Kite Day / by Will Hillenbrand

"Come on!" Bear waved to Mole, "Kite day is here!"

Present your child with the book "Kite Day" and have them take a look at the front cover.  Then ask

"What kind of day is a 'kite day'?"  "Do Bear and Mole look excited to fly their kite?"  "Who would you ask to help you make a kite?"   

For this precarious activity, you will need to visit pinkstripeysocks.com.  There, you will find all supplies, instructions and photo's you need (all items can be found around the home) to make your own kites.  I take NO credit for this idea, except that I found it on Pinterest.  It was so cute and simple…I had to give it a test run!

Pink Stripey Socks

Go outside and engage your child and yourself in the fascination of kite flying!  Spend some time with this one….it's good to breathe the clean, fresh, spring air!  This activity could include a visit to the park with a friend or as a play date.

After the kite flying frenzy, sit down on the grass with your child, a cold drink and the book Kite Day.  Start a simple discussion about the story of Bear and Mole and the hurdles they faced when flying their kite.  You might start the discussion by asking "What items did Bear and Mole use to make their kite?" and "Where did Bear and Mole find their kite after the dark, heavy clouds carried it away?" and "Who did the fallen kite help?"

Keep it simple and enjoy!

Peace!
Lisa

p.s. Thank You Pink Stripey Socks!!!

Where's My Teddy? by Jez Alborough

"Help!" said Eddie.  "I'm scared already!  I want my bed!  I want my teddy!"

"Where's My Teddy?" by Jez Alborough

What would you do if you lost your teddy?  What if you lost it in the woods somewhere?  Tell me, would you be scared?  Questions to ask before beginning this curious tale about a boy, a bear and their teddy's.

To embark on this Teddy Bear Adventure all you need is:

1. the book "Where's My Teddy?" (use the library!) 

2. a teddy bear  (preferably the child's own)

3. a few clever hiding spots

4. a picnic blanket and a couple peanut butter and honey sandwiches…if you choose.

Use your own creativity for this activity…you don't HAVE to follow my directions exactly!  

First: Read the book, ask questions, have a short discussion…"What surprised you most about this story?"  "Who was your favorite character and why?"  "Which part of the story did you like the most?"

(not too long, a couple minutes TOPS…or else you'll lose them!)

Second: Have the child grab their own teddy.  Allow them a minute to explain what they love about their teddy.  Ask the child to leave the room and count to 15.  Ask them to return when they are finished counting.  While the child is counting, hide their teddy.  Don't make it too hard to find or the child will lose interest, depending on their age.  Be creative!  (if your super enthusiastic, you can play this hiding game, in a similar way to Elf on the Shelf, hiding it in a new spot for a few days before or after this book activity.)

*for a group of children, I alter this a bit.  They each bring their own teddy from home.  I hide them all, while they are involved in another "bear" activity.  We find them later when the children realize, "They're LOST!?"*

suggested hiding spots...

teddy is 'snuggly' in the blanket

place teddy behind child's photo
"teddy loves you!"

in a kitchen cabinet
teddy is hungry…let's have a picnic!

teddy went out to play!

Third: (optional) When teddy's are safe and sound with their own little owner, sit down for a teddy bear picnic.  Eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches…because, a bear LOVES his honey!  Create a final discussion about the book:  "What was Eddie's reaction to the GIANT TEDDY?"  "What was bear holding when Eddie saw him?"  "Tell me about how the story ended."  

That's it…YOU DID IT!  You just spent a quality 15 minutes with your beloved little one!  

"Where's My Teddy" is/was APPROVED by these 2 special girls…my girls!  We tirelessly read this book over and over again, to the point that I memorized it.  I can still recite this book from memory, because my book club and preschool kids loved it as well.  Big pictures, simple writing and rhyming make this book a very fun read!  Book and activity scrutinized by ages 3 up to 8 (and beyond!).

Peace!

Lisa

questions? suggestions? …. then leave a comment please!