Celebrating the Moon’s Birthday!

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celebrating-the-moons-birthdayHappy Birthday Moon is a classic story by Frank Asch about a bear who wants to celebrate the Moon’s birthday. He travels up to the mountains to talk to the moon and when he hears his voice echoing back to him, he thinks it is the moon answering back. This leads to a sweet story about buying the moon a birthday present.

Hanging Out with Harry the Dirty Dog

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hanging-out-with-harry-the-dirty-dogAre you looking for a way to talk to your kids about making good choices? The classic story of Harry the Dirty Dog gives parents an opportunity to talk to kids about the choices they make, while having lots of muddy fun!


Harry the Dirty Dog
by Gene Zion is a classic story about a dog named Harry, who is white with dark spots. He goes out for the day and gets covered in dirt, which changes his coloring to a black dog with white spots. When he returns home, his family doesn’t recognize him! Once they give him a bath, they figure out that the dog is Harry. Most kids love getting dirty as much as dogs do, so there are so many fun things you can do with this story.

Make Learning Pop with Popcorn!

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Pop into learning with Popcorn!

Frank Asch’s book Popcorn is a classic Halloween story about a bear named Sam who throws a Halloween party when his parents go out for the night. All of his friends bring popcorn as a snack and trouble starts when they decide to start popping it. This book was a favorite of mine when I was younger and I have already read it to my 15 month old daughter several times. There are a lot of ways that parents can use this quick and enjoyable book to provide their children with memorable experiences, learning opportunities and popcorn fun.

Learning Life Skills with Corduroy!

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learning-life-skills-with-corduroy

Corduroy by Don Freeman is the beloved tale of a stuffed bear in a store who wants to be purchased by a little kid and given a home. When a little girl wants to take him home, her mother points out that he is missing a button. So Corduroy goes on a mission to find his missing button in hopes that it will help him get a family. Buttons are very versatile and can be used to practice a lot of skills.

Learning with the Vanishing Pumpkin!

Halloween is the season for tricks, treats and creepy characters. Today’s book has all of these, and inspires lots of pumpkin activities and learning fun!

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The Vanishing Pumpkin was written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. It is an entertaining Halloween story about a pumpkin that disappears and the old couple who want to find it so they can make pumpkin pie. While searching for their missing pumpkin, they come across a variety of creatures who they accuse of stealing it. These creatures decide to tag along on their journey. Kids will enjoy all of the funny creatures they come across, and the repetitive text and colorful illustrations will keep them entertained.

Help Kids Learn to Face Their Fears!

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learn-to-face-your-fearsThe Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything written by Linda D. Williams tells the story of a little old lady who refuses to let fear get in her way. It is an entertaining read about facing fears, especially around the Halloween season. The catchy repetition and the funny items that follow her will entertain small children, making this a great book for reading aloud. This story can be a great jumping off point to discussing what your child is afraid of and helping them to face their fears.

I Do Like Green Eggs and Ham!

i-do-like-green-eggs-and-hamWho doesn’t like Green Eggs and Ham? It is a classic Dr. Seuss story about not making judgements. The main character declares that he DOES NOT like green eggs and ham, but Sam-I-Am insists that he will like them if he just tries. This story is a great vehicle for teaching kids about rhyming pairs. It is also a great lesson about not judging a book by it’s cover (pun intended). This story presents a lot of opportunities for fun lessons and experiences, and it is an entertaining read aloud for kids and adults.

Take a Trip to Pumpkin Town!

Updated on October 5, 2019
Celebrate fall with the book "Pumpkin Town" and pumpkin activities inspired by the story! #pumpkinbooks #pumpkinactivities #fallbooksFall means it is time for the harvest season. Pumpkins, apples, vegetables and more will be ripe for the picking. I always enjoy checking out the produce available this time of year at our local orchards and farmer’s markets. All the bright colors and the abundance of produce inspires me in the kitchen. So we decided to have some fun with a story that focuses on an abundance of pumpkins and teaches an important lesson about responsibility.

Llama Llama Learning!

llama-llama-learningLlama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney is currently my 15 month old daughter’s favorite book. We read it at least 3 or 4 times a day. It is a quick story with a nice rhyming pattern, so it is a good book to read aloud. The story has a nice message about knowing that your mother always loves you, even when she can’t be with you. It is a relatable story for kids of all ages, and for parents as well. (How many parents can recognize Mama Llama’s frustration when Baby Llama wants her by his side RIGHT NOW?)

Sensory Bins for Fall Fun!

sensory-bins-fallWe live in the Northeast, so fall means cooler temperatures, changing leaves, cozy sweaters and the start of football season! The change in season offers a lot of opportunities to introduce young children to changes in nature, and sensory bins are a great way to do this.

Kids develop their understanding of the world through their senses even before they know what senses are! How many times have you said the phrase, “Don’t put that in your mouth!” or “Don’t touch that!”? Sensory play gives parents an opportunity to teach children about different sensations in a controlled manner, and can be adapted for specific books, holidays, seasons or themes. I will often include sensory play ideas in the book based activities on this site, as these can help to enhance a child’s experience with a book and extend the learning into the real world.