair of hands). 

You will need to cut the fabric across at the bottom (let it be jagged - it is more natural). Then cut on the one draping side (only leave an inch past the staples on the dowels. 

Drape fabric from the back dowel to one on the front (so you will have overlap on both sides of the back poles). I left the staples showing - you could hot glue ribbon over them but no one sees them anyway. 

When you cut the fabric from he back dowel to the front dowel - leave enough to drape (you will cut at an angle - so more fabric is hanging toward the bottom

- it's okay if the edge is jagged). Repeat these steps for the other side of the teepee. 

You will then hot glue front drapes to the dowels (this also covers the staples in the front). It allows the drapes to stay in place and for there to still be privacy in the tent, but without the possibility of tripping mom fabric. 

That's what the drapes look like after hot gluing. 

I then made a fabric banner and fabric pillows to go with it. Great tutorials for those can be found here: 

Banner - http://projectnursery.com/2012/12/diy-chic-pennant-banner/

Envelope Pillows: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4LJnPEvjdDo

I took the wooden slice and drilled two holes in the top. I used the same rope from the banner and the tip of the teepee and ran it through the holes. Then I took a dark colored Sharpie and made me little sign. 

My little man loves his tent! I can't wait to finish painting his room. It will all go so well together! 

PS - I probably spent about $70 to make everything (pillows, tent, banner, etc). 

Comprehension Cubes

Struggling with comprehension? Tired of buying cubes for comprehension? They aren't cheap! So, I had my students make cubes. We brainstormed questions and activities which help to comprehend the book/article students are reading. The students then chose some of the activities and put them on their comprehension cubes. We made a set for home and for school (no one wants to cart them back and forth - we all know how that ends up). 


Check out our cubes below! We made four total. Two for fiction and two for nonfiction texts. 

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Want a blank cube template? Click here!  or on the Pin above :)



 

Reading Logs

Reading logs have always troubled me. I have done month-long logs and weekly. This year I am back to weekly, but with a fun twist thanks to a co-workers idea! See below! 

Like it? Click on it and get it!