Looking for new ways to use books to create activities for your child? Here are some things you can do with the books you already have to create new language experiences while at home.
1. Tell the story without reading the words!
Use the pictures to guide your story. Describe the characters you see and what they’re doing. This will help engage your child in a new way and expose him/her to different sentence structures and vocabulary. Taking time to really look at the illustrations may reveal things you’d never noticed!
Goals: vocabulary development, expanding sentences
2. Ask questions!
Ask about things that are going on in the pictures and what might happen next. Ask follow up questions after reading pages and at the end of the book. You can use these questions to explore your child’s imagination as well as his/her understanding of the events in the book. You can use simple questions such as “what is he doing?” and “who is on the swing?” or more advanced questions such as “how does that make him feel?” or “what are they going to do now?”
Goals: wh-questions, story comprehension, prediction/inferences, articulation
3. Act it out!
Read “If You Give A Moose A Muffin” then bake muffins or make sock puppets! Read “Giraffes Can’t Dance” then have a stuffed animal dance party! Read “Where’s Spot?” before having a scavenger hunt! These activities can help your child to expand on his/her favorite stories with real life experiences. Keep the book nearby and make connections to the story as you play.
Goals: vocabulary development, expanding sentences, following directions
4. Make your own story!
Bored of the same stories? Make your own! Choose some key words to frame your story. Let your child illustrate the book by drawing pictures, cutting pictures out of magazines, or taking real pictures on your phone! Have fun helping your child to talk about what’s happening. The story can be silly and imaginative or developed to feature story elements of main characters, setting, and plot points! Once the story is complete, read it to family members in person or on a video chat!
Goals: Articulation, grammar, story elements, fluency, expanding sentences, vocabulary development
It can be difficult to keep children entertained at home for long periods of time. I hope you can use these activities to add some variety to your reading routines!
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