Acting-out Stories

There are so many wonderful extension activities to do with children and their favorite books (far too many to list here), and as a book-lover and someone with an English degree who focused on the importance of children's literature when obtaining my Child Development Associate, I'm quite tickled that he's has taken to one of them already! When reading to him, ideas for activities are brewing in my brain, but most are for an older Tyler, not a child of 18 months. I'm more than happy to repeat this little activity over and over (and over and over, in pure toddler fashion!).

This is a scene from Sandra Boynton's book "Night-Night, Little Pookie" where a very silly little Pookie hides under the covers from his Mommy when getting ready for bed. Ty brings the book to me and we maybe get through the first page before he can't take the anticipation anymore and flips to this page.

And then, the hiding! If there isn't a blanket handy, he covers his eyes with his hands.

Sometimes he really let's the drama build, staying underneath for a while and saying "Hmmmm" or giggling when I continue to ask where Pookie could be...

Then the reveal and the "surprise!" He's barely out of the covers before he's patting the page asking for me to read it again.

I'm now looking more closely at scenes in some of his other favorites that he may enjoy acting-out. In another part of this book Pookie hides along the side of the chair where his Mommy can't see him, and I believe he's doing that as well. Maybe showing Tyler how to play hide-and-seek should be next!